Using defined biotic and abiotic stimuli to dissect patterns of gene expression and protein accumulation that specify root architecture. Root morphogenesis is fundamental to agriculture and valuable for investigating the informational networks of genes, proteins and metabolites that control root growth and plant development. Root systems vary widely both within and between species. Root morphology is directed by a basic genetic program that is influenced by environmental factors to provide an e ....Using defined biotic and abiotic stimuli to dissect patterns of gene expression and protein accumulation that specify root architecture. Root morphogenesis is fundamental to agriculture and valuable for investigating the informational networks of genes, proteins and metabolites that control root growth and plant development. Root systems vary widely both within and between species. Root morphology is directed by a basic genetic program that is influenced by environmental factors to provide an enormous "phenotypic plasticity". This project will use two model plant systems to investigate how different external signals are "translated" by the plant into different developmental regimes. This knowledge is crucial to understanding how the plasticity of root development is modulated in response to changing environmental factors.Read moreRead less
Molecular, physiological and environmental regulation of toxic prussic acid levels (cyanogenesis) in forage sorghum. Forage sorghum is grown widely in dry, tropical areas of Australia. The leaves contain dhurrin, a natural defence product that liberates prussic acid (cyanide) when leaf tissue is disrupted (eg when chewed). The problem is that young plants or those experiencing drought are highly toxic, resulting in financial loss through reduced nutritive value, livestock loss and wasted feed. U ....Molecular, physiological and environmental regulation of toxic prussic acid levels (cyanogenesis) in forage sorghum. Forage sorghum is grown widely in dry, tropical areas of Australia. The leaves contain dhurrin, a natural defence product that liberates prussic acid (cyanide) when leaf tissue is disrupted (eg when chewed). The problem is that young plants or those experiencing drought are highly toxic, resulting in financial loss through reduced nutritive value, livestock loss and wasted feed. Using new, non-GM technology we will identify novel genetically altered sorghum lines with negligible prussic acid. Lines with enhanced levels could be used as soil biofumigants. Breeders can use this germplasm to develop varieties tailored for increasingly dry Australian conditions. The new varieties with controlled dhurrin content will be suitable for export.Read moreRead less
Genetic control of flowering in legumes. Flowering in plants is strongly regulated by environmental factors, with important consequences for their natural distribution and use in agriculture. This project will isolate genes, characterize genetic diversity and dissect molecular mechanisms that regulate flowering, contributing to fundamental biology, crop improvement and research training.
The response of mitochondria to oxidative stress in plants. 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 atta ....The response of mitochondria to oxidative stress in plants. 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, focusing on the role of terminal oxidases. Potential outcomes include crops better able to cope with environmental stress.Read moreRead less
Feasting on protein? Strategies of organic nitrogen acquisition by plant roots. Crops require large amounts of nitrogen for growth. Application of nitrogen fertiliser enhances yield, but causes off-site nitrogen pollution, a main threat to ecosystem integrity. Most nitrogen in soil occurs as organic complexes that are broken down by soil organism into small compounds, which are taken up roots or lost from the soil. This project will generate fundamental knowledge of how an Australian species and ....Feasting on protein? Strategies of organic nitrogen acquisition by plant roots. Crops require large amounts of nitrogen for growth. Application of nitrogen fertiliser enhances yield, but causes off-site nitrogen pollution, a main threat to ecosystem integrity. Most nitrogen in soil occurs as organic complexes that are broken down by soil organism into small compounds, which are taken up roots or lost from the soil. This project will generate fundamental knowledge of how an Australian species and a crop species with unusual root specialisations access soil organic nitrogen, thus increasing the efficiency of nitrogen use and reducing nitrogen loss. The research employs cutting-edge techniques for sustainable resource use, improved efficiency of crops and farming systems, and preservation of Australia's biodiversity.Read moreRead less
Does plant phosphorus economy determine ecological status in biodiverse Australian communities? The phosphorus (P)-impoverished nature of the soils of south-western Australia has allowed the evolution of many plant species that are amazingly efficient at acquiring and utilising P. Among the most P efficient are species of the Proteaceae, which produce cluster roots. We will explore why less efficient species can co-occur with the very efficient Proteaceae. A deep and thorough understanding of th ....Does plant phosphorus economy determine ecological status in biodiverse Australian communities? The phosphorus (P)-impoverished nature of the soils of south-western Australia has allowed the evolution of many plant species that are amazingly efficient at acquiring and utilising P. Among the most P efficient are species of the Proteaceae, which produce cluster roots. We will explore why less efficient species can co-occur with the very efficient Proteaceae. A deep and thorough understanding of the mechanism determining P efficiency of these species will contribute significantly to our basic understanding of P nutrition in plants and to our understanding of the P-impoverished ecosystems of the southwest. It will also assist in developing crops that are more efficient at acquiring and/or utilising P.Read moreRead less
