Disclosed herein are artificially synthesized nucleic acid constructs to guide an epigenetic modification for at least partially silencing or activating a target gene in an organism such as a plant or seed, and formulations thereof. Also disclosed are methods of applying such nucleic acid constructs to the plant or to the seed. Also disclosed are engineered seeds and plants obtained by the epigenetic modification.

Genetically modified lodging resistant Eragrostis plants and methods of producing lodging resistance in an Eragrostis plant, part thereof, or plant cell thereof are disclosed. Methods of improving the yield of an Eragrostis plant are also disclosed.

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.

This invention relates to compositions and methods for modifying Brassinosteroid Insensitive-1 (BRI1) genes in plants by introducing at least one mutation in a region of the BRI1 gene encoding the kinase domain, optionally to improve yield traits. The invention further relates to a mutated BRI1 gene, a modified BRI1 polypeptide, and plants having increased improved yield traits produced using the methods and compositions of the invention.

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.