The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules and their corresponding encoded polypeptides able confer the trait of improved plant size, vegetative growth, growth rate, seedling vigor and/or biomass in plants challenged with saline conditions. The present invention further relates to the use of these nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides in making transgenic plants, plant cells, plant materials or seeds of a plant having plant size, vegetative growth, growth rate, seedling vigor and/or biomass that are improved in saline conditions with respect to wild-type plants grown under similar conditions.

Provided are isolated polypeptides which are at least 80% homologous to SEQ ID NOs: 182-184, 186-202, 204-216, 219-223, 225, 227-232, 235-236, 238, 240-260, 262-268, 270-275, 277-287, 289-297, 3651-3671, 3686, 3720-3721, 3724, 3727, 3735, 3754, 3774, 3795-4304, 4316, 4374, 4425, 4464, 4481-4813, 4824, 4833, 4843-4844, 4867-4869, 4888, 4890-4891, 5005-5050, 5053-5070, 5093, 5217, 5231, 5233, 5239, 5246, 5255, 5257-5296, 5412, 5415-5429, 5447-5456, 5465-5673, 5675-5686, 5688-5695, 5697-5698, 5700, 5702-5707, 5709-5715, 5717-5785, 5831, 5869, 5980, 6010-6043, 6045-6053, 6055-6093, 6132, 6383, 6405, 6493, 6523, 6533-6537, and 6563-6589, isolated polynucleotides encoding same, nucleic acid constructs comprising same, transgenic cells expressing same, transgenic plants expressing same and method of using same for increasing yield, 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.

Based at least in part on an understanding of the mechanisms by which small RNAs (e.g., naturally-occurring miRNAs) mediate RNA silencing in plants, rules have been established for determining, for example, the degree of complementarity required between an RNAi-mediating agent and its target, i.e., whether mismatches are tolerated, the number of mismatches tolerated, the effect of the position of the mismatches, etc. Such rules are useful, in particular, in the design of improved RNAi-mediating agents which allow for more exact control of the efficacy of RNA silencing.

The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules and their corresponding encoded polypeptides able confer the trait of improved plant size, vegetative growth, growth rate, seedling vigor and/or biomass in plants challenged with saline conditions. The present invention further relates to the use of these nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides in making transgenic plants, plant cells, plant materials or seeds of a plant having plant size, vegetative growth, growth rate, seedling vigor and/or biomass that are improved in saline conditions with respect to wild-type plants grown under similar conditions.

The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules and their corresponding encoded polypeptides able confer the trait of improved plant size, vegetative growth, growth rate, seedling vigor and/or biomass in plants challenged with saline conditions. The present invention further relates to the use of these nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides in making transgenic plants, plant cells, plant materials or seeds of a plant having plant size, vegetative growth, growth rate, seedling vigor and/or biomass that are improved in saline conditions with respect to wild-type plants grown under similar conditions.

Provided are isolated polynucleotides at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NOs: 1-479, 813-5173, 8511, 8513, 8515, 8517, 8519, 8521, 8523, 9096-9141 and 9142; and isolated polypeptides at least 80% homologous to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 624, 480-623, 625-812, 5174-7015, 7017-7021, 7024, 7026-8510, 8512, 8514, 8516, 8518, 8520, 8522, 8524, 9143-9177, such as the polypeptides set forth in SEQ ID NO:480-812, 5174-8510, 8512, 8514, 8516, 8518, 8520, 8522, 8524, and 9143-9177, nucleic acid constructs comprising same, transgenic cells and plants expressing same and methods of using same for increasing yield, biomass, growth rate, vigor, oil content, fiber yield, fiber quality, nitrogen use efficiency, and/or abiotic stress tolerance of a plant.

Provided are isolated polynucleotides at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NOs: 1-479, 813-5173, 8511, 8513, 8515, 8517, 8519, 8521, 8523, 9096-9141 and 9142; and isolated polypeptides at least 80% homologous to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 624, 480-623, 625-812, 5174-7015, 7017-7021, 7024, 7026-8510, 8512, 8514, 8516, 8518, 8520, 8522, 8524, 9143-9177, such as the polypeptides set forth in SEQ ID NO:480-812, 5174-8510, 8512, 8514, 8516, 8518, 8520, 8522, 8524, and 9143-9177, nucleic acid constructs comprising same, transgenic cells and plants expressing same and methods of using same for increasing yield, biomass, growth rate, vigor, oil content, fiber yield, fiber quality, nitrogen use efficiency, and/or abiotic stress tolerance of a plant.

Methods and materials for modulating biomass composition in plants are disclosed. For example, nucleic acids encoding biomass composition-modulating polypeptides are disclosed as well as methods for using such nucleic acids to transform plant cells. Also disclosed are plants having altered biomass composition and plant products produced from plants having altered biomass composition.

Provided are isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 422, 362-421, 423-601, 2429-4085 and 4086, such as a polynucleotide which is at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 260, 1-259, 261-361, 602-2427 and 2428, nucleic acid constructs comprising same, plant cells comprising same, transgenic plants expressing same, and methods of generating thereof for increasing the yield, biomass, growth rate, vigor, oil content, fiber yield, fiber quality, nitrogen use efficiency and/or abiotic stress tolerance of a plant.

Provided are heterologous nucleic acid constructs, vectors and methods for elevating cyclic electron transfer activity, improving carbon concentration, and enhancing carbon fixation in C3 and C4 plants, and algae, and producing biomass or other products from C3 or C4 plants, and algae, selected from among, for example, starches, oils, fatty acids, lipids, cellulose or other carbohydrates, alcohols, sugars, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, fragrance and flavoring compounds, and organic acids, as well as transgenic plants produced thereby. These methods and transgenic plants and algae encompass the expression, or overexpression, of various combinations of genes that improve carbon concentrating systems in plants and algae, such as bicarbonate transport proteins, carbonic anhydrase, light driven proton pump, cyclic electron flow regulators, etc.