Abstract: Compositions and methods that increase plant performance in terms of nitrogen uptake, photosynthesis, growth, yield, tolerance to biotic and abiotic stressors, disease resistance, and general plant health are disclosed. The compositions of the present invention may include 2-hydroxy-5-oxoproline or derivatives thereof, L-pyroglutamic acid or derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof are of particular use in agricultural applications and can be applied to a plant, a seed, the soil, or combinations thereof. The methods of the present invention have broad applications in agriculture for crop management, reduction of food pollution, reduction of crop carbon footprints, and the general improvement of food quality and safety.

Abstract: 6-oxo-1,4,5,6 tetrahydropyridazine-3-carboxylic acid or its salts or 1-methyl 6-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridizin-3-carboxylic acid or its salts, to plants can cause an increase in parameters such as germination, seedling emergence, growth, drought tolerance and recovery, yield, rhizobia induced root nodulation as compared to untreated wild type plants. 1-Methyl 6-oxo-1,4,5,6 tetrahydropyridazine-3-carboxylic acid or its salts is chemically the simplest 1-alkyl 6-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridazine-3-carboxylic acid and as such is an example showing the effectiveness of a 1-alkyl 6-oxo-1,4,5,6 tetrahydropyridazine-3-carboxylic acid. Higher series derivatives such as 1-alkyl 6-oxo-1,4,5,6 tetrahydropyridazine-3-carboxylic acids also induce beneficial effects on treated plants.

Abstract: Contacting a plant with tetrahydropyridizin (THP), a compound including at least one of 6-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridizin-3-carboxylic acid or its salts or 1-methyl 6-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridizin-3-carboxylic acid or its salts, to plants can cause an increase in parameters such as germination, seedling emergence, growth, drought tolerance and recovery, yield, rhizobia induced root nodulation as compared to untreated wild type plants. 1-Methyl 6-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridizin-3-carboxylic acid or its salts is chemically the simplest 1-alkyl 6-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridizin-3-carboxylic acid and as such is an example showing the effectiveness of a 1-alkyl 6-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridizin-3-carboxylic acid. Higher series derivatives such as 1-alkyl 6-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridizin-3-carboxylic acids also induce beneficial effects on treated plants.

Abstract: Glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase (GPT) proteins, nucleic acid molecules encoding GPT proteins, and uses thereof are disclosed. Provided herein are various GPT proteins and GPT gene coding sequences isolated from a number of plant species. As disclosed herein, GPT proteins share remarkable structural similarity within plant species, and are active in catalyzing the synthesis of 2-hydroxy-5-oxoproline (2-oxoglutaramate), a powerful signal metabolite which regulates the function of a large number of genes involved in the photosynthesis apparatus, carbon fixation and nitrogen metabolism.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods and compositions for increasing a growth characteristic of a plant, increasing nutrient use efficiency of a plant, or improving a plant's ability to overcome stress comprising applying a composition comprising ketosuccinamate, a derivative thereof, or a salt thereof, to the plant or to a propagation material of the plant.

Abstract: The invention relates to transgenic plants exhibiting dramatically enhanced growth rates, greater seed and fruit/pod yields, earlier and more productive flowering, more efficient nitrogen utilization, increased tolerance to high salt conditions, and increased biomass yields. In one embodiment, transgenic plants engineered to over-express both glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase (GPT) and glutamine synthetase (GS) are provided. The GPT+GS double-transgenic plants of the invention consistently exhibit enhanced growth characteristics, with T0 generation lines showing an increase in biomass over wild type counterparts of between 50% and 300%. Generations that result from sexual crosses and/or selfing typically perform even better, with some of the double-transgenic plants achieving an astounding four-fold biomass increase over wild type plants.

Abstract: The invention relates to transgenic plants exhibiting enhanced growth rates, seed and fruit yields, and overall biomass yields, as well as methods for generating growth-enhanced transgenic plants. In one embodiment, transgenic plants engineered to over-express glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase (GPT) are provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to transgenic plants exhibiting dramatically enhanced growth rates, greater seed and fruit/pod yields, earlier and more productive flowering, more efficient nitrogen utilization, increased tolerance to high salt conditions, and increased biomass yields. In one embodiment, transgenic plants engineered to over-express both glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase (GPT) and glutamine synthetase (GS) are provided. The GPT+GS double-transgenic plants of the invention consistently exhibit enhanced growth characteristics, with T0 generation lines showing an increase in biomass over wild type counterparts of between 50% and 300%. Generations that result from sexual crosses and/or selfing typically perform even better, with some of the double-transgenic plants achieving an astounding four-fold biomass increase over wild type plants.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods and compositions for increasing a growth characteristic of a plant, increasing nutrient use efficiency of a plant, or improving a plant's ability to overcome stress comprising applying a composition comprising ketosuccinamate, a derivative thereof, or a salt thereof, to the plant or to a propagation material of the plant.

