The invention provides novel synthetic small nuclear RNA (snRNA) promoters which are useful for CRISPR-mediated targeted gene modifications in plants. The invention also provides methods and compositions for use for the snRNA promoters driving expression of guide RNAs and non-coding RNAs for development of plants and plant cells comprising modified genomes.

Disclosed herein is a unique molecular marker in sorghum genome for conferring broad range fungal resistance trait, and the use of the molecular marker to manipulate resistance in sorghum. A disease resistance gene called ANTHRACNOSE RESISTANCE GENE 1 (ARG1) and a negative regulator, i.e. antisense transcripts of ARG1, called CARRIER OF ARG (CARG) for the fungi resistance gene are knocked out within a quantitative trait locus (QTL).

An object of the present invention is to provide enhancers useful in enhancing the transcription activity of promoters.

(i) A polynucleotide comprising a sequence of at least 20 consecutive nucleotides in the region of nucleotides 201 to 300 in SEQ ID NO: 1; or (ii) a polynucleotide that consists of a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% sequence identify to that of the polynucleotide (i), and has an effect to enhance promoter transcription activity, is used as an enhancer.

Provided herein are modified tomato plants comprising an introduced modification of genomic DNA at the SlFSR gene or a transcription regulatory region thereof. In some instances, the introduced modification is heritable. In some instances, the introduced modification is an epigenetic such as hypermethylation. Also provided are progeny plants produced from the modified tomato plants, tomato seeds and tomato fruit produced by the modified tomato plants or progeny plants. Also provided are methods of making and growing the modified tomato plant and obtaining modified tomato fruit as well as nucleic acid reagents useful in the methods.

The invention provides recombinant DNA molecules and constructs, as well as their nucleotide sequences, useful for modulating gene expression in plants. The invention also provides transgenic plants, plant cells, plant parts, and seeds comprising the recombinant DNA molecules operably linked to heterologous transcribable DNA molecules, as are methods of their use.

Provided are isolated polynucleotides and recombinant DNA constructs encoding polypeptides useful for conferring accelerated or delayed flowering time and/or maturity. Compositions (such as plants or seeds) comprising these recombinant DNA constructs; and methods utilizing these recombinant DNA constructs are also provided.

The invention provides recombinant DNA molecules and constructs, as well as their nucleotide sequences, useful for modulating gene expression in plants. The invention also provides transgenic plants, plant cells, plant parts, and seeds comprising a recombinant DNA molecule comprising a DNA molecule operably linked to heterologous transcribable DNA molecule, as are methods of their use.

MPO1 and MPO2 can be regulated for either decreasing or increasing alkaloid levels in plants, in particular in Nicotiana plants. In particular, suppressing or overexpressing one or more of MPO1 and MPO2 may be used to decrease or increase nicotine and nicotinic alkaloid levels in tobacco plants. Suppression or overexpression of one or more of MPO1 and MPO2 may be used in combination with modification of expression of other genes encoding enzymes on the nicotinic alkaloid biosynthetic pathway such as A622, NBB1, PMT, and QPT.

Recombinant DNA molecules and constructs useful for modulating gene expression in plants, including molecules derived from Medicago truncatula sequences, are provided. Plants, plant cells, plant parts, and seeds comprising recombinant DNA molecules operably linked to heterologous transcribable DNA molecules are further provided, as are methods of their use.

The invention identifies plants carrying certain mutations, which can be used as haploid inducers or doubled haploid inducers in plant breeding. According to the invention, significant haploid induction and even doubled haploid induction rates can be observed when at least one functional mutation within a SAD-homology domain is present, wherein the functional mutation affects the expression of certain SAD-homology consensus sequences. The present invention further provides haploid and doubled haploid plants, which are obtained by contacting a first gamete from a plant as identified according to the invention with a second gamete from a plant expressing a wild-type SAD-homology domain to generate a zygote. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for identifying a plant having the activity of a haploid inducer or a doubled haploid inducer in a plant population.