Abstract: A loop cutter knife fixture for cutting vegetable products such as raw potatoes into spiral or helical loops. The knife fixture includes a circular blade holder adapted to be rotatably driven within a vegetable product flow path. The blade holder includes a central core cutter in combination with a spiral base plate defining a radial slot between axially spaced upstream and downstream ends thereof. Small slits are formed in this base plate for seated reception of preferably multiple U-shaped strip blades, which are in turn overlaid and clamped in place beneath a generally pie-shaped slab blade having a sharpened knife edge exposed at the base plate radial slot and held in place by preferably multiple clamp screws. The strip blades and/or the slab blade are formed from an inexpensive material, such as sheet metal or the like, whereby blade changeover is quick and economical.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new plant breeding process. The process improves the agronomic performance of crop plants by using genetic material that is also used in classical breeding. Instead of sexually recombining entire genomes at random, as is done in classical breeding, specific genetic elements are rearranged in vitro and inserted back into individual plant cells. Plants obtained through this new plant breeding process do not contain foreign nucleic acid but only contain nucleic acid from the plant species selected for transformation or plants that are sexually compatible with the selected plant species. Plants developed through this new plant breeding process are provided. In particular, potato plants displaying improved tuber storage and health characteristics are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for producing transgenic plants based on an optimized transfer of DNA from Agrobacterium to plant cells, and/or on an optimized integration of the transferred DNAs into plant cell genomes. It also provides Agrobacterium-transformation vectors that can be used to limit or eliminate the transfer of undesirable DNA. The present invention can be applied to essentially any species of plants, including many recalcitrant plant species.

Abstract: The present invention provides a convenient method for producing a transformed plant by expressing a hormone gene positioned within a plasmid backbone that also carries a P-DNA or T-DNA to obtain backbone-free transformed plants.

Abstract: A magnetic knife block is provided for temporary installation along a hydraulic flow conduit of a cutting system, in lieu of a conventional hydraulic water knife fixture, for collecting metal debris attributable to construction and/or maintenance activity. The magnetic knife block includes at least one and preferably multiple magnets for collecting metal debris upon initial water flow through the cutting system. The magnetic water knife block is then removable from the hydraulic flow conduit and replaced by the conventional water knife fixture for normal cutting operation, such as cutting a succession of raw potatoes into elongated French fry strips.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new plant breeding process. The process improves the agronomic performance of crop plants by using genetic material that is also used in classical breeding. Instead of sexually recombining entire genomes at random, as is done in classical breeding, specific genetic elements are rearranged in vitro and inserted back into individual plant cells. Plants obtained through this new plant breeding process do not contain foreign nucleic acid but only contain nucleic acid from the plant species selected for transformation or plants that are sexually compatible with the selected plant species. Plants developed through this new plant breeding process are provided. In particular, potato plants displaying improved tuber storage and health characteristics are provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to increasing at least one antioxidant level in a plant or plant product by expressing a polynucleotide that encodes a transcription factor, which is active in a flavonoid pathway. Overexpression of, for instance, a novel and newly-identified gene, the mCai gene, in a plant, results in increased accumulation of chlorogenic acid and other related phenolics, which, in turn, increases the levels of beneficial antioxidant in the plant.

Abstract: A cut vegetable product such as a wedge-cut potato includes a pair of cut surfaces oriented generally at an acute angle, and each extending and diverging from a common tip toward a heel. Each of the cut surfaces defines a generally wave-shaped configuration with a wave pitch and a wave amplitude. At least one and preferably both of the wave pitch and wave amplitude increases progressively from the common tip toward the heel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to unique strategies and constructs for producing a nucleic acid product that downregulates or prevents expression of a desired target polynucleotide.

Abstract: A low acrylamide French fry potato strip and related preparation process, wherein relatively low sugar-containing potatoes are cut into pieces such as elongated French fry strips, blanched in hot water or steam, and then dipped into an aqueous solution having at least one selected food grade color agent such as annatto. The thus-dipped potato pieces are then parfried in hot oil, following by freezing for storage and/or shipment. The parfried and frozen potato pieces are adapted for finish preparation by frying in hot oil to produce French fry potato pieces such as French fry strips having a set of desirable taste, texture and appearance characteristics, in combination with a relatively low acrylamide level.

