This disclosure provides a number of sequences involved in nitrogen utilization, methods of using such sequences, tobacco plants carrying modifications to such sequences, tobacco plants transgenic for such sequences, and tobacco products made from such plants.

This disclosure provides a number of sequences involved in nitrogen utilization, methods of using such sequences, tobacco plants carrying modifications to such sequences, tobacco plants transgenic for such sequences, and tobacco products made from such plants.

A microbial fermentation method for improving tobacco quality, comprising the following steps: (1) inoculating flue-cured tobacco as an inoculation source into a tobacco powder medium, and cultivating at 20-40° C. for 20-50 h; (2) inoculating microbial liquid in step (1) into a fresh tobacco powder medium, cultivating at 20-40° C. for 20-50 h, and circulating for 15-25 cycles to obtain stable flue-cured tobacco microbial flora; (3) inoculating the microbial flora obtained in step (2) into the fresh tobacco powder medium, and culturing at 20-40° C. for 20-50 h to obtain seed liquid of the microbial flora; (4) centrifuging the microbial liquid obtained in step (3) and collecting microbes; (5) washing the microbes collected in step (4); (6) resuspending the washed bacteria in step (5) to obtain a microbial suspension; and (7) spraying the microbial suspension in step (6) to the tobacco leaves for fermentation for 6-8 days.

A microbial fermentation method for improving tobacco quality, comprising the following steps: (1) inoculating flue-cured tobacco as an inoculation source into a tobacco powder medium, and cultivating at 20-40° C. for 20-50 h; (2) inoculating microbial liquid in step (1) into a fresh tobacco powder medium, cultivating at 20-40° C. for 20-50 h, and circulating for 15-25 cycles to obtain stable flue-cured tobacco microbial flora; (3) inoculating the microbial flora obtained in step (2) into the fresh tobacco powder medium, and culturing at 20-40° C. for 20-50 h to obtain seed liquid of the microbial flora; (4) centrifuging the microbial liquid obtained in step (3) and collecting microbes; (5) washing the microbes collected in step (4); (6) resuspending the washed bacteria in step (5) to obtain a microbial suspension; and (7) spraying the microbial suspension in step (6) to the tobacco leaves for fermentation for 6-8 days.

Two genes, A622 and NBB1, can be influenced to achieve a decrease of nicotinic alkaloid levels in plants. In particular, suppression of one or both of A622 and NBB1 may be used to decrease nicotine in tobacco plants.

Bacteriophage against Geobacillus are provided, and methods of making and using the bacteriophage also are provided.

Bacteriophage against Geobacillus are provided, and methods of making and using the bacteriophage also are provided.

Bacteriophage are provided, and methods of making and using the bacteriophage also are provided.

Bacteriophage are provided, and methods of making and using the bacteriophage also are provided.

The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a homogenized tobacco material, said method comprising: —pulping and refining cellulose fibres to obtain fibres having a mean size per weight comprised between about 0.2 millimetres and about 4 millimetres; —grinding a blend of tobacco of one or more tobacco types to tobacco particles having a mean size per weight comprised between about 0.03 millimetres and about 0.12 millimetres; —Combining the cellulose fibres with the tobacco particles and with a binder to form a slurry; —homogenizing the slurry; —adding asparaginase to the slurry; and—forming the homogenized tobacco material from the slurry, wherein the homogenized tobacco material comprises from about 1 percent and about 5 percent in dry weight basis of the binder.