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
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC170100008
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,459,672.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production. The ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production aims to tackle challenges to wine production through innovative, multi-disciplinary research. Australia’s grape and wine industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, yet in some areas profitability is low. Reasons include extreme weather events, soil salinity and diseases, inefficient practices, a low level of technological innovation and high input costs. New technologies and process effic ....ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production. The ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production aims to tackle challenges to wine production through innovative, multi-disciplinary research. Australia’s grape and wine industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, yet in some areas profitability is low. Reasons include extreme weather events, soil salinity and diseases, inefficient practices, a low level of technological innovation and high input costs. New technologies and process efficiencies developed as part of this project will reduce environmental impact, drive production costs down and profits and employment up. The project will mount a suite of industry-led projects to deliver outcomes to boost Australia’s competitiveness as a supplier of sustainably-produced premium branded wine to the world.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
Enhancing native seed performance for minesite restoration and biodiversity conservation. The knowledge and practical outcomes generated from this project will facilitate more effective restoration of degraded native ecosystems through the return of a wider range of key understorey plant taxa and more efficient use of seed supplies. Availability of a broader suite of species will increase biodiversity, improve ecosystem resilience to change, and help in the conservation and recovery of nationall ....Enhancing native seed performance for minesite restoration and biodiversity conservation. The knowledge and practical outcomes generated from this project will facilitate more effective restoration of degraded native ecosystems through the return of a wider range of key understorey plant taxa and more efficient use of seed supplies. Availability of a broader suite of species will increase biodiversity, improve ecosystem resilience to change, and help in the conservation and recovery of nationally threatened taxa. By increasing the range of species with horticultural potential available for commercial propagation, it will also reduce the harvest of wild flowers. More efficient production and use of seed stocks will reduce the pressure on limited seed resources from seed harvesting.Read moreRead less
Ecophysiological limitations that affect water and carbon balance within large tree canopies: a comparative investigation. Supply of water to forest canopies is a major control of hydrological, atmospheric and biotic processes that impinge on groundwater stability, catchment yield, the fate of pollutants and plant productivity. Fundamental aspects of water transport and distribution within plant tissues remain obscured by conflicting experimental data and conflicting theoretical models that des ....Ecophysiological limitations that affect water and carbon balance within large tree canopies: a comparative investigation. Supply of water to forest canopies is a major control of hydrological, atmospheric and biotic processes that impinge on groundwater stability, catchment yield, the fate of pollutants and plant productivity. Fundamental aspects of water transport and distribution within plant tissues remain obscured by conflicting experimental data and conflicting theoretical models that describe physiological functioning.
Potential hydraulic constraints to the exchange of water and carbon between leaf and atmosphere require investigation before accurate models and informed decisions can be made with respect to the role of forests in biosphere-atmosphere processes. I will use large trees to investigate physiological and morphological determinants of hydraulic function and consider relationships between tree size, water requirements and water supply.
This project will foster comparative analyses of hydraulic functioning in large angiosperm and conifer species to elucidate universal principles that relate form to function and explain relationships between trees and their environment.
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Phosphorus - A Key Factor in the Development of Novel Perennial Herbaceous Deep-rooted Pasture Legumes. This research aims at the development of urgently needed perennial pasture legumes, to expand perennial pasture options for southern Australia beyond lucerne. The development of new deep-rooted perennial pasture legumes has enormous potential to improve nutrient and water use over large areas of agricultural land. Benefits in terms of reducing soil erosion and acidification are also likely. An ....Phosphorus - A Key Factor in the Development of Novel Perennial Herbaceous Deep-rooted Pasture Legumes. This research aims at the development of urgently needed perennial pasture legumes, to expand perennial pasture options for southern Australia beyond lucerne. The development of new deep-rooted perennial pasture legumes has enormous potential to improve nutrient and water use over large areas of agricultural land. Benefits in terms of reducing soil erosion and acidification are also likely. An understanding of the responses of new perennial legumes to soil phosphorus is a prerequisite for the development of new perennial farming systems. Overall, both environmental and financial benefits will accrue at scales ranging from individual farmers and rural industries through to the general community.Read moreRead less
Control points in nitrogen uptake: enhancing the response of cereals to nitrogen supply and demand. Vast amounts of nitrogen fertiliser are applied to cereal crops to maintain yields. By uncovering what limits nitrogen uptake in cereals, this project will provide the scientific basis for improving nitrogen use efficiency and decreasing fertiliser use, with significant economic and environmental benefits.