Method for increasing a nicotinic alkaloid in a Nicotiana plant by introducing a mutation into the gene encoding the NbTF7 transcription factor and plants and products made by said method

A method for increasing a nicotinic alkaloid in a Nicotiana plant, comprising:

• (a) genetically engineering a population of plant cells to eliminate production of a protein encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 14, comprising introducing one or more mutations into the region of SEQ ID NO:
• 14 that encodes a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 16;
• and
• (b) detecting and selecting a target mutated plant cell or a plant derived from such a cell, wherein the target mutated plant cell or plant has a mutation in a gene encoding a transcription factor that negatively regulates nicotinic alkaloid biosynthesis and wherein the targeted plant cell or plant has an increased nicotinic alkaloid content as compared to a control plant cell or plant.