Abstract: A method of increasing biomass, vigor and/or yield of a plant is disclosed. The method comprises expressing within the plant an exogenous polypeptide comprising a UGGPase activity. The polypeptide may comprise an amino acid sequence at least 90% homologous, and/or at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 33 as determined using the BlastP software of the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) using default parameters. Polynucleotides encoding same and plants expressing same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of increasing biomass, vigor and/or yield of a plant is disclosed. The method comprises expressing within the plant an exogenous polypeptide comprising a UGGPase activity. The polypeptide may comprise an amino acid sequence at least 90% homologous, and/or at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 33 as determined using the BlastP software of the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) using default parameters. Polynucleotides encoding same and plants expressing same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for breeding tomato plants that produce tomatoes with reduced fruit water content including the steps of crossing at least one Lycopersicon esculentum plant with a Lycopersicon spp. to produce hybrid seed, collecting the first generation of hybrid seeds, growing plants from the first generation of hybrid seeds, pollinating the plants of the most recent hybrid generation, collecting the seeds produced by the most recent hybrid generation, growing plants from the seeds of the most recent hybrid generation, allowing plants to remain on the vine past the point of normal ripening, and screening for reduced fruit water content as indicated by extended preservation of the ripe fruit and wrinkling of the fruit skin.

Abstract: An isolated polynucleotide is provided. The isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence at least 88% homologous to SEQ ID NO: 22, the polypeptide being capable of increasing a cuticular water permeability of a plant expressing same. Also provided are methods of generating plants expressing such polypeptides which can be used for producing dehydrated plants or cuticular covered portions thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of identifying alkaline-?-galactosidases. Also provided are polynucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides having an alkaline-?-galactosidase activity, oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide analogs derived from the polynucleotide sequences, peptides and peptide analogues, antibodies recognizing same and methods of using same.

Abstract: There are provided novel plant-derived enzymes for hydrolysis of sugars and particularly an alkaline alpha-galactosidase which hydrolyzes a broad spectrum of galactosyl-saccharides such as melibiose, raffinose and stachyose and guar gum, at neutral to alkaline pH conditions.

Abstract: A method of increasing biomass, vigor and/or yield of a plant is disclosed. The method comprises expressing within the plant an exogenous polypeptide comprising a UGGPase activity. The polypeptide may comprise an amino acid sequence at least 90% homologous, and/or at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 33 as determined using the BlastP software of the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) using default parameters. Polynucleotides encoding same and plants expressing same are also disclosed.

Abstract: There are provided novel plant-derived enzymes for hydrolysis of sugars and particularly an alkaline alpha-galactosidase which hydrolyzes a broad spectrum of galactosyl-saccharides such as melibiose, raffinose and stachyose and guar gum, at neutral to alkaline pH conditions.

Abstract: A method for breeding tomato plants that produce tomatoes with reduced fruit water content including the steps of crossing at least one Lycopersicon esculentum plant with a Lycopersicon spp. to produce hybrid seed, collecting the first generation of hybrid seeds, growing plants from the first generation of hybrid seeds, pollinating the plants of the most recent hybrid generation, collecting the seeds produced by the most recent hybrid generation, growing plants from the seeds of the most recent hybrid generation, allowing plants to remain on the vine past the point of normal ripening, and screening for reduced fruit water content as indicated by extended preservation of the ripe fruit and wrinkling of the fruit skin.

Abstract: A method for breeding tomato plants that produce tomatoes with reduced fruit water content including the steps of crossing at least one Lycopersicon esculentum plant with a Lycopersicon spp. to produce hybrid seed, collecting the first generation of hybrid seeds, growing plants from the first generation of hybrid seeds, pollinating the plants of the most recent hybrid generation, collecting the seeds produced by the most recent hybrid generation, growing plants from the seeds of the most recent hybrid generation, allowing plants to remain on the vine past the point of normal ripening, and screening for reduced fruit water content as indicated by extended preservation of the ripe fruit and wrinkling of the fruit skin.

Abstract: There are provided novel plant-derived enzymes for hydrolysis of sugars and particularly an alkaline alpha-galactosidase which hydrolyzes a broad spectrum of galactosyl-saccharides such as melibiose, raffinose and stachyose and guar gum, at neutral to alkaline pH conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of identifying alkaline-?-galactosidases. Also provided are novel polynucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides having an alkaline-?-galactosidase activity, oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide analogs derived from the polynucleotide sequences, peptides and peptide analogues, antibodies recognizing same and methods of using same.

Abstract: A method for controlling starch synthesis in tomatoes including providing a population of plants derived from interspecific crosses of Lycopersicon spp. with Lycopersicon esculentum genotypes, and selecting individuals of the population that each contain an allele of a gene that increases starch synthesis, the gene originating from the Lycopersicon spp.

Abstract: An enzyme isolated from an organism that metabolizes alpha-galactosyl containing saccharides, comprising an alpha-galactosidase (E.C. 3.2.1.22, alpha-D-galactoside galatohydrolase) with optimal activity in the neutral to alkaline pH range, and which hydrolyzes a variety of alpha-galactose containing saccharides, in particular raffinose. The enzyme is preferably a protein monomer and an ex-alpha-galactosidase.

Abstract: A method for breeding tomato plants that produce tomatoes having superior taste characteristics including the steps, of crossing at least one Lycopersicon esculentum plant with a green-fruited Lycopersicon spp. from an Eriopersicon subgenus to produce hybrid seeds, collecting the hybrid (F.sub.1)seeds, growing plants from F.sub.1 seeds, pollinating the F.sub.1 plants, collecting the hybrid seeds produced by the F.sub.1 plants, growing plants from the seeds produced by the F.sub.1 plants, measuring sucrose, glucose and fructose content of ripe fruit produced from the plants grown from the seeds of the F.sub.1 plants; and selecting plants with tomato fruits having desired characteristics including a fructose/glucose ratio greater than 1.8 and fructose levels higher than 1.3% on a fresh weight basis.