A Solanaceous plant exhibiting a facultative parthenocarpy is provided. The plant comprises a loss-of-function mutation in a SlAGL6 gene and alternatively or additionally characterized by an average fruit weight/plant at least about the same as that of a non-parthenocarpic tomato of the same genetic background under fertilization permissive conditions of the non-parthenocarpic tomato. Also provided are methods of producing such plants and processed products produced from same.

The present disclosure relates to a viral vector suitable for introducing a therapeutic agent, such as a peptide, protein or small RNA, into a host or otherwise treating a host. The vector may include an exogenous RNA segment with a hairpin-like structure or having two or more base-paired regions separated by one or more non-base-paired regions. The exogenous RNA segment may have a secondary structure, minimum free energy, average positional entropy or other attributes within specified ranges, or with values similar to one or more hairpin-like structures of a reference wild type virus. Optionally, the RNA vector may be derived from the reference wild type virus or a relative of the reference wild type virus. In some examples, the vector is capable of capable of systemic and phloem-limited movement and replication within a host plant. In some examples, the reference wild type virus is an umbravirus-like associated RNA.

Methods and compositions of improving plant yield by introducing into a plant the K-domain of a MADS box gene are disclosed. The expression of the K-domain provides plants with altered flower development, plant size and leaf development.

Provided are applications of protein VdAL in improving the output, product quality and drought resistance of a plant and in improving fruit coloring of the plant. The protein VdAL is selected from one of A1) to A3): A1), protein having an amino acid sequence that is 1; A2) protein that is derived from A), that has same functions and that is obtained by substituting and/or deleting and/or adding one or several amino acid residues for, from or to the sequence 1; and A3) fusion protein obtained by connecting labels to an N end and/or a C end of A1) or A2).

The present invention relates a plant which may comprise a modified F5H gene homolog, wherein said gene homolog may comprise a modification as compared to its corresponding wild type F5H gene homolog, wherein the presence of the modified F5H gene homolog in the plant leads to a reduction of wound-induced surface discoloration in comparison to a plant not comprising the modified F5H gene homolog. The invention also relates to a modified F5H gene homolog that leads to the reduced wound-induced surface discoloration. The invention further relates to use of the gene in breeding and producing plants that show reduced wound-induced surface discoloration.

A banana plant comprising a genome comprising a loss of function mutation in a nucleic acid sequence encoding a component in an ethylene biosynthesis pathway of the banana is provided. Also provides is a method of increasing shelf-life of banana.

Plants of the Cucurbitaceae family and seeds of such plants with an androecious phenotype, whereas this sexual type is not natural in the plants, and the use of the plants and of the plant seeds of the invention. Moreover, the nucleic acid sequence responsible for androecy in the plants of the invention and on the polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid sequence. Finally, methods of identifying the plants and the seeds.

Methods and compositions of improving plant yield by introducing into a plant the K-domain of a MADS box gene are disclosed. The expression of the K-domain provides plants with altered flower development, plant size and leaf development.

The invention relates to methods of producing a plant with delayed senescence comprising inducing at least one nucleotide deletion, insertion or substitution into at least one copy of a gene encoding deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) in the plant, wherein the nucleotide deletion, insertion or substitution decreases the activity of DHS encoded by the gene in the plant. The invention also relates to plants produced by the methods and progeny thereof.

Molecular markers associated with Solanaceae brachytic locus, methods of their use, and compositions having one or more marker loci are provided. Methods comprising detecting at least one marker locus, detecting a haplotype, and/or detecting a marker profile are provided. Methods and compositions are described for breeding tomato plants containing quantitative trait loci that are associated with brachytic phenotype and monitoring introgression of brachytic locus. Methods and compositions are also described for modifying a brachytic locus using CRISPR/Cas.