Methods for delayed harvesting of corn fields are provided herein. These methods provide an extended, flexible period of time to harvest corn. The methods allow growers to harvest their corn at the optimal time for drying down or accessing seed, without increasing the risk of losing yield to lodging.

The present disclosure relates, in some embodiments, to materials, systems, organisms, and methods for enhancing abiotic stress tolerance (e.g., cold, salinity, drought, wind), increasing biomass, and/or altering lignin composition in plants. For example, enhancing abiotic stress tolerance may be achieved using a plant-specific family of transcription factors is APETALA2 (AP2), that includes c-repeat binding factor (e.g., CBF1, CBF3) and AP37 nucleic acids and/or polypeptides. In some embodiments, increasing biomass may be achieved by altering expression of gibberellin oxidases (e.g., GA3ox3/GA2ox4) nucleic acids and/or polypeptides. Altering lignin composition may be achieved by suppression of stem-thickening in pith (e.g., STP1) nucleic acids and/or polypeptides.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for altering gibberellin (GA) content in corn or other cereal plants. Methods and compositions are also provided for altering the expression of genes related to gibberellin biosynthesis through suppression, mutagenesis and/or editing of specific subtypes of GA20 or GA3 oxidase genes. Modified plant cells and plants having a suppression element or mutation reducing the expression or activity of a GA oxidase gene are further provided comprising reduced gibberellin levels and improved characteristics, such as reduced plant height and increased lodging resistance, but without off-types.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to systems and methods for enhancing plant performance by identifying and manipulating the expression of plant genes involved in UV-B mediated improvements to hardiness and growth. Some aspects of the disclosure relate to systems and methods for identifying plant novel genes responsive to light stimulation. Some aspects of the disclosure relate to systems and methods for identifying transgenic plants improved so as to present desired agronomic traits associated with UV-B light stimulation. Some aspects of the disclosure relate to systems and methods for modulating plant sensitivity to light for enhancing plant performance or a desired agronomic trait. Some aspects of the disclosure relate to systems and methods for generating stable transgenic plants that exhibit a desired agronomic trait.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for altering gibberellin (GA) content in corn or other cereal plants. Methods and compositions are also provided for altering the expression of genes related to gibberellin biosynthesis through suppression, mutagenesis and/or editing of specific subtypes of GA20 or GA3 oxidase genes. Modified plant cells and plants having a suppression element or mutation reducing the expression or activity of a GA oxidase gene are further provided comprising reduced gibberellin levels and improved characteristics, such as reduced plant height and increased lodging resistance, but without off-types.

Methods for delayed harvesting of corn fields are provided herein. These methods provide an extended, flexible period of time to harvest corn. The methods allow growers to harvest their corn at the optimal time for drying down or accessing seed, without increasing the risk of losing yield to lodging.

The present disclosure provides modified, transgenic, or genome edited/mutated corn plants that are semi-dwarf and have one or more improved ear traits and yield relative to a control plant, such as increased ear area, increased ear volume, increased single kernel weight, increased ear fresh weight, increased ear diameter, increased ear length, increased yield, increased kernels per ear, decreased ear tip void, and decreased ear void. The modified, transgenic, or genome edited/mutated corn plants comprise a transgene encoding one or more CONSTANS (CO) or CONSTANS-like (COL) polypeptides and a transgene encoding one or more MADS-box polypeptides, and can also have a reduced expression of one or more GA20 or GA3 oxidase genes. Also provided are methods for producing the modified, transgenic, or genome edited/mutated corn plants.

Methods and compositions to modulate plant stature including plant height, car height, planting density and other agronomic characteristics are disclosed. The disclosure further discloses compositions, polynucleotide constructs, transformed host cells, plants and seeds exhibiting altered stature characteristics or produce plants that exhibit altered stature parameters.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for altering gibberellin (GA) content in corn or other cereal plants. Methods and compositions are also provided for altering the expression of genes related to gibberellin biosynthesis through suppression, mutagenesis and/or editing of specific subtypes of GA20 or GA3 oxidase genes. Modified plant cells and plants having a suppression element or mutation reducing the expression or activity of a GA oxidase gene are further provided comprising reduced gibberellin levels and improved characteristics, such as reduced plant height and increased lodging resistance, but without off-types.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for altering gibberellin (GA) content in corn plants. Methods and compositions are provided for ectopically or transgenically expressing a GA2 oxidase in corn plants. Modified plants, plant parts and plant cells having a recombinant DNA construct for expression of a GA2 oxidase transgene are further provided that may comprise reduced gibberellin levels and improved characteristics, such as reduced plant height and increased lodging resistance, but without off-types.