ETO1 genes and use of same for reduced ethylene and improved stress tolerance in plants

A method for reducing ethylene biosynthesis in a plant, comprising:

• (a) introducing into a plant cell a recombinant expression cassette comprising a first polynucleotide operably linked to a heterologous promoter, wherein said expression cassette directs expression of said first polynucleotide, wherein the first polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of:
• i. a polynucleotide comprising the full length nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 9;
• ii. a polynucleotide having at least 95% sequence identity to the full length of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 9, wherein the polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide having ethylene over-producer 1 (ETO1) activity and wherein the polypeptide comprises the N-terminal domain provided as SEQ ID NO:
• 11 and the C-terminal domain provided as SEQ ID NO:
• 12;
• and
• iii. a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising the full length amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 10;
• (b) culturing the plant cell under plant cell growing conditions and regenerating a plant therefrom;
• wherein the level of ethylene biosynthesis in said plant is reduced, relative to a control.