Functional characterisation of the necrotrophic effector proteins Tox1 and Tox3 from the wheat pathogen Stagonospora nodorum. Fungal pathogens cost the Australian agricultural industry over one billion dollars per year. This project will build upon recent key advances to provide a fundamental basis on how fungal pathogens cause disease. The results from this study will promote future advances in disease management with the aim of securing Australian wheat supplies.
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.
The identification of Mycosphaerella graminicola effectors that promote pathogenicity on wheat. Fungal diseases are one of the greatest challenges to sustainable wheat production in the 21st century. Septoria tritici blotch is one such disease as it inflicts millions of tonnes in yield losses per annum. This project will identify the molecular basis of Septoria tritici blotch and assess its potential as an Australian biosecurity threat.
Control of sucrose source/sink status by the plant immune system. This project aims to investigate the roles of plant malectin receptor kinases in pathogen recognition and response. The project will utilise molecular and cell biological tools to detect complex formation and changes in sugar import into cells. Expected outcomes of this project include a better understanding of how pathogens manipulate plant cells to their benefit, and greater knowledge of which host molecules participate in this ....Control of sucrose source/sink status by the plant immune system. This project aims to investigate the roles of plant malectin receptor kinases in pathogen recognition and response. The project will utilise molecular and cell biological tools to detect complex formation and changes in sugar import into cells. Expected outcomes of this project include a better understanding of how pathogens manipulate plant cells to their benefit, and greater knowledge of which host molecules participate in this process. This should provide significant benefits such as a new theoretical basis to engineer crop plants for resistance against devastating diseases.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0230245
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,000.00
Summary
Joint controlled environment facility for research and development in plant biotechnolgy in Western Australia. The aim of this proposal is to establish a high quality, controlled-environment growth facility for plant research in Perth, jointly managed by Murdoch University and the University of Western Australia. This facility is needed urgently to support current research and new initiatives in plant molecular biology and biotechnology. It will focus on the molecular bases of plant growth and ....Joint controlled environment facility for research and development in plant biotechnolgy in Western Australia. The aim of this proposal is to establish a high quality, controlled-environment growth facility for plant research in Perth, jointly managed by Murdoch University and the University of Western Australia. This facility is needed urgently to support current research and new initiatives in plant molecular biology and biotechnology. It will focus on the molecular bases of plant growth and defence against pathogens. Outcomes include enhancement of WA plant research and its application to improved agricultural production that will benefit rural industries and promote exports. It will also facilitate postgraduate training in plant biotechnology and enhance career prospects of graduates.Read moreRead less
Identification of immune receptor and signalling proteins from plants. This project aims to clone a new extracellular pathogen receptor, and map immune signalling pathways downstream of both intra- and extra-cellular receptors using innovative biochemical methods. The plant immune system protects plants and crops from attack by pests and pathogens. It is an innate system based on extracellular and intracellular pathogen receptors. Despite the importance of plant immunity in both biological and a ....Identification of immune receptor and signalling proteins from plants. This project aims to clone a new extracellular pathogen receptor, and map immune signalling pathways downstream of both intra- and extra-cellular receptors using innovative biochemical methods. The plant immune system protects plants and crops from attack by pests and pathogens. It is an innate system based on extracellular and intracellular pathogen receptors. Despite the importance of plant immunity in both biological and agricultural terms, little is known about the identity of such receptors or the signalling events that link pathogen perception to response. The results are expected to enhance crop productivity and provide important insights into the architecture of the plant immune system.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101292
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Plant immune receptors: what are the first steps that trigger defence signalling? Plant immune receptors that confer resistance to infectious disease will be investigated at a molecular level. The outcomes of this study will influence the development of new strategies to protect Australian crops from destructive disease and reduce the use of pesticides.
Molecular basis of rust infection and host plant resistance. Plant diseases threaten agricultural productivity in Australia, with rust fungi being a major problem for cereal grain production. This project will investigate molecular processes underlying the infection of plants by rust fungi and will provide basic knowledge for development of novel and durable disease resistance strategies.
FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS OF PLANT MITOCHONDRIA: THEIR ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT, OXIDATIVE STRESS AND PLANT DEFENSE. Crops encounter many situations in their environment which place them under stress. Reactive oxygen molecules produced in these situations act as messengers to trigger defence mechanisms but also cause cellular damage. Mitochondria are the subcellular compartments involved in energy production and are essential for plant development and growth. However, they also have been implicated in th ....FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS OF PLANT MITOCHONDRIA: THEIR ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT, OXIDATIVE STRESS AND PLANT DEFENSE. Crops encounter many situations in their environment which place them under stress. Reactive oxygen molecules produced in these situations act as messengers to trigger defence mechanisms but also cause cellular damage. Mitochondria are the subcellular compartments involved in energy production and are essential for plant development and growth. However, they also have been implicated in the response of plants to stress and pathogen attack, and in production of reactive oxygen molecules. This proposal seeks to investigate how mitochondria are involved in these processes, using the latest plant genome information. Potential outcomes include crops better able to cope with environmental stress.Read moreRead less
Race status, sources of resistance and mechanisms of resistance to Peronospora parasitica, a major threat to oilseed Brassica production in Australia. Through successful identification of mechanisms and molecular characterisation of resistance to Peronospora parasitica races and the identification of sources of host resistance against these races, breeders, for the first time, will be able to develop cultivars with resistance against the full spectrum of P. parasitica races occurring across sout ....Race status, sources of resistance and mechanisms of resistance to Peronospora parasitica, a major threat to oilseed Brassica production in Australia. Through successful identification of mechanisms and molecular characterisation of resistance to Peronospora parasitica races and the identification of sources of host resistance against these races, breeders, for the first time, will be able to develop cultivars with resistance against the full spectrum of P. parasitica races occurring across southern Australia. Benefits include prevention of severe losses in canola from downy mildew, and more viable and sustainable production with less reliance upon fungicides. This research addresses the National Research Priority 'An Environmentally Sustainable Australia' and the Priority Goal of 'Transforming existing industries', and will particularly benefit southern Australian rural communities.Read moreRead less