The role of plant hormones in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. The vast majority of plant species can form a beneficial symbiosis with specialised soil fungi, an association that can enhance the uptake of nutrients from the soil, improve tolerance to drought and disease and minimise soil erosion. An understanding of how plants establish and regulate this important symbiosis has the potential to contribute to the development of productive and sustainable farming systems by making efficient use o ....The role of plant hormones in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. The vast majority of plant species can form a beneficial symbiosis with specialised soil fungi, an association that can enhance the uptake of nutrients from the soil, improve tolerance to drought and disease and minimise soil erosion. An understanding of how plants establish and regulate this important symbiosis has the potential to contribute to the development of productive and sustainable farming systems by making efficient use of the limited water resources, reducing soil erosion, reducing reliance on pesticides and fertilisers and producing more nutritious fruits, vegetables and grains.Read moreRead less
The Other Side: Long-distance Feedback and Cross-talk in the Arabidopsis Branching Gene Network. Shoot structure in nearly all plants impacts on water relations, yield and sustainability. Isolation of novel genes and plant hormone pathways that affect shoot structure should allow us to capture IP for Australia and enhance plant improvement and sustainability. One of the pathways we will investigate produces glucosinolates, small plant-specific molecules that have considerable value as anti-cance ....The Other Side: Long-distance Feedback and Cross-talk in the Arabidopsis Branching Gene Network. Shoot structure in nearly all plants impacts on water relations, yield and sustainability. Isolation of novel genes and plant hormone pathways that affect shoot structure should allow us to capture IP for Australia and enhance plant improvement and sustainability. One of the pathways we will investigate produces glucosinolates, small plant-specific molecules that have considerable value as anti-cancer agents in humans. Flavonoids, another pathway regulated in our shoot branching lines, also benefit human health. Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers will gain skills in research management, design, ethics and experimental methods pertinent to the growing biotechnology industry in Australia.Read moreRead less
Carboxylate exudation and phosphate nutrition in Hakea prostrata (Proteaecea). Nonmycorrhizal Proteaceae are very successful in acquiring phosphate from nutrient-impoverished soils; their cluster roots account for this. They are also extremely sensitive to phosphate toxicity. We will elucidate aspects of production and release of carboxylates that are associated with functioning of cluster roots, using Hakea prostrata (Proteaceae) as a model. Types and rates of exudation by cluster roots, as in ....Carboxylate exudation and phosphate nutrition in Hakea prostrata (Proteaecea). Nonmycorrhizal Proteaceae are very successful in acquiring phosphate from nutrient-impoverished soils; their cluster roots account for this. They are also extremely sensitive to phosphate toxicity. We will elucidate aspects of production and release of carboxylates that are associated with functioning of cluster roots, using Hakea prostrata (Proteaceae) as a model. Types and rates of exudation by cluster roots, as influenced by development and environmental signals, will be assessed. Our findings will provide key information on adaptive mechanisms associated with both phosphate acquisition from phosphate-fixing soils and phosphate toxicity.Read moreRead less
A novel method of broad-acre weed seedbank management using a naturally occuring germination stimulant. The discovery of a novel butenolide that promotes seed germination has potential to provide significant economic benefits for Australia's agricultural sector, providing a vehicle to move towards minimum-weed agricultural systems achieved through broad-acre stimulation of the weed seedbank. Our aim is for butenolide to promote uniform release of weed seed dormancy, increased germination, and gr ....A novel method of broad-acre weed seedbank management using a naturally occuring germination stimulant. The discovery of a novel butenolide that promotes seed germination has potential to provide significant economic benefits for Australia's agricultural sector, providing a vehicle to move towards minimum-weed agricultural systems achieved through broad-acre stimulation of the weed seedbank. Our aim is for butenolide to promote uniform release of weed seed dormancy, increased germination, and greater synchrony in early stage seedling growth and thus more effective knock-down following herbicide applications.Read moreRead less