The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for improving various plant growth characteristics by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a PRE-like (Paclobutrazol REsistance) polypeptide. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a PRE-like polypeptide, which plants have improved growth characteristics relative to corresponding wild type plants or other control plants. The invention also provides constructs useful in the methods of the invention.In another embodiment, the present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing various yield-related traits by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding an SCE1 (SUMO Conjugating Enzyme 1). The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding an SCE1, which plants have enhanced yield-related traits relative to corresponding wild type plants or other control plants. The invention also provides hitherto unknown SCE1-encoding nucleic acids, and constructs comprising the same, useful in performing the methods of the invention.In yet another embodiment, the present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing various yield related-traits by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a YEF1(Yield Enhancing Factor 1). The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a YEF1, which plants have enhanced yield related traits relative to corresponding wild type plants or other control plants. The invention also provides constructs useful in the methods of the invention.In yet another embodiment, the present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing various yield-related traits by modulating expression in a plant of a nuclei
