Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668294
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$110,000.00
Summary
Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Facility for Nitrogen and Water Analysis in Plants. Continual improvement to agricultural plant production is key to maintaining future sustainable growth in Australian agriculture. Our respective research teams are focussed on improving how plants utilise both nitrogen and water. Many questions remain with respect to where, how and when plants use and or access these important nutrients. The proposed facility will enable plant scientists to begin in-depth anal ....Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Facility for Nitrogen and Water Analysis in Plants. Continual improvement to agricultural plant production is key to maintaining future sustainable growth in Australian agriculture. Our respective research teams are focussed on improving how plants utilise both nitrogen and water. Many questions remain with respect to where, how and when plants use and or access these important nutrients. The proposed facility will enable plant scientists to begin in-depth analysis of both nitrogen transport mechanisms and the ability to model root development and water allocation in crop species. This research will ultimately lead to improved knowledge on how plants respond to their environment and where modifications can be made to generate sustainable crops suited to Australian agriculture.Read moreRead less
Novel methods for the production of micronutrient-enriched rice. The increasingly productive Australian rice industry generated AUD$1 billion revenue in 2012. By targeting a rice gene that we recently identified as a key regulator of iron uptake and transport, this project will produce high value, micronutrient-enriched rice grain to improve the nutritional health of people in Australia and throughout the world.
Economics of carbon, nitrogen and water use in Acacia and Eucalyptus. Australia's flora is dominated by plants with sclerophyllous foliage, that is hard leaves that are tolerant of nutrient and/or water stress. Either nutrient and/or water stress are suggested as driving the evolution of sclerophylly and distribution of extant species. Mechanisms of tolerance to drought and nutrient stress differ, and these differences are reflected in patterns of nitrogen and carbon allocation and economics o ....Economics of carbon, nitrogen and water use in Acacia and Eucalyptus. Australia's flora is dominated by plants with sclerophyllous foliage, that is hard leaves that are tolerant of nutrient and/or water stress. Either nutrient and/or water stress are suggested as driving the evolution of sclerophylly and distribution of extant species. Mechanisms of tolerance to drought and nutrient stress differ, and these differences are reflected in patterns of nitrogen and carbon allocation and economics of nitrogen and water use in photosynthesis. The present study will use these differences in economics to distinguish between water- and nutrient-driven adaptations in a range of Acacia and Eucalyptus species from mesic to arid environments.Read moreRead less
The role of the ammonium transport bHLHm1/AMF1 regulatory loci in plants. This project aims to investigate the role of a regulatory locus in the regulation of ammonium transport in plants and the interacting genetic and biochemical signalling promoting the interaction. Ammonium is an important nutrient source for plant growth and development. It has been recently identified that a new transport mechanism (AMF1 ) mediates ammonium transport across legume root nodule cellular membranes. AMF1 was i ....The role of the ammonium transport bHLHm1/AMF1 regulatory loci in plants. This project aims to investigate the role of a regulatory locus in the regulation of ammonium transport in plants and the interacting genetic and biochemical signalling promoting the interaction. Ammonium is an important nutrient source for plant growth and development. It has been recently identified that a new transport mechanism (AMF1 ) mediates ammonium transport across legume root nodule cellular membranes. AMF1 was identified through a transcriptional interaction with a membrane localised bHLHm1 transcription factor. Both bHLHm1 and AMF1 belong to a unique chromosomal regulatory locus common across sequenced dicot plant species.Read moreRead less
High temperature limits of leaf function. In arid and semi-arid central Australia, Acacia spp. dominate the over-storey, but this shifts to Eucalyptus and Corymbia spp. in more mesic coastal regions. Areas of central Australia are extremely hot, dry and sunny, and it is this combination of stresses that likely excludes Eucalyptus spp. from many landforms. There has been little research on high temperature tolerance of Acacia and Eucalyptus, despite the putative importance of this stress, in co ....High temperature limits of leaf function. In arid and semi-arid central Australia, Acacia spp. dominate the over-storey, but this shifts to Eucalyptus and Corymbia spp. in more mesic coastal regions. Areas of central Australia are extremely hot, dry and sunny, and it is this combination of stresses that likely excludes Eucalyptus spp. from many landforms. There has been little research on high temperature tolerance of Acacia and Eucalyptus, despite the putative importance of this stress, in combination with other stresses, in limiting species? distributions. Our program of collaborative research will examine the tolerance of Acacia and Eucalyptus to a combination of high temperatures, drought and high light.Read moreRead less
Symbiotic transport proteins in legumes. Some plants 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 wh ....Symbiotic transport proteins in legumes. Some plants 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.
