Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions relating to altering NT activity, nitrogen utilization and/or uptake in plants. The invention relates to a method for the production of plants with maintained or increased yield under low or normal nitrogen fertility. The invention provides isolated nitrate transporter (NT) nucleic acids and their encoded proteins. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells, and transgenic plants. Plants transformed with nucleotide sequences encoding the NT enzyme show improved properties, for example, increased yield.

Abstract: A method for increasing efficiency of germplasm screening for transformability may include providing a plurality of lines of plant target tissue to be transformed, characterizing each of the lines to provide characterization data, the characterization data comprises DNA or nucleic acid delivery technique response data and tissue culture response data, eliminating one or more of the plurality of lines based on the characterization data without performing transformation of the plurality of lines, such that a subset of the plurality of lines remains, and performing transformation experiments on the subset of the plurality of lines. The method may also include selecting a DNA or nucleic acid delivery technique protocol and a tissue culture protocol prior to the characterization.

Abstract: This invention relates to isolated polynucleotides encoding WUS polypeptides. The invention further provides isolated WUS polypeptides. The invention also provides methods of using the polynucleotides to modulate the level of WUS, improve transformation efficiency, to stimulate plant cell growth, including stem cells, to stimulate organogenesis, to stimulate somatic embryogenesis, to induce apomixis, and to provide a positive selection for cells comprising the polynucleotide. The invention also relates to cells, plants and seeds comprising the polynucleotides of the invention or produced by the methods of the invention.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for modulating plant response, development and yield under varying environmental conditions are provided. Methods employing MAPKKK are provided. The MAPKKK sequences are used in a variety of methods including modulating root development, modulating leaf and/or shoot development, modulating tolerance under abiotic stress and modulating yield. Transformed plants, plant cell, tissues, seed and expression vectors are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for regulating expression of nucleotide sequences in a plant. Compositions comprise novel polypeptides involved in modulating gene expression in response to abiotic stress such as cold or drought, and the polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. Methods for expressing the polynucleotides in a plant and improving cold and/or drought tolerance of plants are also provided.

Abstract: Isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides and recombinant DNA constructs particularly useful for altering agronomic characteristics of plants under nitrogen limiting conditions compositions (such as plants or seeds) comprising these recombinant DNA constructs, and methods utilizing these recombinant DNA constructs. The recombinant DNA construct comprises a polynucleotide operably linked to a promoter functional in a plant, wherein said polynucleotide encodes a LNT5 polypeptide.

Abstract: The present invention provides polynucleotides and related polypeptides of the protein GS. The invention provides genomic sequence for the GS gene. GS is responsible for controlling nitrogen utilization efficiency in plants. Glutamine synthase sequences are provided for improving grain yield and plant growth. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells and transgenic plants.

Abstract: Methods for dispensing pollen contained in a solution onto a plant for pollination are provided herein. In one example embodiment, a method for dispensing grains of pollen comprises introducing a plurality of grains of pollen into a solution to create a pollen solution mixture. In some embodiments, the pollen solution mixture is contained in a pollen storage container. The method further comprises connecting the pollen storage container containing the pollen solution mixture to a dispensing device. The method further includes propelling at least a portion of the pollen solution mixture from the pollen storage container using the dispensing device to pollinate a plant.

Abstract: This invention relates to isolated nucleic acid fragments encoding high affinity nitrate transport components. The invention also relates to the construction of recombinant DNA constructs encoding all or a portion of nitrate transport components, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the recombinant DNA construct may alter levels of the nitrate transport components in a transformed host cell.

Abstract: A method is provided for bulk pollination of a plurality of plants. In various embodiments, the method includes collecting a plurality of known grains of pollen, loading the plurality of known grains of pollen into a bulk pollen distributing apparatus, sensing a target pollination location of each of the plurality of plants using an electronic sensor, and distributing the known grains of pollen to the plurality of plants with the bulk pollen distributing apparatus when the electronic sensor senses the target pollination location of each of the plants within a predefined proximity, thereby pollinating the plurality of plants. A plurality of plants may be prepared for controlled pollination by preventing pollination of the plurality of plants by an alternate pollen source. Known grains of pollen may be dispensed to create predetermined gamete crosses with known plants.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel means of predicting plant phenotypes that incorporates previously unusable dense marker data derived from historical pedigrees. The method operates by collecting information from a population pertaining to one or more loci, which is used to build one or more matrices by calculating, for the alleles present at the measured loci, the probability that the alleles are identical by descent. These matrices are then used to develop a second set of one or more matrices in which each value represents the probability that a certain individual in the population descended from a certain ancestral (founder) genotype. This set of second matrices can then be used as part of a breeding program for selecting and breeding individuals from the population or can be used to better classify the individuals in the population, leading to improved plant phenotypes.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally an adjustable rake assembly for raking and baling material in a single pass. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a rake assembly that includes a frame and two movable wings configured to be moved to at least one transport position, in which the wings are disposed proximate a main axial member of the frame in a folded arrangement. The present invention also provides a rake assembly wherein at least one rake is configured to be moved with respect to the frame between a first position and a second position via a telescoping rake connection and a rotating rake connection. In some embodiments, the position of the wings and/or rakes may be changed via a control system.

