The present invention provides modified (e.g. genetically modified) plant cells and plants, the plants being characterised by an increase in any one or more of: bundle sheath cell numbers, bundle sheath volume, bundle sheath area, vein density, and/or the proportion of lateral veins, as compared to wild-type counterparts.

The subject invention concerns materials and methods for increasing and/or improving photosynthetic efficiency in plants, and in particular, C3 plants. In particular, the subject invention provides for means to increase the number of bundle sheath (BS) cells in plants, to improve the efficiency of photosynthesis in BS cells, and to increase channels between BS and mesophyll (M) cells. In one embodiment, a method of the invention concerns altering the expression level or pattern of one or more of SHR, SCR, and/or SCL23 in a plant. The subject invention also pertains to genetically modified plants, and in particular, C3 plants, that exhibit increased expression of one or more of SHR, SCR, and/or SCL23. Transformed and transgenic plants are contemplated within the scope of the invention. The subject invention also concerns methods for increasing expression of photosynthetically important genes in a plant, wherein one or more genes of interest are operably linked with a plant SHR, SCR or SCL23 promoter sequence and expressed in a plant.

The present disclosure provides methods for increasing drought resistance, salt resistance, photosynthetic rate, biomass production and water-use efficiency of a plant. The methods encompass expression of CAM-specific a phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) in the plant. In comparison to a plant not manipulated in this manner, the disclosed, genetically-modified, plants display improved drought resistance and salt resistance. Also provided are plants that can be obtained by the method according to the invention, and nucleic acid vectors to be used in the described methods.

Provided are isolated polypeptides which are at least 80% homologous to SEQ ID NO: 474-643, 645-679, 681-755, 757-760, 4806-6390, 6395-6396, 6401-6895, 6897-7249, 7251-7685, 7687-7693, 7695-7700, 7702-7708, 7710-7796, 7798-7816, 7818, 7820-7837, 7839-7840, 7842-7861, 7863-8134, 8136-8163 or 8164, isolated polynucleotides which are at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NOs: 1-170, 172-267, 269-424, 426-473, 761-2486, 2489-2494, 2496-4803 or 4804, nucleic acid constructs comprising same, transgenic cells expressing same, transgenic plants expressing same and method of using same for increasing yield, harvest index, 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.

Provided is an application of EmBP1 gene or protein thereof, said gene belonging to the bZIP family of zinc finger proteins, the agronomic traits of a plant being significantly improved when the expression of EmBP1 is raised, comprising: regulating the expression of photosynthetic genes, improving photosynthetic efficiency, improving electron transfer efficiency, increasing yield, biomass, plant height, and increasing the number of tillers, etc. The EmBP1 gene can be used as a target to regulate plant agronomic traits, and is applicable to plant breeding.

Compositions and methods for increasing plant growth for higher crop yield are provided. The methods involve the expression in a plant of interest of at least one C4 transporter coding sequence. Plants showing increased expression of one or more C4 transporter coding sequence of interest are encompassed by the invention. It is recognized that any method for increasing the expression of the C4 transporter coding sequences in a plant of interest can be used in the practice of the methods disclosed herein. Such methods include transformation, breeding and the like. Increased expression of the C4 transporter coding sequences in the plant of interest results in yield gains. Expression cassettes and vectors comprising the C4 transporter sequences disclosed herein are also provided herein. Methods for identifying genes under positive selection in plants that use C4 photosynthesis are disclosed and provided herein.

The present disclosure provides a transgenic plant comprising one or more nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides selected from photosystem II subunit S (PsbS), zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZEP), and violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE), operably linked to at least one expression control sequence. Expression vectors for making transgenic plants, and methods for increasing biomass production and/or carbon fixation and/or growth in a plant comprising increasing expression of at least one of PsbS, ZEP and VDE polypeptides are also provided.

The invention involves mutant or recombinant Chlorophyte algal organisms that have a genetic modification in a gene encoding a chloroplastic signal recognition particle 43 (cpSRP43). In one embodiment the Chlorophyte organisms are Trebouxiophyte algae that are diploid or polyploid for a gene encoding a chloroplastic signal recognition particle 43 (cpSRP43). The mutant organisms can have a genetic modification in one allele of the gene but not in another allele of the gene. The mutant or algal organisms have higher biomass and lipid productivity. Additional mutant or algal organisms are disclosed that also have a genetic modification to one or more genes encoding a light harvesting chlorophyll a/b (binding) protein.

Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and products for enhancing the rate of photosynthesis in a plant. In addition, certain embodiments relate to transgenic plants and progeny thereof which comprise an exogenous Rieske Iron Sulphur protein.

Compositions and methods for modifying genomic DNA sequences are provided. The methods produce double-stranded breaks (DSBs) at pre-determined target sites in a genomic DNA sequence, resulting in mutation, insertion, and/or deletion of DNA sequences at the target site(s) in a genome. Compositions comprise DNA constructs comprising nucleotide sequences that encode a Cms1 protein operably linked to a promoter that is operable in the cells of interest. The DNA constructs can be used to direct the modification of genomic DNA at pre-determined genomic loci. Methods to use these DNA constructs to modify genomic DNA sequences are described herein. Additionally, compositions and methods for modulating the expression of genes are provided. Compositions comprise DNA constructs comprising a promoter that is operable in the cells of interest operably linked to nucleotide sequences that encode a mutated Cms1 protein with an abolished ability to produce DSBs, optionally linked to a domain that regulates transcriptional activity. The methods can be used to up- or down-regulate the expression of genes at predetermined genomic loci.