Constructs and methods to improve abiotic stress tolerance in plants

A method of increasing drought tolerance in a plant, comprising:

• (a) introducing into a regenerable plant cell a suppression DNA construct to reduce the expression or the activity of an endogenous polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:
• 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, or 19;
• (b) regenerating a modified plant from the regenerable plant cell after step (a);
• and
• (c) obtaining a progeny plant derived from the modified plant of step (b), wherein said progeny plant exhibits increased drought tolerance when compared to a control plant.

A method of increasing drought tolerance in a plant, comprising:

• (a) introducing into a regenerable plant cell a genetic modification at a gene encoding an endogenous polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 or 19, thereby reducing the expression or activity of the encoded polypeptide;
• (b) regenerating a modified plant from the regenerable plant cell after step (a);
• and
• (c) obtaining a progeny plant derived from the modified plant of step (b), wherein said progeny plant exhibits increased drought tolerance when compared to a control plant.