The present invention relates to excision of explant material comprising meristematic tissue from seeds, and storage of such material prior to subsequent use in plant tissue culture and genetic transformation. Methods for tissue preparation, storage, and transformation are disclosed, as is transformable meristem tissue produced by such methods, and apparati for tissue preparation.

A method of producing a stably transformed corn plant in a single container is demonstrated. This method allows for the automation of the transformation process and reduces labor, material, and ergonomic costs associated with traditional plant tissue culture systems.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) plants exhibiting resistance to Nasonovia ribisnigri biotype Nr:1 are provided, together with methods of producing, identifying, or selecting plants or germplasm with a Nasonovia ribisnigri biotype Nr:1 resistance phenotype. Such plants include lettuce plants comprising introgressed genomic regions conferring pest resistance. Compositions, including novel polymorphic markers for detecting plants comprising introgressed loci, are further provided.

The present invention relates to excision of explant material comprising meristematic tissue from seeds, and storage of such material prior to subsequent use in plant tissue culture and genetic transformation. Methods for tissue preparation, storage, and transformation are disclosed, as is transformable meristem tissue produced by such methods, and apparati for tissue preparation.

Polynucleotides and isolated polypeptides, nucleic acid constructs comprising the isolated polynucleotides, transgenic plants expressing same and methods of using same for increasing abiotic stress tolerance, yield, biomass, growth rate, vigor, oil content, fiber yield, fiber quality, and/or nitrogen use efficiency of a plant are disclosed.

Provided are isolated polypeptides which are at least 80% homologous to SEQ ID NO: 474-643, 645-679, 681-755, 757-760, 4806-6390, 6395-6396, 6401-6895, 6897-7249, 7251-7685, 7687-7693, 7695-7700, 7702-7708, 7710-7796, 7798-7816, 7818, 7820-7837, 7839-7840, 7842-7861, 7863-8134, 8136-8163 or 8164, isolated polynucleotides which are at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NOs: 1-170, 172-267, 269-424, 426-473, 761-2486, 2489-2494, 2496-4803 or 4804, nucleic acid constructs comprising same, transgenic cells expressing same, transgenic plants expressing same and method of using same for increasing yield, harvest index, abiotic stress tolerance, growth rate, biomass, vigor, oil content, photosynthetic capacity, seed yield, fiber yield, fiber quality, fiber length, and/or nitrogen use efficiency of a plant.

Provided are isolated polypeptides which are at least 80% homologous to SEQ ID NO: 474-643, 645-679, 681-755, 757-760, 4806-6390, 6395-6396, 6401-6895, 6897-7249, 7251-7685, 7687-7693, 7695-7700, 7702-7708, 7710-7796, 7798-7816, 7818, 7820-7837, 7839-7840, 7842-7861, 7863-8134, 8136-8163 or 8164, isolated polynucleotides which are at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NOs: 1-170, 172-267, 269-424, 426-473, 761-2486, 2489-2494, 2496-4803 or 4804, nucleic acid constructs comprising same, transgenic cells expressing same, transgenic plants expressing same and method of using same for increasing yield, harvest index, abiotic stress tolerance, growth rate, biomass, vigor, oil content, photosynthetic capacity, seed yield, fiber yield, fiber quality, fiber length, and/or nitrogen use efficiency of a plant.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for transforming soybean, corn, cotton, or canola explants using spectinomycin as a selective agent for transformation of the explants. The method may further comprise treatment of the explants with cytokinin during the transformation and regeneration process.

The present invention provides methods for the production of viable explants from mature corn seeds, wherein the explant comprises the apical portion of the embryo axis of the corn seed. The present invention also relates to methods for producing such explants and for transforming the explants with a heterologous DNA.

Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for the repair of site specific nuclease binding sites by targeted integration and/or targeted excision of one or more sequences into a cell.