Abstract: Defoliation of maize plants, based on percent seed moisture, has advantageous outcomes including greater number of seeds per pound; increased volume or proportion of saleable seed per field and per female acre; decreased discard of seed due to commercially undesirable size or shape; lower moisture content of seed at harvest; earlier harvest date; less fuel and time expended in drying seed for storage; improved performance in laboratory tests for germination at cold temperatures; improved seed treatment efficacy; improved emergence under stress in field conditions; improved plantability in mechanical systems; more uniform stand; fewer runt plants and improved grain yield.

Abstract: A method is provided for automatically discerning between object and non-object pixels in a hyperspectral image data cube. In particular embodiments, the object of the method is a plant, plant part, plant trait, plant phenotype, plant pot or a plant medium. The method comprises a first step of providing a partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) algorithm and a second step of applying the PLSDA algorithm to a hyperspectral image data cube to automatically determine which pixels contain the spectral properties of the object. The PLSDA algorithm of the method can be generated by establishing a training matrix, performing an eigenvector decomposition of the training matrix, experimentally determining a weighted linear combination of object signal-containing eigenvectors, calculating a regression vector using the weighted linear combination of signal-containing eigenvectors, generating a mask matrix and multiplying the mask matrix by the hyperspectral image data cube along two spatial dimensions.

Abstract: A method for managing a cellulosic biomass harvest comprises providing one or more harvest locations, receiving at a processor a set of harvest location data associated with the one or more harvest locations, generating at a processor one or more work orders for harvesting cellulosic biomass from the one or more harvest locations based on the set of harvest location data, and storing in a database a cellulosic biomass harvest data set associated with the one or more harvest locations.

Abstract: The invention provides for the regulation of opine synthesis and catabolism providing improved nitrogen responsiveness, utilizing opine synthase and oxidase nucleic acids and their encoded proteins. The present invention provides methods and compositions relating to altering nitrogen utilization and/or uptake in plants. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells and transgenic plants.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a system, apparatus, and method for cutting, windrowing, and baling material in a single pass. More specifically, the present invention provides an assembly that connects a windrower and a baler in series and a mechanism for conveying material, such as crop material and/or material-other-than-grain, from the windrower to the baler directly, without discharging the material onto the ground after it has passed through the windrower.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods for using favorable functional allele variants to optimize transgene effects and achieve the maximum potential of transgene efficacy. The present disclosure provides heterozygous allelic combinations of the transgene by stacking alleles from different heterotic pools, methods to increase crop yield by driving genes (maize or other species) by using heterozygous promoter allele combinations that consist of differentially regulatory allelic elements from heterotic pools, methods to increase crop yield utilizing transgenic complementary paired alleles controlling plant growth and yield. Plants, plant progeny, seeds and tissues created by these methods are also described. Polynucleotides encoding the alleles are provided for expression in a plant of interest. Expression cassettes, plants, plant cells, plant parts and seeds comprising the sequences of the disclosure are further provided.

Abstract: Compositions and methods related to transgenic glyphosate/ALS inhibitor-tolerant soybean plants are provided. Specifically, soybean plants having a 3560.4.3.5 event which imparts tolerance to glyphosate and at least one ALS-inhibiting herbicide are provided. The soybean plant harboring the 3560.4.3.5 event at the recited chromosomal location comprises genomic/transgene junctions having at least the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10 and/or 11. The characterization of the genomic insertion site of the 3560.4.3.5 event provides for an enhanced breeding efficiency and enables the use of molecular markers to track the transgene insert in the breeding populations and progeny thereof. Various methods and compositions for the identification, detection, and use of the soybean 3560.4.3.5 events are provided. Methods and compositions for increasing yield are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and compositions using populations of randomized modified FRT recombination sites to identify, isolate and/or characterize modified FRT recombination sites are provided. The recombinogenic modified FRT recombination sites can be employed in a variety of methods for targeted recombination of polynucleotides of interest, including methods to recombine polynucleotides, assess promoter activity, directly select transformed organisms, minimize or eliminate expression resulting from random integration into the genome of an organism, such as a plant, remove polynucleotides of interest, combine multiple transfer cassettes, invert or excise a polynucleotide, and identify and/or characterize transcriptional regulating regions are also provided.