Abstract: The invention relates generally to a method for improving growth of plants, under normal and under stress conditions, more particularly under osmotic stress and/or temperature extremes, comprising modifying plant haemoglobin gene expression and/or by modifying plant haemoglobin protein levels in a plant. The invention furthermore relates to a method for increasing yield of a plant, comprising modifying plant gene expression and/or by modifying plant haemoglobin levels in a plant. The invention also relates to a nucleic acid encoding a haemoglobin conferring this altered growth and stress tolerance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for improving plant growth by increasing activity of DP protein in shoot tissue. The invention also relates to transgenic plants having improved growth characteristics, due to increased expression of a DP nucleic acid specifically in shoot-tissue. The increased expression of the nucleic acid encoding a DP protein, according to the methods of the present invention, may be mediated by a shoot-tissue-specific promoter.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for modulating endoreduplication in a plant, plant part, or plant cell. The method comprises the steps of introduction and expression of a nucleotide sequence encoding the CDC2bAt cyclin dependent kinase gene disclosed in database accession number X57840 or said CDC2bAt cyclin dependent kinase gene having the Asp residue at position 161 replaced with an Asn residue, under the control of a promoter which functions in a plant.

Abstract: The present invention provides several promoters isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana, which promoters are capable of driving and/or regulating the expression of an operably linked nucleic acid in a plant. The expression patterns of the promoters according to the present invention have been studied in Arabidopsis thaliana and some of the promoters displayed specific activity in particular cells, tissues or organs of the plant, while others displayed constitutive expression throughout substantially the whole plant. Some promoters showed weak expression, while others were strongly active.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for increasing plant yield, particularly seed yield, comprising introducing into a plant a nucleic acid encoding a CDKD or a functional variant thereof. The invention also provides transgenic plants produced by the methods of the invention and provides constructs useful in methods of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding plant cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors (ICKs). The nucleic acid molecules may be used to downregulate expression of a plant ICK, thereby providing useful plant phenotypes.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for improving plant growth characteristics relative to wild type plants. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for increasing yield in plants grown under reduced nutrient availability, relative to corresponding wild type plants, comprising modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a class I homeodomain leucine zipper (HDZip) hox5 polypeptide or a homologue thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to T-DNA vectors and methods for obtaining transgenic eukaryotes using said vectors. The transgenic eukaryotes are characterized in that they contain the T-DNA but not the illegitimately transferred vector backbone sequence. This is achieved by modifying the T-DNA borders such that they are more efficiently nicked or such that they allow elimination of illegitimately transferred vector backbone sequences by means of recombination.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for improving growth characteristics of plants by modulating expression of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a NAP1-like protein. The invention also relates to transgenic plants having improved growth characteristics, which plants have modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a NAP1-like protein.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for modulating flower organ development, leaf formation, phototropism, apical dominance, fruit development, initiation of roots, and for increasing yield in a plant are provided. The compositions include a SILKY1 sequence. Compositions of the invention comprise amino acid sequences and nucleotide sequences selected from SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 2 as well as variants and fragments thereof. Nucleotide sequences encoding the SILKY1 sequences are provided in DNA constructs for expression in a plant of interest are provided for modulating the level of a SILKY1 sequence in a plant or a plant part are provided. The methods comprise introducing into a plant or plant part a heterologous polynucleotide comprising a SILKY1 sequence of the invention. The level of the SILKY1 polypeptide can be increased or decreased. Such method can be used to increase the yield in plants; in one embodiment, the method is used to increase grain yield in cereals.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing various economically important yield-related traits in plants. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for enhancing yield-related traits in plants by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a GSBP-like polypeptide (GSBP: GT-Pase activating protein SH3 domain binding Protein). The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a GSBP-like polypeptide, which plants have enhanced yield-related traits relative to control plants.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing various economically important yield-related traits in plants. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for enhancing yield-related traits in plants grown under nutrient deficient conditions, comprising modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a GGAT polypeptide. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a GGAT, which plants have enhanced yield-related traits relative to control plants.