Abstract: Glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase (GPT) proteins, nucleic acid molecules encoding GPT proteins, and uses thereof are disclosed. Provided herein are various GPT proteins and GPT gene coding sequences isolated from a number of plant species. As disclosed herein, GPT proteins share remarkable structural similarity within plant species, and are active in catalyzing the synthesis of 2-hydroxy-5-oxoproline (2-oxoglutaramate), a powerful signal metabolite which regulates the function of a large number of genes involved in the photosynthesis apparatus, carbon fixation and nitrogen metabolism.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods and compositions for increasing a growth characteristic of a plant, increasing nutrient use efficiency of a plant, or improving a plant's ability to overcome stress comprising applying a composition comprising ketosuccinamate, a derivative thereof, or a salt thereof, to the plant or to a propagation material of the plant.

Abstract: The invention relates to transgenic plants exhibiting dramatically enhanced growth rates, greater seed and fruit/pod yields, earlier and more productive flowering, more efficient nitrogen utilization, increased tolerance to high salt conditions, and increased biomass yields. In one embodiment, transgenic plants engineered to over-express both glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase (GPT) and glutamine synthetase (GS) are provided. The GPT+GS double-transgenic plants of the invention consistently exhibit enhanced growth characteristics, with T0 generation lines showing an increase in biomass over wild type counterparts of between 50% and 300%. Generations that result from sexual crosses and/or selfing typically perform even better, with some of the double-transgenic plants achieving an astounding four-fold biomass increase over wild type plants.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to transgenic algae having increased growth characteristics, and methods of increasing growth characteristics of algae.

Abstract: Glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase (GPT) proteins, nucleic acid molecules encoding GPT proteins, and uses thereof are disclosed. Provided herein are various GPT proteins and GPT gene coding sequences isolated from a number of plant species. As disclosed herein, GPT proteins share remarkable structural similarity within plant species, and are active in catalyzing the synthesis of 2-hydroxy-5-oxoproline (2-oxoglutaramate), a powerful signal metabolite which regulates the function of a large number of genes involved in the photosynthesis apparatus, carbon fixation and nitrogen metabolism.

Abstract: A process for synthesizing 4-amino-2,4-dioxobutanoic acid involves reacting diethyl oxalate with an alkoxide in ethanol to form a reaction mixture, and afterward adding ethyl cyanoacetate to the reaction mixture and allowing a reaction to proceed under conditions suitable to form a first reaction product of the formula diethyl 2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate, and then isolating the diethyl 2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate, and afterward reacting the diethyl-2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate with an aqueous hydroxide under conditions suitable to form 4-amino-2,4-dioxobutanoic acid.

Abstract: A process for synthesizing 4-amino-2,4-dioxobutanoate involves reacting a dialkyl oxalate with an alkoxide in ethanol to form a reaction mixture, and afterward adding an alkyl cyano acetate to the reaction mixture and allowing a reaction to proceed under conditions suitable to form a first reaction product of the formula diethyl 2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate, and then isolating the diethyl 2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate, and afterward reacting the diethyl-2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate with an aqueous hydroxide under conditions suitable to form 4-amino-2,4-dioxobutanoate. The 4-amino-2,4-dioxobutanoate may be acidified into 4-amino-2,4-dioxobutanoic acid.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for increasing the leaf-to-root ratio of the signal metabolite 2-oxoglutaramate and related proline molecules in plants by modulating levels of ?-amidase to increase nitrogen use efficiency, resulting in enhanced growth, faster growth rates, greater seed and fruit/pod yields, earlier and more productive flowering, increased tolerance to high salt conditions, and increased biomass yields.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for increasing the leaf-to-root ratio of the signal metabolite 2-oxoglutaramate and related proline molecules in plants by modulating levels of ?-amidase to increase nitrogen use efficiency, resulting in enhanced growth, faster growth rates, greater seed and fruit/pod yields, earlier and more productive flowering, increased tolerance to high salt conditions, and increased biomass yields.

Abstract: A process for synthesizing 4-amino-2,4-dioxobutanoic acid involves reacting diethyl oxalate with sodium ethoxide in ethanol to form a reaction mixture, and afterward adding ethyl cyanoacetate to the reaction mixture and allowing a reaction to proceed under conditions suitable to form a first reaction product of the formula diethyl-2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate, and then isolating the diethyl-2-cyano-3-hydroxybutenedioate, and afterward reacting the diethyl-2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate with aqueous sodium hydroxide under conditions suitable to form 4-amino-2,4-dioxobutanoic acid.

Abstract: A process for synthesizing 4-amino-2,4-dioxobutanoic acid involves reacting diethyl oxalate with an alkoxide in ethanol to form a reaction mixture, and afterward adding ethyl cyanoacetate to the reaction mixture and allowing a reaction to proceed under conditions suitable to form a first reaction product of the formula diethyl 2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate, and then isolating the diethyl 2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate, and afterward reacting the diethyl-2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate with an aqueous hydroxide under conditions suitable to form 4-amino-2,4-dioxobutanoic acid.