Dual-targeting of proteins and its role in coordinating organelle functions in plants. Innovative agricultural solutions in Australia's future will be built on understanding and manipulating the expression of groups of genes to influence whole plant phenotypes providing more robust plants and high value plant products. Plant energy organelles are central components in plant metabolism, their coordination by processes such as dual-targeting has potential to modify germination characteristics, ear ....Dual-targeting of proteins and its role in coordinating organelle functions in plants. Innovative agricultural solutions in Australia's future will be built on understanding and manipulating the expression of groups of genes to influence whole plant phenotypes providing more robust plants and high value plant products. Plant energy organelles are central components in plant metabolism, their coordination by processes such as dual-targeting has potential to modify germination characteristics, early seedling vigour, and stress tolerance. Studying energy organelles could generate valuable intellectual property to be applied within Australia's large plant-based industries and at the same time provide a rich intellectual environment for the training of research students and postdoctoral researchers.Read moreRead less
Advanced cryobanking for propagation-recalcitrant and critically endangered plant species. This project aims to advance methods for the conservation of recalcitrant/threatened plant species to achieve best practice ecological restoration in areas of high biodiversity. In particular, the nature of freezing and dehydration damage to cell membranes at various stages of tissue culture and cryopreservation will be investigated to try to minimise deleterious effects. In addition, metabolic changes tha ....Advanced cryobanking for propagation-recalcitrant and critically endangered plant species. This project aims to advance methods for the conservation of recalcitrant/threatened plant species to achieve best practice ecological restoration in areas of high biodiversity. In particular, the nature of freezing and dehydration damage to cell membranes at various stages of tissue culture and cryopreservation will be investigated to try to minimise deleterious effects. In addition, metabolic changes that affect cryogenic survival will be assessed to provide further insight into the role of oxidative stress and the toxicity of cryopreservation processes. Ultimately, improved cryogenic protocols will be developed to maintain the integrity of long-term cryobanks of key species for ecological restoration, such as in post-mined areas.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology. We propose a novel approach to improve sustainable yield by optimising the overall efficiency of energy capture, conversion and use by plants. Efficiency gains in metabolism, transport, and development will be more effective than optimising single nutrient inputs or product outputs. Improving multiple parameters simultaneously is a necessary solution to the increasing demand for more crop yield from finite land, water, and nutrient resources. Unp ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology. We propose a novel approach to improve sustainable yield by optimising the overall efficiency of energy capture, conversion and use by plants. Efficiency gains in metabolism, transport, and development will be more effective than optimising single nutrient inputs or product outputs. Improving multiple parameters simultaneously is a necessary solution to the increasing demand for more crop yield from finite land, water, and nutrient resources. Unpredictable environmental challenges adversely affect plant growth and further perturb plant energy balance, limiting yield. The epigenetic controls, gene variants and signals discovered will provide a new basis for sustainable productivity of crops and will future-proof plants in changing climates.Read moreRead less
In touch with the environment: dissecting early tactile responses in plants. This project aims to identify the regulatory mechanisms that control touch-responses in plants. Although plants cannot relocate in the face of danger, they are able to sense mechanical manipulations from the environment. These could be caused by pathogens, herbivores, rain or even wind. This touch-responsiveness of plants is essential for pathogen resistance and for triggering architectural changes to overcome obstacles ....In touch with the environment: dissecting early tactile responses in plants. This project aims to identify the regulatory mechanisms that control touch-responses in plants. Although plants cannot relocate in the face of danger, they are able to sense mechanical manipulations from the environment. These could be caused by pathogens, herbivores, rain or even wind. This touch-responsiveness of plants is essential for pathogen resistance and for triggering architectural changes to overcome obstacles and prevent mechanical damage. Using a comprehensive tool set of genetics, genomics and proteomics, this project aims to identify the upstream regulators that control touch responses. Furthermore, it is expected to expand our understanding of the physiological impacts of touch-responses on growth and stress tolerance.Read moreRead less
Understanding the biological functions of the karrikin-responsive signaling system of plants in growth, development and responses to the environment. A new signalling system in plants, related to that of strigolactone hormones but evolutionarily more ancient and functionally distinct, has been discovered. It is defined by the Karrkin-Insensitive-2 (KAI2) protein discovered by its ability to confer responsiveness to karrikins from bushfires. The KAI2 system influences seed germination, and develo ....Understanding the biological functions of the karrikin-responsive signaling system of plants in growth, development and responses to the environment. A new signalling system in plants, related to that of strigolactone hormones but evolutionarily more ancient and functionally distinct, has been discovered. It is defined by the Karrkin-Insensitive-2 (KAI2) protein discovered by its ability to confer responsiveness to karrikins from bushfires. The KAI2 system influences seed germination, and development of seedlings, leaves and potentially roots. This project will use KAI2 mutants and transgenic plants to define the biological functions of KAI2 signalling, and its interactions with other signalling systems. New genes central to KAI2 signalling and responses will be identified for functional analysis. The research will reveal the significance of this new signalling system in plant biology. Read moreRead less
