Abstract: The present invention provides a method for modulating non-root plant growth of a plant employing plant regulatory peptides, nucleotides encoding same, receptors therefor, binding agents thereof or agonists or antagonists thereof. Such methods encompass methods for increasing shoot growth or accelerating shoot development of plants, whereby said plants: yield a greater amount of above-ground plant matter than an untreated or wild-type plant grown under the same conditions; grows faster than an untreated or wild-type plant grown under tire same conditions; develops faster than an untreated or wild-type plant grown under the same conditions. The methods find particular application, wherein the conditions comprise stress conditions, and in particular abiotic stress conditions, which may be selected from increased salinity, drought, nitrogen limitation and pH stress.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for modulating or inhibiting modulation of the root architecture of a plant employing a new class of root architecture regulator (RAR) peptides, nucleotides encoding same, receptors therefor, binding agents thereof or agonists or antagonists thereof. Such methods encompass methods for increasing nutrient uptake by plants, increasing root nodule formation, promoting lateral root growth and development of plants, as well as methods for inhibiting root architecture modification resulting from root knot nematode action on plant roots. Also provided are RAR peptides, polynucleotides encoding RAR peptides and vectors and host cells comprising same, and plants obtained by methods of the invention or comprising RAR-encoding trans genes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for modulating non-root plant growth of a plant employing plant regulatory peptides, nucleotides encoding same, receptors therefor, binding agents thereof or agonists or antagonists thereof. Such methods encompass methods for increasing shoot growth or accelerating shoot development of plants, whereby said plants: yield a greater amount of above-ground plant matter than an untreated or wild-type plant grown under the same conditions; grows faster than an untreated or wild-type plant grown under tire same conditions; develops faster than an untreated or wild-type plant grown under the same conditions. The methods find particular application wherein the conditions comprise stress conditions, and in particular abiotic stress conditions, which may be selected from increased salinity, drought, nitrogen limitation and pH stress.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for modulating or inhibiting modulation of the root architecture of a plant employing a new class of root architecture regulator (RAR) peptides, nucleotides encoding same, receptors therefor, binding agents thereof or agonists or antagonists thereof. Such methods encompass methods for increasing nutrient uptake by plants, increasing root nodule formation, promoting lateral root growth and development of plants, as well as methods for inhibiting root architecture modification resulting from root knot nematode action on plant roots. Also provided are RAR peptides, polynucleotides encoding RAR peptides and vectors and host cells comprising same, and plants obtained by methods of the invention or comprising RAR-encoding transgenes.