Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acid molecules which impart resistance to rhizomania, in particular to Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus (BNYVV) in a plant, in particular of the genus Beta, and to plants containing such nucleic acid molecules. The invention further relates to methods for producing such BNYVV resistant plants and to marker-based methods for identifying and selecting BNYVV resistant plants, as well as to methods for controlling infection with the pathogen BNYVV.

Abstract: A more efficient breeding against infestation with beet cyst nematode, or the development of new resistant lines, is enabled via the provision of the Heterodera resistance-mediating nucleic acid molecule according to the invention; in particular, a dominant resistance effect in the target plant is evoked by the property of the identified nucleic acid molecule. The Heterodera resistance-mediating nucleic acid molecule, and embodiments of the present invention that are described in the preceding, offer additional applications, e.g., the use of the resistant gene allele in cis-genetic or trans-genetic approaches, with the goal of developing new resistant cultivars.

Abstract: The invention relates to plants have a nucleus-encoded, recessive, male sterile phenotype and to the gene locus (gsf) correlating therewith, including the gene which is responsible for the fertile/sterile phenotype and which is mutated in the sterile phenotype. The invention further provides methods for identifying the genotype correlating with the expression of features the plants obtained accordingly to the invention in hybrid breeding and in the production of products obtained from renewable raw materials, such as bioethanol, biogas and sugar-based products.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a transgenic maize plant or a part thereof comprising as transgene a nucleic acid capable of expressing a cell wall invertase or a functional part thereof, preferably a Chenopodium rubrum cell wall invertase or a functional part thereof, wherein as a result of the expression of the cell wall invertase or a functional part thereof the transgenic maize plant exhibits an enhanced tolerance to abiotic stress and/or an increased yield, to a method of producing such transgenic maize plant, to method of enhancing the tolerance to abiotic stress of a maize plant and/or of increasing yield potential of a maize plant, to a nucleic acid capable of expressing a cell wall invertase or a functional part thereof, preferably a Chenopodium rubrum cell wall invertase or a functional part thereof, to a vector comprising such nucleic acid, the use of the nucleic acid or vector for enhancing the tolerance to abiotic stress of a maize plant, for increasing yield potential of a maize plant and/o

Abstract: A method for modifying a plant includes coating a microparticle with at least one type of nucleic acid and/or at least one type of a protein, bombarding a shoot apex of a plant with the coated microparticle, growing the shoot apex bombarded with the coated microparticle to obtain a plant body, and selecting a modified plant body from the plant body. The shoot apex is selected from the group consisting of a shoot apex of an embryo of a fully mature seed, a shoot apex of a young bud, a shoot apex of a terminal bud or a lateral bud, and a shoot apex of an immature embryo.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and hybrids for the targeted modification of a nucleic acid-target region in a plant target structure using CRISPR/Cas systems. The invention specifically relates to methods and hybrids for directly obtaining a plant or plant material which comprises an editing of a nucleic acid introduced in a targeted manner into a meristematic cell. The hybrids can be introduced in a transient and/or stable manner. The invention also relates to novel plant-optimized introduction strategies. The invention further relates to a method for carrying out an in vitro screening assay in order to first check the suitable gRNA candidates in vitro with respect to their efficiency.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel strategies for gradually decreasing the expression of genes by modifying the promoter sequence. Provided are methods for gradually decreasing the expression level of a nucleic acid molecule of interest in a cell, preferably in a plant cell, comprising the step of introducing at least one modification into a promoter sequence, wherein the modification disrupts a core promoter consensus sequence. Furthermore, the invention also provides methods for producing a cell or an organism, preferably a plant cell or a plant, having a decreased expression level of a nucleic acid molecule of interest. The invention also relates to a cell and an organism, preferably a plant cell and a plant, obtained by a method according to the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to plants having a nucleus-encoded, recessive, male sterile phenotype and to the gene locus (gst) correlating therewith, including the gene which is responsible for the fertile/sterile phenotype and which is mutated in the sterile phenotype. The invention further provides methods for identifying the genotype correlating with the expression of features indicated above, and the corresponding genetic tools, such as hybridization probes and oligonucleotides. Also described is the use of the plants obtained according to the invention in hybrid breeding and in the production of products obtained from renewable raw materials, such as bioethanol, biogas and sugar-based products.

