Abstract: The invention provides materials and methods for producing fruit of altered size, or plants that produce fruit of altered size, by altering expression of miRNA172 in the plants producing the fruit. The invention provides methods and materials for producing the plants and fruit of altered size by genetic modification (GM) and non-GM means. The invention also provides the plants and fruit of altered size. The altered size can be increased or decreased size.

Abstract: The invention provides materials and methods for producing coreless fruit, or plants that produce coreless fruit. The invention involves combining reduced expression of AGAMOUS (AG) with parthenocarpy. Parthenocarpy can be induced by hormone treatment, or can be provided by reduced or eliminated expression of PISTILATA (PI) or APETALA3 (AP3). The invention provides methods and materials for producing the plants and coreless fruit by genetic modification (GM) and non-GM means. The invention also provides the plants and coreless fruit.

Abstract: In one aspect, a process for treating woody plant material is provided, the process involving contacting the plant material with a continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of ethanol-soluble lignin from the plant material and retention of hemicellulose sugars, xylose and cellulose in the treated plant material solids. In another aspect, a process for extracting hemicellulose sugars from lignin-depleted plant material solids is provided, the process involving contacting lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of hemicellulose sugars from the plant material; and recovering hemicellulose sugars from the liquid mixture.

Abstract: In one aspect, a process for treating woody plant material is provided, the process involving contacting the plant material with a continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of ethanol-soluble lignin from the plant material and retention of hemicellulose sugars, xylose and cellulose in the treated plant material solids. In another aspect, a process for extracting hemicellulose sugars from lignin-depleted plant material solids is provided, the process involving contacting lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of hemicellulose sugars from the plant material; and recovering hemicellulose sugars from the liquid mixture.

Abstract: In one aspect, a process for treating woody plant material is provided, the process involving contacting the plant material with a continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of ethanol-soluble lignin from the plant material and retention of hemicellulose sugars, xylose and cellulose in the treated plant material solids. In another aspect, a process for extracting hemicellulose sugars from lignin-depleted plant material solids is provided, the process involving contacting lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of hemicellulose sugars from the plant material; and recovering hemicellulose sugars from the liquid mixture.

Abstract: An integrated process for the production of ethanol from woody plant material is provided, the process comprising: contacting a continuous flow of the plant material with a counter-current continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure to provide plant material depleted of lignin; removing ethanol from the lignin-depleted plant material; contacting a continuous flow of the lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure to solubilize xylose within the plant material; and hydrolyzing cellulose present in the plant material to form glucose, which in turn is fermented to produce ethanol.

Abstract: This application discloses methods for modulating plant growth and biomass comprising stably incorporating into the genome of the plant a genetic construct comprising a gene promoter that is active in wood-forming tissues, a polynucleotide sequence encoding polypeptide regulators of cell division and a gene termination sequence.

Abstract: An integrated process for the production of ethanol from woody plant material is provided, the process comprising: contacting a continuous flow of the plant material with a counter-current continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure to provide plant material depleted of lignin; removing ethanol from the lignin-depleted plant material; contacting a continuous flow of the lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure to solubilize xylose within the plant material; and hydrolyzing cellulose present in the plant material to form glucose, which in turn is fermented to produce ethanol.

Abstract: Methods for producing genetically modified plants of the Eucalyptus species particularly Eucalyptus grandis, are provided. The methods involve transformation of internode stem segments with a desired genetic construct using Agrobacterium-mediated techniques and regeneration of the transformed plant material. Preferred culture media, including selection media, and improved plant culture techniques are disclosed.

Abstract: This application discloses plant polynucleotide sequences encoding polypeptide regulators of plant growth and reproduction, and their methods of use.