Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0561161
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$110,000.00
Summary
Joint Facility for Genome Analysis of Nutrient Transport Proteins. The joint facility for genome analysis of nutrient transport proteins is a new initiative between the University of Adelaide, the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, and the University of Western Australia to use a high throughput Xenopus oocyte expression system to screen plant cDNA/cRNA collections for genes encoding nutrient transport proteins. The facility will also provide a platform to rapidly accelerate our p ....Joint Facility for Genome Analysis of Nutrient Transport Proteins. The joint facility for genome analysis of nutrient transport proteins is a new initiative between the University of Adelaide, the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, and the University of Western Australia to use a high throughput Xenopus oocyte expression system to screen plant cDNA/cRNA collections for genes encoding nutrient transport proteins. The facility will also provide a platform to rapidly accelerate our present capacity for Xenopus oocyte expression analysis of nutrient transport proteins. This facility will greatly aid our current research quantum in this field and allow for new discoveries related to nutrient transport in plants.Read moreRead less
Physiological and molecular characterisation of salinity tolerance in chickpea. Chickpea is a grain legume often grown in rotation with cereal crops to enhance profitability and environmental sustainability of broadacre cropping systems in Australia, and elsewhere. Chickpea is sensitive to salinity, and thus can not be grown on soils affected even by mild salinity. Limited grain legume options currently exist for these soils. This project will improve salt tolerance in chickpea and thus allow it ....Physiological and molecular characterisation of salinity tolerance in chickpea. Chickpea is a grain legume often grown in rotation with cereal crops to enhance profitability and environmental sustainability of broadacre cropping systems in Australia, and elsewhere. Chickpea is sensitive to salinity, and thus can not be grown on soils affected even by mild salinity. Limited grain legume options currently exist for these soils. This project will improve salt tolerance in chickpea and thus allow it to be grown in areas too saline for current cultivars. The research contributes to the National Research Priority of 'An Environmentally Sustainable Australia', as new cultivars of chickpea with improved salt tolerance will enhance the profitability and sustainability of rotational cropping systems in Australia.Read moreRead less
Molecular analysis of the symbiotic interface of nitrogen-fixing legumes. Some legumes form a symbiosis with soil bacteria (rhizobia) that convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia which is then supplied to the plant. This enables legumes to grow without application of nitrogen-based fertilizer, avoiding environmental problems such as run-off and land degradation, thereby contributing to sustainable agriculture practise. We will investigate the interactions between plant and rhizobia, focusing on ....Molecular analysis of the symbiotic interface of nitrogen-fixing legumes. Some legumes form a symbiosis with soil bacteria (rhizobia) that convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia which is then supplied to the plant. This enables legumes to grow without application of nitrogen-based fertilizer, avoiding environmental problems such as run-off and land degradation, thereby contributing to sustainable agriculture practise. We will investigate the interactions between plant and rhizobia, focusing on identifying genes and proteins which govern nutrient exchange between the partners and development of the special structures in the roots that house the bacteria. Subsequent manipulation of these genes and proteins may allow us to identify control points and enhance nitrogen fixation.Read moreRead less
Invesitgation of environmental staining and storage discolouration in Faba Bean. Faba beans are an important pulse crop in Australia. They are exported to the Middle East and Europe for human consumption where buff coloured beans are desired. A third of beans become discoloured in storage. These are downgraded to stock feed with a loss of $50 per ton to the grower. Currently little is known about the causes. Environmental factors and selected genotypes will be assessed to determine the potential ....Invesitgation of environmental staining and storage discolouration in Faba Bean. Faba beans are an important pulse crop in Australia. They are exported to the Middle East and Europe for human consumption where buff coloured beans are desired. A third of beans become discoloured in storage. These are downgraded to stock feed with a loss of $50 per ton to the grower. Currently little is known about the causes. Environmental factors and selected genotypes will be assessed to determine the potential causes of discoluration. Analytical techniques will ascertain the discolouration process and the compounds produced. The aim is to provide growers with information on management strategies and breeders of strain resistant genotypes.Read moreRead less
Genomic Synteny in Legumes; Application to Crop Breeding. Synteny is defined as the degree of colinearity between the order of orthologous genes in chromosomes of related species. New data suggests that legumes share widespread synteny. Extensive genomic resources are being accumulated for the model legume, Medicago truncatula including the full genome sequence. We propose to use these resources to uncover patterns of synteny between M. truncatula and the cultivated legumes chickpeas, lupins, ....Genomic Synteny in Legumes; Application to Crop Breeding. Synteny is defined as the degree of colinearity between the order of orthologous genes in chromosomes of related species. New data suggests that legumes share widespread synteny. Extensive genomic resources are being accumulated for the model legume, Medicago truncatula including the full genome sequence. We propose to use these resources to uncover patterns of synteny between M. truncatula and the cultivated legumes chickpeas, lupins, faba-beans, lentils and lucerne. In addition to revealing patterns of chromosomal evolution in this large plant family, we will generate genetic maps and molecular markers for use in practical plant breeding of these important crops.Read moreRead less
Molecular dissection of resistance to subterranean clover mottle virus using Medicago truncatula. Plant virus diseases cause economic losses in most crop plants. Grain and pasture legumes are an important component of Australian agricultural cropping sytems, and provide human food and animal feed: they also contribute to higher yields of crops like cereals when grown in rotation, by providing nitrogen and a disease break. In this project, the 'model' legume, Medicago truncatula ('Barrel Medic') ....Molecular dissection of resistance to subterranean clover mottle virus using Medicago truncatula. Plant virus diseases cause economic losses in most crop plants. Grain and pasture legumes are an important component of Australian agricultural cropping sytems, and provide human food and animal feed: they also contribute to higher yields of crops like cereals when grown in rotation, by providing nitrogen and a disease break. In this project, the 'model' legume, Medicago truncatula ('Barrel Medic') will be used to identify a new virus resistance gene. The knowledge gained will be used to improve resistance to viruses in crop legumes, so reducing losses and aiding sustainability of production. This will support rural communities and the national economy.Read moreRead less
Isolation and characterization of cell signalling systems that activate or suppress apoptosis in pathogenic and symbiotic fungal:plant interactions. The key roles of programmed cell death (PCD) in plant disease are becoming apparent. This project will test the hypotheses that successful colonisation by arbuscular mycorrhizae in plant roots requires the plant to up-regulate inhibitors of PCD; that susceptibility in plants to necrotrophic fungal pathogens requires triggering of PCD; and that resis ....Isolation and characterization of cell signalling systems that activate or suppress apoptosis in pathogenic and symbiotic fungal:plant interactions. The key roles of programmed cell death (PCD) in plant disease are becoming apparent. This project will test the hypotheses that successful colonisation by arbuscular mycorrhizae in plant roots requires the plant to up-regulate inhibitors of PCD; that susceptibility in plants to necrotrophic fungal pathogens requires triggering of PCD; and that resistance is the result of activation of inhibitors of PCD. This international project will have important implications biologically and economically for control of plant disease and symbiosis, will train early career researchers in an area of international expertise and will strengthen collaboration between the US and Australian research groupRead moreRead less