Abstract: A method for increasing biomass and sugar yield of a plant comprising: transforming a plant with a first gene that is functional in a plant, wherein said gene is pleitropic, and wherein said plant overexpresses said gene, thereby increasing biomass and sugar yield; producing said plant through molecular breeding using information of said gene; and cultivating said plant.

Abstract: An optical detection system includes an optical transmit-receive system, an optical conduit in optical communication with the optical transmit-receive system, and an optical sensor in optical communication with the optical conduit. The optical transmit-receive system provides pulsed optical signals to the optical sensor by way of the optical conduit that have a maximum pulse width of about 100 nanoseconds and further have a maximum pulse width that is less than a maximum distance of reflection of the pulsed optical signals in the optical detection system to decrease false alarms.