Decoding germination defects that threaten global wheat production. Wheat is a major commodity in Australia. Sprouting damage represents a major global threat to wheat production and food security. This project will explore the genetic and molecular mechanisms underpinning pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) and late-maturity amylase (LMA). This project will apply transcriptomics and proteomics to measure the expression of the biomolecules associated with PHS and LMA, generating fundamental knowledge of ....Decoding germination defects that threaten global wheat production. Wheat is a major commodity in Australia. Sprouting damage represents a major global threat to wheat production and food security. This project will explore the genetic and molecular mechanisms underpinning pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) and late-maturity amylase (LMA). This project will apply transcriptomics and proteomics to measure the expression of the biomolecules associated with PHS and LMA, generating fundamental knowledge of grain molecular physiology that addresses a significant knowledge gap. The project will deliver tools capable of differentiating these conditions, thereby minimising economic losses. A better understanding of the genetic basis of PHS and LMA will lay the foundation for advanced breeding aiming to eliminate these. Read moreRead less
Protein trafficking pathways in fungal rust pathogens of plants. This project aims to investigate protein trafficking pathways in fungal rusts of plants. These are devastating diseases that cause major losses in agricultural crops including wheat. Little is known of how these fungi form long and intimate relationships with plants to extract their nutrients. Using both model and agriculturally important fungi, the project will try to identify proteins that are transferred within the fungus and to ....Protein trafficking pathways in fungal rust pathogens of plants. This project aims to investigate protein trafficking pathways in fungal rusts of plants. These are devastating diseases that cause major losses in agricultural crops including wheat. Little is known of how these fungi form long and intimate relationships with plants to extract their nutrients. Using both model and agriculturally important fungi, the project will try to identify proteins that are transferred within the fungus and to the plant host to modify the infection. It will also identify fungal proteins needed to deliver trafficked proteins to plants. These discoveries ultimately may be translated into control strategies for these costly diseases.Read moreRead less
Leaves in 3D: photosynthesis and water-use efficiency. This project aims to develop leaf anatomical ideotypes with improved photosynthesis and water-use efficiency for wheat, rice, chickpea and cotton using novel three dimensional imaging and modelling techniques. This project expects to generate new understanding of the role of leaf anatomy on leaf function. Expected outcomes of this project include the world's first 3D spatially-explicit, anatomically accurate model of leaves of crop plants to ....Leaves in 3D: photosynthesis and water-use efficiency. This project aims to develop leaf anatomical ideotypes with improved photosynthesis and water-use efficiency for wheat, rice, chickpea and cotton using novel three dimensional imaging and modelling techniques. This project expects to generate new understanding of the role of leaf anatomy on leaf function. Expected outcomes of this project include the world's first 3D spatially-explicit, anatomically accurate model of leaves of crop plants to allow virtual experiments identifying optimized anatomy for improved photosynthetic performance. Benefits to the agricultural industry include increased crop productivity and water-use efficiency to meet future global food demand and to make the most of Australia's limited water resourcesRead moreRead less
Stomatal function in transgenic plants with altered guard cell metabolism. Guard cells on the surface of leaves control the rate of water loss and CO2 uptake by changing stomatal aperture in response to environmental signals such light, CO2, humidity and water status. Guard cells therefore play a major role in determining plant productivity and water use efficiency. This project aims to examine the contribution of guard cell energy and carbon metabolism in mediating stomatal responses to the env ....Stomatal function in transgenic plants with altered guard cell metabolism. Guard cells on the surface of leaves control the rate of water loss and CO2 uptake by changing stomatal aperture in response to environmental signals such light, CO2, humidity and water status. Guard cells therefore play a major role in determining plant productivity and water use efficiency. This project aims to examine the contribution of guard cell energy and carbon metabolism in mediating stomatal responses to the environment in intact plants through the generation and analysis of transgenic plants with altered guard cell function. This will aid in the development of strategies for direct manipulation of stomatal function.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100893
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$364,000.00
Summary
How do effector proteins from necrotrophic fungi cause disease in plants? This project aims to develop new knowledge to support the development of strategies to protect wheat from necrotrophic fungi. Crop losses caused by plant diseases are a significant economic, environmental and social challenge in a world facing increased demands on food, fibre and biofuels. Parastagonospora nodorum is an economically important necrotrophic fungal pathogen of wheat. During infection, P. nodorum uses effector ....How do effector proteins from necrotrophic fungi cause disease in plants? This project aims to develop new knowledge to support the development of strategies to protect wheat from necrotrophic fungi. Crop losses caused by plant diseases are a significant economic, environmental and social challenge in a world facing increased demands on food, fibre and biofuels. Parastagonospora nodorum is an economically important necrotrophic fungal pathogen of wheat. During infection, P. nodorum uses effector proteins to target sensitivity gene products in wheat. This process, known as necrotrophic effector-triggered susceptibility, results in plant cell death and disease. This project aims to investigate the structural basis of necrotrophic effector-triggered susceptibility in the P. nodorum – wheat pathosystem.Read moreRead less