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Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100908
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$461,815.00
Summary
Maximising the beneficial impacts of mycorrhizal fungi on grain nutrition. This project aims to determine the effects of beneficial soil fungi on wheat and rice grain quality for human nutrition using an innovative combination of physiological, molecular and agronomic techniques. The project expects to generate fundamental knowledge in sustainable agriculture, to improve grain quality and value. Expected outcomes of this project include enhanced understanding of the mechanisms underlying improve ....Maximising the beneficial impacts of mycorrhizal fungi on grain nutrition. This project aims to determine the effects of beneficial soil fungi on wheat and rice grain quality for human nutrition using an innovative combination of physiological, molecular and agronomic techniques. The project expects to generate fundamental knowledge in sustainable agriculture, to improve grain quality and value. Expected outcomes of this project include enhanced understanding of the mechanisms underlying improved grain quality, and the capacity to use soil fungi to increase grain micronutrient concentrations and bioavailability. This should provide significant environmental and societal benefits, such as promotion of the sustainable use of agricultural soils and more nutritious grain products for human consumption.Read moreRead less
Managing subsoil constraints for increased productivity and water use efficiency. Subsoil constraints limit crop production in up to 60% of agricultural land. This project examines the impacts of organic matter incoporation, deep placement of nutrients, use of primer crops, calcium addition and their combination on amelioration of subsoil constraints and thereby on the improvement of root growth, water use and crop yield in high-rainfall region. The best-bet management strategy will be developed ....Managing subsoil constraints for increased productivity and water use efficiency. Subsoil constraints limit crop production in up to 60% of agricultural land. This project examines the impacts of organic matter incoporation, deep placement of nutrients, use of primer crops, calcium addition and their combination on amelioration of subsoil constraints and thereby on the improvement of root growth, water use and crop yield in high-rainfall region. The best-bet management strategy will be developed.Read moreRead less
Advanced plant breeding and food manufacturing for healthier bread. This project aims to generate bread containing high amounts of biologically available iron through targeted manipulation of plant-derived phytonutrients at several points along the wheat-to-bread supply chain. The project expects to generate new knowledge for developing healthier bread and address consumer demands for value-added food products. Anticipated outcomes are novel plant breeding and food manufacturing techniques that ....Advanced plant breeding and food manufacturing for healthier bread. This project aims to generate bread containing high amounts of biologically available iron through targeted manipulation of plant-derived phytonutrients at several points along the wheat-to-bread supply chain. The project expects to generate new knowledge for developing healthier bread and address consumer demands for value-added food products. Anticipated outcomes are novel plant breeding and food manufacturing techniques that enhance the nutritional composition of wheat grain and bread making products, resulting in higher-value agricultural commodities and breads. The project should benefit bread retailers and crop growers involved in Australia’s $4.7 billion bread market and reduce the environmental impacts of bread production.Read moreRead less
Organisation and function of embedded oil glands in eucalypts. Some eucalypt leaves contain large quantities of essential oils, which have been extracted for commercial purposes for many years. Advancement of this industry, however, requires basic research directed at enhancing both the yield of oil and the range of valuable constituents. This project will make use of a new protocol for isolating and purifying the foliar oil-producing glands to identify a new suite of oil gland constituents and ....Organisation and function of embedded oil glands in eucalypts. Some eucalypt leaves contain large quantities of essential oils, which have been extracted for commercial purposes for many years. Advancement of this industry, however, requires basic research directed at enhancing both the yield of oil and the range of valuable constituents. This project will make use of a new protocol for isolating and purifying the foliar oil-producing glands to identify a new suite of oil gland constituents and to understand the way in which they are made and deployed in the gland. The research will also contribute to our general understanding of oil gland structure and function.Read moreRead less