Molecular physiology
We conduct fundamental research in model and crop plants to elucidate mechanisms underpinning the developmental and physiological processes that ultimately impact yield and quality.
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Research focus, traits vital to the potato industry:
- Understanding mechanisms underpinning optimisation of resource capture and allocation in response to environmental shifts.
- Understanding how developmental transitions are regulated by internal and external signals to optimise crop architecture and life cycle to the prevailing environment.
- Understanding the co-ordinated regulation of nuclear and chloroplast genomes for the optimisation of photosynthesis under changing environments.
- Identification of targets for the development of improved cultivars resilient to changing environmental conditions.
Examples of genetic resources from the Commonwealth Potato Collection (CPC) include:
- Identification of positive and negative regulators of potato tuberisation.
- Identification of molecular components of potato tuberisation.
- Extended understanding of the role of nutrient signalling in the regulation of floral transition.
- Identification of new signalling cascades regulating photosynthetic adjustment to adverse environments.