University of Illinois

University of California

University of Florida Research Foundation Inc

United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary of Agriculture

University of Nebraska

Stephen P Long

Krishna K Niyogi

Laurie Beth Leonelli

Vijay Singh

Thomas Clemente

Fredy Altpeter

Donald R Ort

Damla D Bilgin

Haibo Huang

Johannes Kromdijk

Katarzyna Glowacka

Stephane T Gabilly

Aleel K Grennan

Stephen Patrick Moose

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of cultivating genetically altered plants with increased activity of the PsbS protein. These genetically altered plants have increased water use efficiency and substantially similar photosynthetic efficiency as compared to WT plants grown under the same conditions.

Plants with increased water use efficiency

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.

Transgenic plants with increased photosynthesis efficiency and growth

The impact of plastid size change in both monocot and dicot plants has been examined. In both, when plastid size is increased there is an increase in biomass relative to the parental lines. Thus, provided herein are methods for increasing the biomass of a plant, comprising decreasing the expression of at least one plastid division protein in a plant. Optionally, the level of chlorophyll in the plant is also reduced.

Plants having increased biomass and methods for making the same

Process for recovery and separation of sugars and oil from plants where the stems and leaves of such plants have substantial levels of both sugars and oils.

Separation process of oil and sugars from biomass

Growing community of inventors

Champaign, IL, United States of America

Stephen P Long