Mid-rotation diagnosis and management options for correction of water and nutrient deficiencies in plantation-grown eucalypts. This research will improve productivity of bluegum plantations by improving current diagnostic techniques (foliage and soil analysis) for nutrient disorders and the supply of water. Using a novel phloem sampling and analysis technique, we will develop a nutrient (e.g. N, P) and water diagnosis procedure that is quick, cheap, robust and reliable for field use. A major in ....Mid-rotation diagnosis and management options for correction of water and nutrient deficiencies in plantation-grown eucalypts. This research will improve productivity of bluegum plantations by improving current diagnostic techniques (foliage and soil analysis) for nutrient disorders and the supply of water. Using a novel phloem sampling and analysis technique, we will develop a nutrient (e.g. N, P) and water diagnosis procedure that is quick, cheap, robust and reliable for field use. A major innovation will be distinguishing the effects of shortages of water on growth from those of other growth influences. Overall, this project will provide a highly significant theoretical, conceptual and practical advance in mid-rotation, diagnostics for plantations with considerable commercial promise.Read moreRead less
Deciphering the Thermal Acclimation of Mitochondrial Respiration. Plants acclimate to the extremes of temperature following a pre-exposure to a sub-lethal increase/decrease in temperature. Recent research has revealed that proteins of oxidative phosphorylation and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle are dynamic and change their abundance in response to temperature change. Harnessing a cutting edge protein mass spectrometry approach, this project seeks to better understand how mitochondrial respir ....Deciphering the Thermal Acclimation of Mitochondrial Respiration. Plants acclimate to the extremes of temperature following a pre-exposure to a sub-lethal increase/decrease in temperature. Recent research has revealed that proteins of oxidative phosphorylation and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle are dynamic and change their abundance in response to temperature change. Harnessing a cutting edge protein mass spectrometry approach, this project seeks to better understand how mitochondrial respiration and hence adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production is maintained during temperature change. Uniquely this project will examine this in both the model plant Arabidopsis and wheat and combine both tissue, environment-induced and genotype variation to reveal a new understanding of the thermal acclimation of this major mitochondrial process.Read moreRead less
Wandoo crown decline - an ecophysiological diagnosis. Eucalyptus wandoo forests and woodlands once covered a large area in SW Western Australia. Remnants of these ecosystems are now threatened by the Wandoo Crown Decline syndrome. We hypothesise that the progressive dieback of branches is due to drought stress, causing irreversible damage to water supply and/or predisposing trees to fungal disease. The project aims at identifying the physiological mechanism of Wandoo Crown Decline. This knowledg ....Wandoo crown decline - an ecophysiological diagnosis. Eucalyptus wandoo forests and woodlands once covered a large area in SW Western Australia. Remnants of these ecosystems are now threatened by the Wandoo Crown Decline syndrome. We hypothesise that the progressive dieback of branches is due to drought stress, causing irreversible damage to water supply and/or predisposing trees to fungal disease. The project aims at identifying the physiological mechanism of Wandoo Crown Decline. This knowledge is imperative for the assessment of risks for wandoo populations and for the formulation of management options.Read moreRead less
How do sunflowers make protein drugs in their seeds? We recently discovered in sunflower the origin of a small protein ring that chemists have used for a decade to base designed drugs upon. This project aims to know how sunflowers make it so we may manipulate other plants to manufacture ring-based drugs.
Australian rushes: unearthing the function of root clusters and sand-binding roots. Unearthing the functioning of highly specialised root structures provides fundamental insights into the role of native rush plants in south-western Australian ecosystems and addresses a major issue with Australia's biodiversity, currently a Priority area for the ARC. Native rushes form a prominent but inconspicuous component of the Australian 'grass-like' flora, accounting for more than half the plant biomass on ....Australian rushes: unearthing the function of root clusters and sand-binding roots. Unearthing the functioning of highly specialised root structures provides fundamental insights into the role of native rush plants in south-western Australian ecosystems and addresses a major issue with Australia's biodiversity, currently a Priority area for the ARC. Native rushes form a prominent but inconspicuous component of the Australian 'grass-like' flora, accounting for more than half the plant biomass on some landscapes. Rushes are also highly sensitive to small increments in nutrients in disturbed environments and thus form a management priority relating to their use in rehabilitation of degraded landscapes, such as mine sites and wetland margins. Read moreRead less