The present invention relates to plants with increased levels of water soluble carbohydrates, particularly fructan, in the stem and leaf sheath. The present invention also provides methods of identifying and/or producing these plants. In particular, the present invention relates to a novel class of polypeptides designated MYB13 which upregulate the expression of enzymes involved in fructan synthesis. The present invention further relates to a novel promoter element that can be used to express genes predominantly in the stem and leaf sheath during the early reproductive stage of a plant.
