How SEP-like genes determine cereal inflorescence architecture. This project aims to understand the morphological diversity of inflorescence architecture between cereal crop species. To do so, this project will identify functions and analyse the regulatory networks of conserved SEPALLATA genes (SEPs). This will enable them to determine cereal inflorescence morphogenesis of rice (branching) and barley (non-branching), representing the most important cereals. Identifying and understanding rice and ....How SEP-like genes determine cereal inflorescence architecture. This project aims to understand the morphological diversity of inflorescence architecture between cereal crop species. To do so, this project will identify functions and analyse the regulatory networks of conserved SEPALLATA genes (SEPs). This will enable them to determine cereal inflorescence morphogenesis of rice (branching) and barley (non-branching), representing the most important cereals. Identifying and understanding rice and barley SEPs, their direct targets and interactors, and how they regulate inflorescence branches and spikelets in both species is expected to provide evolutionary and developmental insights and targets to improve for crop yield. A molecular understanding of the regulatory network that underpins inflorescence shape and grain number will advance fundamental biology, and could form the basis for significant yield improvements by manipulating key points in the developmental pathway.Read moreRead less
Identifying novel salinity tolerance mechanisms by spatial and temporal analysis of lipids in barley. Agrifood production faces the dual challenges of an increasing world population and the threats of abiotic stresses arising from climate change and the erosion of arable land. Cereals, the major food crops, are poorly adapted to tolerate most abiotic stresses, including salinity. This project applies new technologies investigating spatial and temporal biochemical mechanisms a model cereal, Horde ....Identifying novel salinity tolerance mechanisms by spatial and temporal analysis of lipids in barley. Agrifood production faces the dual challenges of an increasing world population and the threats of abiotic stresses arising from climate change and the erosion of arable land. Cereals, the major food crops, are poorly adapted to tolerate most abiotic stresses, including salinity. This project applies new technologies investigating spatial and temporal biochemical mechanisms a model cereal, Hordeum vulgare (barley), utilises to adapt and tolerate salinity. The aims are to investigate the role of specifically plasma membrane lipids modulating either signalling pathways or membrane fluidity that impacts on adaptation during salinity. The results will provide new leads for the development of cereal germplasm with increased salt tolerance.Read moreRead less
Isolation and functional characterisation of a pathogen meta effector able to inhibit detection of multiple disease effectors by resistant plants. The rust fungi are a major economic threat to crop production in Australia. This project will investigate the molecular mechanism used by a rust fungus to prevent detection of multiple disease-inducing proteins by resistant plants and generate knowledge that will lead to the development of new and more effective disease control strategies.
Characterisation of PQ loop proteins in plants: are they voltage insensitive nonselective cation channels? Millions of hectares of Australian agricultural land are affected by salinity. This results in the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue each year. The identification of the pathway for the initial influx of Na+ into plants from the soil will be important in helping to develop crop plants that are salt tolerant. This will increase our understanding of the mechanisms of salinity ....Characterisation of PQ loop proteins in plants: are they voltage insensitive nonselective cation channels? Millions of hectares of Australian agricultural land are affected by salinity. This results in the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue each year. The identification of the pathway for the initial influx of Na+ into plants from the soil will be important in helping to develop crop plants that are salt tolerant. This will increase our understanding of the mechanisms of salinity tolerance, an area of great importance to Australian agriculture and environmental sustainability. The future applications of this work will increase agricultural productivity and enhance the quality of life for both Australians and the international community.Read moreRead less
Polysaccharide Synthase Genes in Agro-Industrial Applications. Achievement of the project aims will generate valuable intellectual property and meet National Research Priorities by: enhancing our knowledge base for the production of renewable bio-fuels from crop residues, for an environmentally sustainable Australia; developing preventative healthcare through adoption of healthier diets, rich in non-starchy cell wall polysaccharides that help reduce the incidence and severity of cardiovascular d ....Polysaccharide Synthase Genes in Agro-Industrial Applications. Achievement of the project aims will generate valuable intellectual property and meet National Research Priorities by: enhancing our knowledge base for the production of renewable bio-fuels from crop residues, for an environmentally sustainable Australia; developing preventative healthcare through adoption of healthier diets, rich in non-starchy cell wall polysaccharides that help reduce the incidence and severity of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and some cancers; and by developing breakthrough science in emerging agricultural technologies. The alliance will foster an intellectual environment to provide world-class basic research outcomes and training of highly skilled graduates, thereby contributing to the 'knowledge nation'.