The present invention is directed to a method of producing a cereal plant cell or protoplast useful for regeneration of a water stress or salt stress tolerant cereal plant by transforming the cereal plant cell or protoplast with a nucleic acid encoding a late embryogenesis abundant protein. A transgenic cereal plant or cereal plant cell or protoplast transformed with a nucleic acid encoding a late embryogenesis abundant protein is also provided. An LEA protein gene, HVA1, from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was transformed into rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants. The resulting transgenic rice plants accumulate the HVA1 protein in both leaves and roots. Transgenic rice plants showed significantly increased tolerance to water stress (drought) and salt stress.
A DNA encoding a neoxanthin cleavage enzyme used for improving stress tolerance in a plant, a method for increasing stress tolerance in a plant by introducing the DNA into the plant, and a transgenic plant into which a neoxanthin cleavage enzyme gene is introduced, are provided. A DNA used for reducing stress tolerance in a plant, a method for decreasing stress tolerance in a plant by introducing the DNA into the plant, and a transgenic plant into which the DNA is introduced, are also provided. The present invention enables creating a plant in which stress tolerance has been increased or decreased.
A DNA encoding a neoxanthin cleavage enzyme used for improving stress tolerance in a plant, a method for increasing stress tolerance in a plant by introducing the DNA into the plant, and a transgenic plant into which a neoxanthin cleavage enzyme gene is introduced, are provided. A DNA used for reducing stress tolerance in a plant, a method for decreasing stress tolerance in a plant by introducing the DNA into the plant, and a transgenic plant into which the DNA is introduced, are also provided. The present invention enables creating a plant in which stress tolerance has been increased or decreased.
A transgenic turfgrass plant expressing a betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase-encoding transgene is provided. The transgenic plant displays significantly increased tolerance to salinity than does its non-transgenic equivalents. The plant also displays increased tolerance to drought conditions. The salt- and drought-tolerant transgenic turfgrass may be planted in regions of high salinity, such as seaside, or in regions where irrigation water is scarce.
The present invention is directed to plants that display a drought tolerance phenotype due to altered expression of a DRO2 nucleic acid. The invention is further directed to methods of generating plants with a drought tolerance phenotype.
A process is provided for inducing direct somatic embryogenesis in Pooideae and rapidly regenerating fertile plants by first culturing isolated immature scutella cells in culture medium comprising auxin, cytokinin and polyamine in amounts effective to cause direct formation of primary embryos without an intervening callus stage, at least until at least one primary embryo reaches the globular developmental stage, the auxin being present in greater proportion than cytokinin. A second step includes either a) culturing the primary embryos under conditions to regenerate plantlets, and culturing the primary embryos in regeneration medium; or b) culturing the primary embryos at the globular developmental stage and no longer than the coleoptilar stage in culture medium comprising auxin, cytokinin, and polyamine in amounts effective to cause induction of secondary embryo formation, at least until secondary embryogenesis is detected, the cytokinin being present in greater proportion than auxin, and culturing the secondary embryos under conditions to regenerate plantlets.