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for modulating flower organ development, leaf formation, phototropism, apical dominance, fruit development, initiation of roots, and for increasing yield in a plant are provided. The compositions include a ZmRR10_p sequence. Compositions of the invention comprise amino acid sequences and nucleotide sequences selected from SEQ ID NO: 2 as well as variants and fragments thereof. Nucleotide sequences encoding the ZmRR10_p are provided in DNA constructs for expression in a plant of interest are provided for modulating the level of a ZmRR10_p sequence in a plant or a plant part are provided. The methods comprise introducing into a plant or plant part a heterologous polynucleotide comprising a ZmRR10_p sequence of the invention. The level of the ZmRR10_p polypeptide can be increased or decreased. Such method can be used to increase the yield in plants; in one embodiment, the method is used to increase grain yield in cereals.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for modulating flower organ development, leaf formation, phototropism, apical dominance, fruit development, initiation of roots, and for increasing yield in a plant are provided. The compositions include a ZMM28 sequence. Compositions of the invention comprise amino acid sequences and nucleotide sequences selected from SEQ ID NOS: 1-2 as well as variants and fragments thereof. Nucleotide sequences encoding the ZMM28 sequences are provided in DNA constructs for expression in a plant of interest are provided for modulating the level of a ZMM28 sequence in a plant or a plant part are provided. The methods comprise introducing into a plant or plant part a heterologous polynucleotide comprising a ZMM28 sequence of the invention. The level of the ZMM28 polypeptide can be increased or decreased. Such method can be used to increase the yield in plants; in one embodiment, the method is used to increase grain yield in cereals.

Abstract: The present invention relates to T-DNA vectors and methods for obtaining transgenic eukaryotes using said vectors. The transgenic eukaryotes are characterized in that they contain the T-DNA but not the illegitimately transferred vector backbone sequence. This is achieved by modifying the T-DNA borders such that they are more efficiently nicked or such that they allow elimination of illegitimately transferred vector backbone sequences by means of recombination.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing plant yield-related traits relative to control plants. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for enhancing yield related traits in plants relative to control plants, by modulating, preferably increasing, expression in the roots of a plant, of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a 2-cysteine peroxiredoxin (2-Cys PRX); or by modulating expression of a nucleic acid encoding an ANN polypeptide in a plant. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated, preferably increased, expression in the roots, of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a 2-Cys PRX, or having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding an ANN polypeptide, which plants have enhanced yield-related traits relative to control plants. The invention also provides constructs useful in the methods of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for improving growth characteristics of plants by modulating expression of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a NAP1-like protein. The invention also relates to transgenic plants having improved growth characteristics, which plants have modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a NAP1-like protein.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for modulating flower organ development, leaf formation, phototropism, apical dominance, fruit development, initiation of roots, and for increasing yield in a plant are provided. The compositions include four ZmALF sequences. Compositions of the invention comprise amino acid sequences and nucleotide sequences selected from SEQ ID NOS: 1-8 as well as variants and fragments thereof. Nucleotide sequences encoding the maize alfins are provided in DNA constructs for expression in a plant of interest are provided for modulating the level of one of four ZmALF sequences in a plant or a plant part are provided. The methods comprise introducing into a plant or plant part a heterologous polynucleotide comprising a ZmALF sequence of the invention. The level of the ZmALF polypeptide can be increased or decreased. Such method can be used to increase the yield in plants; in one embodiment, the method is used to increase grain yield in cereals.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention relates to methods for analysis of phenotypic parameters or a trait in a plant comprising using a digital analyzing device, comparing phenotypic parameters or traits between plants in a population, and selecting plants with a selected parameter or trait. The invention also relates to an apparatus suitable for use in conjunction with a container in which one or more plants is growing and having associated with it a device which comprises a unique identifier. The apparatus may comprise a transporter system for moving the containers, and may comprise a workstation at which an operation, such as imaging, is performed on plants in the containers. The operation may be performed automatically, and/or at a high throughput rate. The unique identifier of each container and the information derived from each plant may be linked to this identifier via a computer, and may be stored in a digital database.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to a method for improving growth of plants, under normal and under stress conditions, more particularly under osmotic stress and/or temperature extremes, comprising modifying plant haemoglobin gene expression and/or by modifying plant haemoglobin protein levels in a plant. The invention furthermore relates to a method for increasing yield of a plant, comprising modifying plant gene expression and/or by modifying plant haemoglobin levels in a plant. The invention also relates to a nucleic acid encoding a haemoglobin conferring this altered growth and stress tolerance.