Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100190
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$388,600.00
Summary
Tracing the Evolutionary History of Plant Developmental Mechanisms. Knowledge of the evolutionary history of genes involved in developmental processes provides a foundation for understanding how genetic networks were established and how their manipulation may influence plant growth and form. Genetic programs that direct growth and development in response to light will be examined functionally in Marchantia, a liverwort. Liverworts hold a key position in plant evolution as the sister group to all ....Tracing the Evolutionary History of Plant Developmental Mechanisms. Knowledge of the evolutionary history of genes involved in developmental processes provides a foundation for understanding how genetic networks were established and how their manipulation may influence plant growth and form. Genetic programs that direct growth and development in response to light will be examined functionally in Marchantia, a liverwort. Liverworts hold a key position in plant evolution as the sister group to all other land plants and possess many attributes reminiscent of the ancestral land plant. This project is expected to reveal some of the ancestral mechanisms for how light regulates plant form via the hormone auxin and could, in the future, aid the precise design of plants for diverse agricultural applications.Read moreRead less
Decoding tissue-specific components of cereal grain development. This project aims to investigate how barley flowers produce cells that deliver nutrients into developing seeds. This project expects to generate new knowledge through international collaboration and technical improvements in cell biology and genetics, overcoming current methodological limitations to precisely influence seed size, shape and quality, which are traits of agricultural relevance to the Australian cereal industry. Expect ....Decoding tissue-specific components of cereal grain development. This project aims to investigate how barley flowers produce cells that deliver nutrients into developing seeds. This project expects to generate new knowledge through international collaboration and technical improvements in cell biology and genetics, overcoming current methodological limitations to precisely influence seed size, shape and quality, which are traits of agricultural relevance to the Australian cereal industry. Expected outcomes include strengthened international partnerships, leveraged funding and increased knowledge of plant reproduction. This should provide significant benefits, including upskilled researchers, improved research capacity and genetic targets to optimise seed production in challenging climatic conditions. Read moreRead less
Activating the female germline during plant development. This project aims to investigate the mechanistic basis for female germline formation in two plant species including barley, which is of agricultural relevance to Australia. This project’s approach will integrate novel regulatory genes and data from Arabidopsis and barley. This knowledge will provide significant benefits, such as novel reproductive strategies for crop improvement.
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
Oxygen Signalling in Grapevine Bud Dormancy. Dormancy is an important economic and ecological trait of many trees and crop plants, including most commercially valuable fruit species. This project aims to: define oxygen and radicals of oxygen as central cues of grapevine bud development and dormancy; identify and model the developmental processes that occur during dormancy onset, maintenance and release (bud burst); as well as to identify the molecular and biochemical regulators of oxygen signals ....Oxygen Signalling in Grapevine Bud Dormancy. Dormancy is an important economic and ecological trait of many trees and crop plants, including most commercially valuable fruit species. This project aims to: define oxygen and radicals of oxygen as central cues of grapevine bud development and dormancy; identify and model the developmental processes that occur during dormancy onset, maintenance and release (bud burst); as well as to identify the molecular and biochemical regulators of oxygen signals in bud dormancy. The knowledge generated could provide a platform to test impacts of climate change on fruit and tree species, and lead to better management of fruit and tree species in agricultural and ecological systems.Read moreRead less
New genetic mechanisms linking flowering, growth habit and yield in legumes. This project aims to investigate the genetic control of flowering and flowering-related traits in legumes, an important group of crop plants. The regulation of flowering by environmental factors has a major influence on plant yield and is important for adaptation in natural and agricultural settings. However, it is poorly understood at the molecular level. This project aims to use induced genetic variation and transcrip ....New genetic mechanisms linking flowering, growth habit and yield in legumes. This project aims to investigate the genetic control of flowering and flowering-related traits in legumes, an important group of crop plants. The regulation of flowering by environmental factors has a major influence on plant yield and is important for adaptation in natural and agricultural settings. However, it is poorly understood at the molecular level. This project aims to use induced genetic variation and transcriptome analysis to define new genes and genetic mechanisms through which flowering is regulated by day length and temperature, and to explore the molecular links between flowering and other developmental processes including seed development. This should extend our understanding of how plant architecture, reproduction and yield are regulated by the environment, and address several agronomic issues.Read moreRead less
Plant transfer cells: discovering regulatory mechanisms directing assembly of their ingrowth walls. Specialised transfer cells facilitate nutrient transport within plants which is essential for their growth. This project will explore how structural and functional changes are regulated to form a transfer cell. The results of this research will contribute to scientific knowledge applicable to increasing crop yield.
The role of the ribosome and translation in plant fertility. Regulation of gene expression is essential to the development of multicellular organisms. This project will provide insights into a unique role for the basic cellular translation machinery in plant fertility. The results will provide opportunities for improving crop yield and for development of sustainable agriculture.
Evolution and specificity of alternative splicing in plants. This project aims to elucidate fundamental principles of alternative splicing, a basic mechanism that plays a vital role in several biological processes across all organisms. Plants are highly effective in adapting to varied environmental, seasonal and climatic conditions and this project aims to uncover how alternative splicing contributes to regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental cues. Uncovering ....Evolution and specificity of alternative splicing in plants. This project aims to elucidate fundamental principles of alternative splicing, a basic mechanism that plays a vital role in several biological processes across all organisms. Plants are highly effective in adapting to varied environmental, seasonal and climatic conditions and this project aims to uncover how alternative splicing contributes to regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental cues. Uncovering the underlying mechanisms of alternative splicing will not only advance fundamental knowledge, but also has the potential to provide tools and technologies through which sensitivities of plants to environmental stress can be potentially manipulated to benefit agriculture.Read moreRead less
Targeting root architecture to improve plant production in sub-optimal soil. This project aims to identify important missing links in the signalling pathways that connect major plant hormones in their control of root architecture, with a focus on the signalling system that helps plants cope with sub-optimal growing conditions. New discoveries in plant hormones will be applied to crops to provide a deeper understanding of root growth responses under sub-optimal conditions, and to maximise plant e ....Targeting root architecture to improve plant production in sub-optimal soil. This project aims to identify important missing links in the signalling pathways that connect major plant hormones in their control of root architecture, with a focus on the signalling system that helps plants cope with sub-optimal growing conditions. New discoveries in plant hormones will be applied to crops to provide a deeper understanding of root growth responses under sub-optimal conditions, and to maximise plant efficiency. Expected outcomes include a better understanding of signal pathways in roots, improved knowledge about how crops respond to adverse conditions, new knowledge and potential genetic resources for plant industry, and novel ideas about how to improve crop productivity.Read moreRead less