Abstract: The invention relates to a phenotyping system (1), comprising a plant unit (11) having one or more plants (17), a growing area (5), a measurement area (7), a sensor (73) located in the measurement area (5) for acquiring phene-data related to phenes of the plants (17), wherein the phenotyping system (1) is adapted to transport the plant unit (11) to the measurement area (5). The phenotyping system (1) is characterized by at least one weighing vehicle (49) comprising a weighing unit (66) for acquiring weight-data related to a weight of the plant unit (11). The invention further relates to a method for phenotyping of plants with a phenotyping system (1) in a second aspect and to a computer program for operating a phenotyping system (1) in a third aspect of the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acid molecules which impart resistance to rhizomania, in particular to Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus (BNYVV) in a plant, in particular of the genus Beta, and to plants containing such nucleic acid molecules. The invention further relates to methods for producing such BNYVV resistant plants and to marker-based methods for identifying and selecting BNYVV resistant plants, as well as to methods for controlling infection with the pathogen BNYVV.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification and molecular characterization as well as to the use of genes and markers from a chromosomal interval which has a locus for cold tolerance in maize. The invention further relates to the development of molecular markers for assisting in growth, in particular for preventing a fixing of a “selective sweep” in a region with a low recombination rate, and to the provision of transgenic and non-transgenic plants, in particular maize plants, which show a newly mediated or increased cold tolerance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a QTL allele in maize associated with drought resistance and carbon isotope composition as well as specific marker alleles associated with the QTL allele. The present invention further relates methods for identifying maize plants based on screening for the presence of the QTL allele or marker alleles. The invention also relates to methods for modifying drought resistance and carbon isotope composition in maize plants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of plant breeding and biotechnology and in particular to the generation of plants from cells and other tissues. More particularly, the invention provides methods and means for improving plant regeneration, especially from transformed or genetically modified plant cells using GRF1 booster gene.

Abstract: Hybrid cereals are described which are obtained by restoring the pollen fertility for the Pampa cytoplasmic male sterility (P-CMS) and which are characterized by a reduced linkage drag. Plants are provided, in particular rye, which, as the male pollen parent, are capable of restoring the pollen fertility for the P-CMS. Furthermore, the nucleic acid molecule which carries the necessary information for restoring the P-CMS, DNA and vectors which contain such a nucleic acid molecule, corresponding host cells as well as a protein which can be encoded by the nucleic acid molecule and antibodies directed against it are also described. Furthermore, methods for the production of corresponding hybrid plants and transgenic plants are provided.

Abstract: Inbred corn line, designated KW6Q1515, are disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of inbred corn line KW6Q1515, to the plants and plant parts of inbred corn line KW6Q1515 and to methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, by crossing inbred corn line KW6Q1515 with itself or another corn line. The invention also relates to products produced from the seeds, plants, or parts thereof, of inbred corn line KW6Q1515 and/or of the hybrids produced using the inbred as a parent. The invention further relates to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other corn lines derived from inbred corn line KW6Q1515.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for crumbling root crops into substantially equal sized pieces, comprising: a main frame having an inlet side and an outlet side; a root crop supply at the inlet side; at least one crumbling shaft rotatable supported in the main frame, the crumbling shaft being provided with a plurality of curved hooks, which are curved into a direction of rotation of the crumbling shaft; and a non-rotating cutting rake having a plurality of protrusions and recesses and forming a counter blade for the hooks, wherein the hooks are arranged for interlaced movement with said recesses of the non-rotating rake. The invention moreover concerns a system and a corresponding method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of plant biotechnology. Specifically, there are provided methods and nucleic acid sequences for obtaining pathogen resistance in plants and for generating resistant plants. In particular, the role of a central molecule in plant immunity is studied. Based on the mechanisms elucidated, the present invention provides strategies to specifically modulate said phosphatase-like protein family member molecule by different transient and/or stable techniques, alone or in combination, to achieve a robust increased of pathogen resistance in different target plants to obtain inherently pathogen resistant plants and plant materials to avoid severe harvest losses as caused by major plant pathogens by biological means instead of herbicide or pesticide treatment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification and molecular characterization as well as to the use of genes and markers from a chromosomal interval which has a locus for cold tolerance in maize. The invention further relates to the development of molecular markers for assisting in growth, in particular for preventing a fixing of a “selective sweep” in a region with a low recombination rate, and to the provision of transgenic and non-transgenic plants, in particular maize plants, which show a newly mediated or increased cold tolerance.

Abstract: A more efficient breeding against plant disease, or the development of new resistant lines, is enabled via the provision of the resistance-mediating gene according to the invention; in particular, a resistance effect in the target plant is evoked by the property of the identified gene. The resistance-mediating gene, and embodiments of the present invention that are described in the preceding, offer additional applications, e.g., the use of the resistant gene allele in trans-genetic approaches, with the goal of developing new resistant cultivars.

Abstract: Hybrid cereals are described which are obtained by restoring the pollen fertility for the Pampa cytoplasmic male sterility (P-CMS) and which are characterized by a reduced linkage drag. Plants are provided, in particular rye, which, as the male pollen parent, are capable of restoring the pollen fertility for the P-CMS. Furthermore, the nucleic acid molecule which carries the necessary information for restoring the P-CMS, DNA and vectors which contain such a nucleic acid molecule, corresponding host cells as well as a protein which can be encoded by the nucleic acid molecule and antibodies directed against it are also described. Furthermore, methods for the production of corresponding hybrid plants and transgenic plants are provided.