Biosynthesis and functions of two phytotoxins in Septoria nodorum blotch. This project aims to investigate how a fungal plant pathogen makes and uses small bioactive molecules to facilitate infection. It will characterise the function of the genes and enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of a light-activated phytotoxic molecule and a potential anti-plant defence molecule found in the pathogenic wheat fungus Parastagonospora nodorum, and investigate their contribution to disease development. Expe ....Biosynthesis and functions of two phytotoxins in Septoria nodorum blotch. This project aims to investigate how a fungal plant pathogen makes and uses small bioactive molecules to facilitate infection. It will characterise the function of the genes and enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of a light-activated phytotoxic molecule and a potential anti-plant defence molecule found in the pathogenic wheat fungus Parastagonospora nodorum, and investigate their contribution to disease development. Expected outcomes include better understanding of plant-microbe interactions, disease management strategies, technologies for identifying biosynthetic pathways in other fungi, and enzyme technology for synthesising molecules. This could lead to new herbicides, biopesticides and drugs.Read moreRead less
Fungal Ribosomally Synthesised and Post-translationally Modified Peptides. Fungi produce an array of molecules called secondary metabolites (SMs) that impact on everyday life (e.g. penicillin). This project aims to investigate a new class of fungal peptide SMs called RiPPs which are structurally unique from existing molecules and offer the exciting prospect of harbouring new and novel biological activities. This project expects to discover the mechanisms of RiPP synthesis and their biological ro ....Fungal Ribosomally Synthesised and Post-translationally Modified Peptides. Fungi produce an array of molecules called secondary metabolites (SMs) that impact on everyday life (e.g. penicillin). This project aims to investigate a new class of fungal peptide SMs called RiPPs which are structurally unique from existing molecules and offer the exciting prospect of harbouring new and novel biological activities. This project expects to discover the mechanisms of RiPP synthesis and their biological roles in plant pathogenic fungi, and uncover and engineer novel RiPPs with desired bioactivities. The expected outcome from this project will be a seminal advance in fungal SM biology which should provide significant benefits through the generation of exciting new lead molecules for the agricultural and medical industries.Read moreRead less
What is the function of gamma-aminobutyric acid-gated anion channels in plants? The project will identify the molecular basis of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signalling in plants. This is significant because GABA regulates proteins that release molecules involved in root-soil interactions, growth, and fertilisation. The project's discoveries will allow improvement of these agronomic traits that ultimately determine crop yield.
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH140100013
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,972,614.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Legumes for Sustainable Agriculture. ARC Research Hub for Legumes for Sustainable Agriculture. This research hub aims to provide Australian growers and industrial stakeholders with improved plant materials to maximise production, environmental sustainability and profitability. In particular, the research aims to improve the nitrogen delivery capacity of legumes and their resilience to abiotic stress, which will be an important consideration as our climate changes. Grain legu ....ARC Research Hub for Legumes for Sustainable Agriculture. ARC Research Hub for Legumes for Sustainable Agriculture. This research hub aims to provide Australian growers and industrial stakeholders with improved plant materials to maximise production, environmental sustainability and profitability. In particular, the research aims to improve the nitrogen delivery capacity of legumes and their resilience to abiotic stress, which will be an important consideration as our climate changes. Grain legumes are often grown in rotation with cereal crops for their high nutritional seed value and their unique ability to develop a self-sufficient nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with soil bacteria. Maintaining legume productivity against the challenges of climate change and the need for increased food production is important to the future of Australian agriculture.Read moreRead less
Linking Stress Tolerance to Molecular Evolution of Grass Stomata. Salinity and drought are two detrimental environmental stresses, affecting agricultural productivity and ecosystem health in Australia and around the world. This project will focus on the evolutionary, physiological and molecular aspects of stomatal regulation between wheat, barley and their wild relatives for salinity and drought tolerance. This project will advance the scientific knowledge in the evolution of stomatal regulation ....Linking Stress Tolerance to Molecular Evolution of Grass Stomata. Salinity and drought are two detrimental environmental stresses, affecting agricultural productivity and ecosystem health in Australia and around the world. This project will focus on the evolutionary, physiological and molecular aspects of stomatal regulation between wheat, barley and their wild relatives for salinity and drought tolerance. This project will advance the scientific knowledge in the evolution of stomatal regulation in two staple crops wheat and barley. The project will also assist plant breeders with increasing crop salinity and drought tolerance for global food security.Read moreRead less