Abstract: The invention relates to the nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for a melon constitutive triple response (CTR1) homologue, called mCTR, vectors, cells and transgenic plants which comprise the coding sequence for mCTR or a biologically active fragment thereof and methods of producing transgenic plants which express mCTR or a biologically active fragment thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for producing gummy stem blight resistant Cucumis melo hybrid seeds, plants, breeding lines, pollen, ovules, and tissue culture. The method involves using resistant C. melo plants as sources of gummy stem blight resistance in plant breeding programs. Also disclosed are the gummy stem blight resistant C. melo seeds, plants, breeding lines, pollen, tissue culture, and ovules produced using the methods of the present invention.

Abstract: An inbred cantaloupe line, designated GdM3, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of inbred cantaloupe line GdM3, to the plants of inbred cantaloupe line GdM3 and to methods for producing a cantaloupe plant produced by crossing the inbred line GdM3 with itself or another cantaloupe line. The invention further relates to hybrid cantaloupe seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line GdM3 with another cantaloupe line.

Abstract: Multiple shoot structures are induced from plant tissues (e.g., shoot apices or axillary buds on an artificial medium) to produce multiple shoot cultures. These multi-shoot cultures are then transformed by known transformation methods. Plants are subsequently regenerated from the transformed cells. Crops that may be efficiently transformed by this method include plants normally recalcitrant to transformation such as sugar beet, sunflower, soybean, cotton, tobacco, tomato, peanuts, melons, watermelon, squash, Brassica, and pepper.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chimeric recombinant DNA molecule comprising: a plurality of DNA sequences, each of which comprises a plant-functional promoter linked to a coding region, which encodes a virus-associated coat protein, wherein said DNA sequences are preferably linked in-tandem so that they are expressed in virus-susceptible plant cells transformed with said recombinant DNA molecule to impart resistance to said viruses; as well as methods for transforming plants with the chimeric constructs and for selecting plants which express at least one of said DNA sequences imparting viral resistance.

Abstract: The present invention provides, inter alia, nucleic acids which encode P450s in corn that, when expressed in the presence of a reductase, metabolize compounds exemplary of several distinct classes of insecticides and herbicides. The invention also includes amino acids encoded by the nucleic acids, as well as vectors, cells and eukaryotes comprising the nucleic or amino acid compounds. Also included are methods using the materials provided.

Abstract: Expansins are proteins that induce extension in isolated plant cell walls in vitro and have been proposed to disrupt non-covalent interactions between hemicellulose and cellulose microfibrils. Because the plant primary cell wall acts as a constraint to cell enlargement, this process may be integral to plant cell expansion and studies of expansins have focused on their role in growth. We have discovered an expansin (Ex1) from tomato, melon and strawberry that is highly abundant and specifically expressed in ripening fruit, a developmental period when growth has ceased but when selective disassembly of cell wall components is pronounced. Also disclosed are expression vectors containing the Ex1 coding sequence, expression vectors containing an Ex1 sequence in the antisense orientation, Ex1 proteins, and transgenic plants which express both sense and antisense exogenous Ex1.

Abstract: The invention provides enhancers for one or more gene promoters, which enhancers are nucleotide sequences rich in A and T bases, the total amount of A and T bases comprising more than 50% of the nucleotide sequence. Particular sequences are identified from the pea plastocyanin promoter which are active as enhancers, as is a solely A/T nucleotide sequence, and methods of carrying out the invention are described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of imparting pathogen resistance to plants. This involves applying a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein in a non-infectious form to a plant seed under conditions where the polypeptide or protein contacts cells of the plant seed. The present invention is also directed to a pathogen resistance imparting plant seed. Alternatively, transgenic plant seeds containing a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein can be planted in soil and a plant can be propagated from the planted seed under conditions effective to impart pathogen resistance to the plant.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an isolated protein or polypeptide which elicits a hypersensitive response in plants as well as an isolated DNA molecule which encodes the hypersensitive response eliciting protein or polypeptide. This isolated protein or polypeptide and the isolated DNA molecule can used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants. This can be achieved by applying the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide in a non-infectious form to plants or plant seeds under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.

