Use of UMP-CMP kinases for increasing nitrogen use efficiency and low nitrogen tolerance in plants

A method of growing a crop comprising growing a crop plant over-expressing a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:

• 236, 2296-2302 and 2304-2312 as compared to a native plant of the same species, which is grown under the same growth conditions, wherein said crop plant is derived from parent plants that over-express said polypeptide and that have been selected for an increased nitrogen use efficiency, and/or an increased tolerance to nitrogen deficiency as compared to the native plant of the same species, which is grown under the same growth conditions, and said crop plant over-expressing said polypeptide having said increased nitrogen use efficiency, and/or said increased tolerance to nitrogen deficiency, thereby growing the crop.

A method of growing a crop comprising growing a crop plant over-expressing a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:

• 236, 2296-2302 and 2304-2312 as compared to a native plant of the same species, which is grown under the same growth conditions, wherein said crop plant is derived from parent plants that over-express said polypeptide and that have been selected for an increased nitrogen use efficiency, an increased growth rate of leaf area under nitrogen deficient conditions, an increased growth rate of root coverage under nitrogen deficient conditions, an increased dry weight under nitrogen deficient conditions and/or an increased fresh weight under nitrogen deficient conditions tolerance as compared to the native plant of the same species, which is grown under the same growth conditions, and said crop plant over-expressing said polypeptide having said increased nitrogen use efficiency, said increased growth rate of leaf area under nitrogen deficient conditions, said increased growth rate of root coverage under nitrogen deficient conditions, said increased dry weight under nitrogen deficient conditions and/or said increased fresh weight under nitrogen deficient conditions, thereby growing the crop.