Abstract: Disclosed are methods of producing plants with an improved regeneration efficiency using Growth-Regulating Factor (GRF), GRF-Interacting Factor (GIF), or chimeric GRF-GIF genes and proteins. The disclosure also provides plants with an improved regeneration efficiency that are produced by the disclosed methods, methods of reducing the use of exogenous cytokinins in the regeneration of plants, and methods of improving the regeneration efficiency of plants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of enhancing the activity of a transcription factor in a plant comprising expressing in said plant a chimeric protein comprising a GIF moiety comprising a GIF domain or fragment thereof, and a DNA binding domain (DBD) moiety. The chimeric proteins comprise a GIF moiety comprising a GIF domain or fragment thereof, or a polypeptide with an amino acid sequence having at least 85%, preferably at least 90%, even more preferably at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of a GIF domain or fragment thereof; and a DBD moiety comprising the DBD or plant transcription factor whose activity enhancement is intended, or a binding protein which is capable of forming a tertiary complex with the DBD or transcription factor whose activity modification and/or enhancement is intended. The invention also relates to polynucleotides and polypeptides useful in the method of the invention.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a novel modified gene, rGRF3, or an ortholog thereof, which is shown to be decoupled from control by miR396, particularly in the presence of over-expression of at least one GIF gene, such as GIF1, AtGIF 2, AtGIF 3, Os11g40100, Os12g31350, Os03g52320 or combinations thereof. When present in a plant, the rGRF3 results in a phenotype of increased productivity (e.g. increased yield, increased biomass, increased stress resistance, increased seed production, increased seed yield, increased root growth, increased root elongation speed, delayed leaf senescence or increased drought tolerance and combinations thereof).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of enhancing the activity of a transcription factor in a plant comprising expressing in said plant a chimeric protein comprising a GIF moiety comprising a GIF domain or fragment thereof, and a DNA binding domain (DBD) moiety. The chimeric proteins comprise a GIF moiety comprising a GIF domain or fragment thereof, or a polypeptide with an amino acid sequence having at least 85%, preferably at least 90%, even more preferably at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of a GIF domain or fragment thereof; and a DBD moiety comprising the DBD or plant transcription factor whose activity enhancement is intended, or a binding protein which is capable of forming a tertiary complex with the DBD or transcription factor whose activity modification and/or enhancement is intended. The invention also relates to polynucleotides and polypeptides useful in the method of the invention.