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Wall Biology. The ARC Centre for Plant Cell Wall Biology will define the regulatory mechanisms that control molecular, enzymic and cellular processes involved in the synthesis, deposition, re-modelling and depolymerisation of cell wall polysaccharides of cereals and grasses. Plant cell walls represent the world's largest renewable carbon resource, but the regulatory mechanisms responsible for their synthesis and assembly are not understood. Key distinguishi ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Wall Biology. The ARC Centre for Plant Cell Wall Biology will define the regulatory mechanisms that control molecular, enzymic and cellular processes involved in the synthesis, deposition, re-modelling and depolymerisation of cell wall polysaccharides of cereals and grasses. Plant cell walls represent the world's largest renewable carbon resource, but the regulatory mechanisms responsible for their synthesis and assembly are not understood. Key distinguishing features of the Centre will be the international, integrative, and multidisciplinary approach towards addressing major questions in plant biology, its strategy to leverage ARC funding, and its linkages with potential national and international end-users of the fundamental scientific discoveries.Read moreRead less
Physiology and genetics of barley grain germination in the malting and brewing industries. An international research team will provide new scientific information on barley grain germination. This detailed basic knowledge will be immediately applied in breeding programs that are aimed at improving malting and brewing quality in a commercial context. At the same time, the industry's carbon footprint will be significantly reduced.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100575
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,575.00
Summary
Getting to the root of salt-tolerance in the model cereal crop, barley. The root system is the first part of the plant to sense high concentrations of sodium and chloride ions in saline soils. The ability of roots to maintain growth in response to salinity is an important adaptation, increasing root soil exploration for nutrient and water uptake. The aim of this project is to identify the molecular mechanisms that control and regulate root growth in response to salinity using barley as a cereal ....Getting to the root of salt-tolerance in the model cereal crop, barley. The root system is the first part of the plant to sense high concentrations of sodium and chloride ions in saline soils. The ability of roots to maintain growth in response to salinity is an important adaptation, increasing root soil exploration for nutrient and water uptake. The aim of this project is to identify the molecular mechanisms that control and regulate root growth in response to salinity using barley as a cereal model. The knowledge gained in barley will provide important information for increasing salinity tolerance in other Australian cereal crops, most notably wheat.Read moreRead less
Defining pathways that establish and maintain reproductive cell identity in plant ovules and seeds. Unlike animals, individual somatic cells in plants have the remarkable ability to regenerate into new plants, depending on the signals they perceive. This developmental plasticity is particularly important during normal plant growth, when mature cells adopt new identities within multicellular environments. Tissue complexity is critical for the utilisation of plants in society as food, fuel and fib ....Defining pathways that establish and maintain reproductive cell identity in plant ovules and seeds. Unlike animals, individual somatic cells in plants have the remarkable ability to regenerate into new plants, depending on the signals they perceive. This developmental plasticity is particularly important during normal plant growth, when mature cells adopt new identities within multicellular environments. Tissue complexity is critical for the utilisation of plants in society as food, fuel and fibre, but how and why plant cells adopt or change identity has been difficult to determine. This project aims to employ next-generation molecular methods to identify pathways driving differentiation of specific ovule and seed cell-types, which directly impact crop quality, yield and end-use.Read moreRead less
Synthesis of substrate analogues for probing catalytic mechanisms and specificity of enzymes involved in the metabolism of plant polysaccharides. The project is aimed at strengthening collaborations between research groups in Adelaide and France, with the specific objective of synthesizing substrate analogues as probes of enzymatic mechanisms and substrate specificity in polysaccharide hydrolases and synthases of barley. The chemical expertise resides in France, while the enzymatic work will be ....Synthesis of substrate analogues for probing catalytic mechanisms and specificity of enzymes involved in the metabolism of plant polysaccharides. The project is aimed at strengthening collaborations between research groups in Adelaide and France, with the specific objective of synthesizing substrate analogues as probes of enzymatic mechanisms and substrate specificity in polysaccharide hydrolases and synthases of barley. The chemical expertise resides in France, while the enzymatic work will be conducted largely in Australia. Exchange of research staff, particularly at the postgraduate student and research associate levels, is considered essential to capture the benefits of the complementary expertise and to extend an existing international collaboration. The target enzymes are of central importance in cell wall metabolism during development of higher plants.Read moreRead less