Abstract: Compositions including phenylalanine, analogues, and phenylalanine precursors protect plants against environmental stressors. Delivery systems and methods of treating are provided. A method of protecting plants against environmental and/or biological stressors includes administering a composition including phenylalanine, a phenylalanine precursor or other skikimate pathway or phenylpropanoid pathway compound, or an amino acid that can be converted to phenylalanine to at least one root, at least one germinating seed, or at least one epidermal surface of a plant. Administration of the composition to the root, seed, or plant improves or restores at least one growth characteristic of the plant when the plant is exposed to an environmental stressor such as ultra-violet radiation, cold, drought, salt, heat, fungus, beetles (e.g., Japanese beetles), hormones, bacteria, arthropods, and worms (e.g., soybean cyst nematode) or products of biotic organisms.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of making and using plant extracts that include quercetin, which are generated from transgenic plants that have decreased pirin activity (prn-). Such transgenic plants and their extracts can be used to increase tolerance of a plant to a stressor, such as UV light, as well as treat tumor cells (such as kill cancer cells), prevent certain types of fungal infections (such as C. gattii), and increase antioxidant activity. The present disclosure also provides methods of making and using plant extracts that are depleted of quercetin, which are generated from transgenic plants that have increased pirin activity (prn+). Such transgenic plants and their extracts can be used to prevent certain types of fungal infections (such as C. neoformans). Also provided are compositions that include the prn- or prn+ extracts, such as a plastic coated with the extract.

Abstract: Plants and plant cells including an isolated nucleic acid encoding for prephenate dehydratase, wherein the nucleic acid is operably linked to a promoter such that prephenate dehydratase is expressed at sufficient levels to protect the plant cell from damage from an abiotic or biotic stressor. The abiotic or biotic stressor may include UV radiation, cold, drought, heat, salt, hormones, fungi, bacteria, arthropods, worms and products of biotic organisms.

Abstract: Compositions including phenylalanine, analogues, and phenylalanine precursors protect plants against environmental stressors. Delivery systems and methods of treating are provided. A method of protecting plants against environmental and/or biological stressors includes administering a composition including phenylalanine, a phenylalanine precursor or other skikimate pathway or phenylpropanoid pathway compound, or an amino acid that can be converted to phenylalanine to at least one root, at least one germinating seed, or at least one epidermal surface of a plant. Administration of the composition to the root, seed, or plant improves or restores at least one growth characteristic of the plant when the plant is exposed to an environmental stressor such as ultra-violet radiation, cold, drought, salt, heat, fungus, beetles (e.g., Japanese beetles), hormones, bacteria, arthropods, and worms (e.g., soybean cyst nematode) or products of biotic organisms.