Abstract: Procedure for the production of transgenic seedlings starting from genetically transformed buds, the said seedlings belonging to the species Cucumus melo and containing at least one gene introduced through the intermediary of Agrobacterium tumefaciens, characterized by the culture in two successive stages of genetically transformed buds, the first of these steps taking place in a plant cell culture medium containing a cytokinin and more particularly 6-benzyl aminopurine (BAP), and the second, which is performed when the buds have attained a height of about at least 3 mm, taking place in a plant cell culture medium containing as macro-elements: KH2PO4 about 50 to about 100 mgL−1 MgSO4 about 75 to about 300 mgL−1 CaCl2.2H2O about 500 to about 2500 mgL−1 KNO3 about 750 to about 1200 mgL−1 NH4NO3 about 150 to about 200 mgL−1.

Abstract: The invention concerns the location and characterization of a gene (designated NIM1) that is a key component of the SAR pathway and that in connection with chemical and biological inducers enables induction of SAR gene expression and broad spectrum disease resistance in plants. The invention further concerns transformation vectors and processes for overexpressing the NIM1 gene in plants. The transgenic plants thus created have broad spectrum disease resistance.

Abstract: Plants are provided with improved resistance against pathogenic fungi. They are genetically transformed with one or more polynucleotides which essentially comprise one or more genes encoding plant chitinases and .beta.-1,3-glucanases. Preferred are the intracellular forms of the said hydrolytic enzymes, especially preferred are those forms which are targeted to the apoplastic space of the plant by virtue of the modification of the genes encoding the said enzymes. Particularly preferred are plants exhibiting a relative overexpression of at least one gene encoding a chitinase and one gene encoding a .beta.-1,3-glucanase.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transgenic plant that produces high levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and to a method for producing the transgenic plant. The hypocotyl section of seedlings is co-cultured with Agrobacterium transformant and regenerated by adventitious shoot induction and by root induction, where the Agrobacterium transformant contains an expression vector that comprises the promoter of a fruit-dominant ascorbate oxidase gene, an SOD gene isolated from cassava, and an herbicide-resistant bar gene. The present invention also relates to a method for inducing adventitious shoot from hypocotyl sections in plant tissue culture, thus providing a method for the efficient production of transgenic plants maintaining higher SOD activity in fruits. Therefore, the SOD transgenic cucumber of the present invention can be used for cosmetics, additives in functional foods, and medicines as well as having tolerance to herbicides and environmental stresses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to chitinolytic enzymes which have chitinolytic activity under alkaline conditions as well as DNA molecules encoding these enzymes and expression systems, host cells, and transgenic plants and plant seeds transformed with such DNA molecules. A chitinolytic enzyme can be applied to a plant or plant seed under conditions effective to control insects and/or fungi on the plant or plants produced from the plant seed. Alternatively, transgenic plants or transgenic plant seeds transformed with a DNA molecule encoding a chitinolytic enzyme can be provided and the transgenic plants or plants resulting from the transgenic plant seeds are grown under conditions effective to control insects and/or fungi.

Abstract: Provided are trnasgenic plants comprising cells transformed or transfected with a recombinant DNA construct containing a coding sequence which encodes phytochrome A, which when expressed, causes the stimulation of phytochrome A and confers upon said plant the ability to undergo proximity-conctitional dwarfing Also provided are a recombinant DNA construct containing a coding sequence encoding phytochrome A, which when expressed, is effective in conferring the trait of proximity-conditional dwarfing on plants comprising cells transformed ar tansfected with this construct, a method for conferring proximity-conditional dwarfing upon plants, transgenic plants produced by this method, and seeds obtained by growing such plants.

Abstract: Expansins are proteins that induce extension in isolated plant cell walls in vitro and have been proposed to disrupt non-covalent interactions between hemicellulose and cellulose microfibrils. Because the plant primary cell wall acts as a constraint to cell enlargement, this process may be integral to plant cell expansion and studies of expansins have focused on their role in growth. We have discovered an expansin (Ex1) from tomato, melon and strawberry that is highly abundant and specifically expressed in ripening fruit, a developmental period when growth has ceased but when selective disassembly of cell wall components is pronounced. Also disclosed are expression vectors containing the Ex1 coding sequence, expression vectors containing an Ex1 sequence in the antisense orientation, Ex1 proteins, and transgenic plants which express both sense and antisense exogenous Ex1.