Abstract: The invention provides methods for transforming grass plants with Agrobacterium. The invention allows creation of transgenic grass plants without the need for callus as a target tissue for transformation, thus providing a rapid method for the production of transgenic grass plants. Transgenic grass plants produced by this method are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a plurality of gold nanoparticles in a plant, the method comprising growing the plant hydroponically, contacting at least a first part of the plant with a substance comprising at least one gold salt, providing an average photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) to at least second part of the plant, waiting a period of time sufficient for formation of a plurality of gold nanoparticles in at least a portion of the plant, thereby manufacturing the plurality of gold nanoparticles in the plant. Disclosed also are, inter alia, a plurality of gold nanoparticles manufactured by such a method; an article of manufacture comprising a plurality of gold nanoparticles manufactured by such a method; and a plurality of triangular gold nanoparticles manufactured by such a method.

Abstract: Methods for conveying Aphis glycines resistance (RAG) into non-resistant soybean germplasm are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include introgressing RAG into a non-resistant soybean using one or more nucleic acid markers for marker-assisted breeding among soybean lines to be used in a soybean breeding program, wherein the markers are linked to and/or associated with RAG. Also provided are single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with resistance to Aphis glycines; soybean plants, seeds, and tissue cultures produced by any of the disclosed methods; seed produced by the disclosed soybean plants; and compositions including amplification primer pairs capable of initiating DNA polymerization by a DNA polymerase on soybean nucleic acid templates to generate soybean marker amplicons.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for the transformation of plants from the genus Allium, and transformed plants produced according to the method. Specifically, this invention relates to direct transformation of Allium leaf tissue using Agrobacterium mediated transformation, and plants regenerated from the transformed leaf tissue. In various aspects, the invention relates to a method of obtaining a transformed Allium leaf tissue and methods of obtaining a transformed Allium plant by regenerating the transformed leaf tissue.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and compositions for identifying soybean plants that are tolerant, have improved tolerance or are susceptible to Charcoal Rot Drought Complex. The methods use molecular genetic markers to identify, select and/or construct tolerant plants or identify and counter-select susceptible plants. Soybean plants that display tolerance or improved tolerance to Charcoal Rot Drought Complex that are generated by the methods of the invention are also a feature of the invention.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are media, kits, systems and methods for achieving micropropagation of bamboo on a commercially-relevant scale.