Abstract: An improved parfry oil blend and related production process for parfrying vegetable pieces particularly such as French fry potato strips followed by freezing for packaging, storage and/or shipment before finish preparation, wherein the parfry oil blend reduces post-parfry freeze clumping. The improved oil blend comprises a substantially fully hydrogenated hard stock component selected from the group consisting essentially of cottonseed and palm oils at a proportion of less than 11% and preferably about 8-10% by weight. This hard stock component is blended with a liquid stock component such as a zero grams trans fat (ZGTF) liquid oil such as soy, canola, safflower, and the like. When potato strips are parfried in this improved oil blend, and then frozen, freezer clumps are substantially eliminated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new plant breeding process. The process improves the agronomic performance of crop plants by using genetic material that is also used in classical breeding. Instead of sexually recombining entire genomes at random, as is done in classical breeding, specific genetic elements are rearranged in vitro and inserted back into individual plant cells. Plants obtained through this new plant breeding process do not contain foreign nucleic acid but only contain nucleic acid from the plant species selected for transformation or plants that are sexually compatible with the selected plant species. Plants developed through this new plant breeding process are provided. In particular, potato plants displaying improved tuber storage and health characteristics are provided.

Abstract: Potato pieces such as cut potato chunks are pre-processed by blanching, parfrying and freezing, followed by a surface-coating step wherein the potato pieces are coated with a blend of oil and lecithin. In a preferred form, the oil-lecithin blend comprises about 95% weight oil such as a soybean-based salad oil, and about 5% weight soybean-based lecithin. This oil-lecithin blend is applied to the pre-processed potato pieces as by spraying to achieve a product weight increase of from about 2% to about 8%. Such surface-coated frozen potato pieces are adapted for finish preparation by microwave heating, with the finish-prepared pieces exhibiting substantial and desirable external surface crispness in combination with clean and natural potato flavor.

Abstract: The present invention provides nucleic acid molecules and sequences, particularly those identified and obtained from plants, that are useful for transferring and integrating one polynucleotide into another via plant transformation techniques.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for producing transgenic plants based on an optimized transfer of DNA from Agrobacterium to plant cells, and/or on an optimized integration of the transferred DNAs into plant cell genomes. It also provides Agrobacterium-transformation vectors that can be used to limit or eliminate the transfer of undesirable DNA. The present invention can be applied to essentially any species of plants, including many recalcitrant plant species.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for identifying and isolating native plant nucleic acid sequences that may function as T-DNAs or T-DNA border-like sequences, effecting the transfer of one polynucleotide into another polynucleotide. The present invention also provides a modified tuber, such as a genetically modified mature tuber, that comprises at least one trait that is not exhibited by a non-modified tuber of the same species.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for enhancing plant transformation. One such method entails making an excision in a selected seedling at the point where two cotyledons meet, and then vortexing the cut seedling in a solution comprising a transforming bacterium such as Agrobacterium.

Abstract: A novel bentgrass cultivar, designated ‘Alpha’, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of bentgrass cultivar ‘Alpha’, to the plants of bentgrass ‘Alpha’ and to methods for producing a bentgrass plant produced by crossing the cultivar ‘Alpha’ with itself or another bentgrass variety. The invention further relates to hybrid bentgrass seeds and plants produced by crossing the cultivar ‘Alpha’ with another bentgrass cultivar.

Abstract: A novel bentgrass cultivar, designated ‘T-1’, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of bentgrass cultivar ‘T-1’, to the plants of bentgrass ‘T-1’ and to methods for producing a bentgrass plant produced by crossing the cultivar ‘T-1’ with itself or another bentgrass variety. The invention further relates to hybrid bentgrass seeds and plants produced by crossing the cultivar ‘T-1’ with another bentgrass cultivar.