ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology. We propose a novel approach to improve sustainable yield by optimising the overall efficiency of energy capture, conversion and use by plants. Efficiency gains in metabolism, transport, and development will be more effective than optimising single nutrient inputs or product outputs. Improving multiple parameters simultaneously is a necessary solution to the increasing demand for more crop yield from finite land, water, and nutrient resources. Unp ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology. We propose a novel approach to improve sustainable yield by optimising the overall efficiency of energy capture, conversion and use by plants. Efficiency gains in metabolism, transport, and development will be more effective than optimising single nutrient inputs or product outputs. Improving multiple parameters simultaneously is a necessary solution to the increasing demand for more crop yield from finite land, water, and nutrient resources. Unpredictable environmental challenges adversely affect plant growth and further perturb plant energy balance, limiting yield. The epigenetic controls, gene variants and signals discovered will provide a new basis for sustainable productivity of crops and will future-proof plants in changing climates.Read moreRead less
Mid-rotation diagnosis and management options for correction of water and nutrient deficiencies in plantation-grown eucalypts. This research will improve productivity of bluegum plantations by improving current diagnostic techniques (foliage and soil analysis) for nutrient disorders and the supply of water. Using a novel phloem sampling and analysis technique, we will develop a nutrient (e.g. N, P) and water diagnosis procedure that is quick, cheap, robust and reliable for field use. A major in ....Mid-rotation diagnosis and management options for correction of water and nutrient deficiencies in plantation-grown eucalypts. This research will improve productivity of bluegum plantations by improving current diagnostic techniques (foliage and soil analysis) for nutrient disorders and the supply of water. Using a novel phloem sampling and analysis technique, we will develop a nutrient (e.g. N, P) and water diagnosis procedure that is quick, cheap, robust and reliable for field use. A major innovation will be distinguishing the effects of shortages of water on growth from those of other growth influences. Overall, this project will provide a highly significant theoretical, conceptual and practical advance in mid-rotation, diagnostics for plantations with considerable commercial promise.Read moreRead less
Functional analysis of novel mitochondrial outer membrane proteins in Arabidopsis. Mitochondria play central roles in the life and death of cells. This project will characterise the functions of proteins on the mitochondrial surface, which mediate signals that define mitochondrial function, providing novel approaches to modify mitochondrial function and plant growth.
Deciphering organelle transport mechanisms in plants. Plant growth, productivity and seed yield all depend on organelle function which requires metabolites and proteins
to be transported across membranes. This mechanism of transport is carried out by specific transporters that have
the ability to transport macromolecules, and regulate organelle function. We have identified new transporters that
are involved in amino acid and protein transport in the mitochondria, chloroplast and peroxisomes. We ....Deciphering organelle transport mechanisms in plants. Plant growth, productivity and seed yield all depend on organelle function which requires metabolites and proteins
to be transported across membranes. This mechanism of transport is carried out by specific transporters that have
the ability to transport macromolecules, and regulate organelle function. We have identified new transporters that
are involved in amino acid and protein transport in the mitochondria, chloroplast and peroxisomes. We will assign
function to each protein and investigate the importance in regulating organelle biogenesis. This will allow us to
modulate plant energy production for optimal growth and to withstand abiotic stress, all of which have
agriculturally beneficial consequences. Read moreRead less
Reducing environmental footprint by improving phosphorous use efficiency. While modern agriculture relies heavily on the use of phosphorous fertilizers, most of them are not used by plants and lost in runoff, resulting in a massive environmental damage through contamination of waterways (termed eutrophication). This project takes advantage of an untapped resource - a unique collection of Tibetan wild barley genotypes, to reveal key traits that confer superior phosphorus use efficiency in wild ba ....Reducing environmental footprint by improving phosphorous use efficiency. While modern agriculture relies heavily on the use of phosphorous fertilizers, most of them are not used by plants and lost in runoff, resulting in a massive environmental damage through contamination of waterways (termed eutrophication). This project takes advantage of an untapped resource - a unique collection of Tibetan wild barley genotypes, to reveal key traits that confer superior phosphorus use efficiency in wild barley and identify appropriate candidate genes and their position on chromosomes for further incorporating these traits into commercial barley cultivars. This will reduce the environmental footprint of modern agricultural practices on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems without compromising food security.Read moreRead less
Advanced cryobanking for propagation-recalcitrant and critically endangered plant species. This project aims to advance methods for the conservation of recalcitrant/threatened plant species to achieve best practice ecological restoration in areas of high biodiversity. In particular, the nature of freezing and dehydration damage to cell membranes at various stages of tissue culture and cryopreservation will be investigated to try to minimise deleterious effects. In addition, metabolic changes tha ....Advanced cryobanking for propagation-recalcitrant and critically endangered plant species. This project aims to advance methods for the conservation of recalcitrant/threatened plant species to achieve best practice ecological restoration in areas of high biodiversity. In particular, the nature of freezing and dehydration damage to cell membranes at various stages of tissue culture and cryopreservation will be investigated to try to minimise deleterious effects. In addition, metabolic changes that affect cryogenic survival will be assessed to provide further insight into the role of oxidative stress and the toxicity of cryopreservation processes. Ultimately, improved cryogenic protocols will be developed to maintain the integrity of long-term cryobanks of key species for ecological restoration, such as in post-mined areas.Read moreRead less
Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Signalling in Plants . This proposal aims to define the mechanisms of how mitochondrial growth and stress signalling interact and are regulated. Mitochondria are central machines in cells that use energy obtained through photosynthesis to drive growth and also play an important role in sensing and responding to non-optimal environmental growth conditions. As mitochondrial growth and stress signalling are antagonistic, growth is retarded when stress signalling is acti ....Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Signalling in Plants . This proposal aims to define the mechanisms of how mitochondrial growth and stress signalling interact and are regulated. Mitochondria are central machines in cells that use energy obtained through photosynthesis to drive growth and also play an important role in sensing and responding to non-optimal environmental growth conditions. As mitochondrial growth and stress signalling are antagonistic, growth is retarded when stress signalling is activated. Thus, the outcomes will be new knowledge and understanding of how plants balance growth and stress responses. This benefit of this knowledge and understanding is that it can be used to pursue novel avenues to optimise crop performance in changing and adverse environments.Read moreRead less
Mitochondrial Retrograde Signalling in Plants – New Models and Analytical Approaches. Mitochondria are essential organelles involved in energy production and various metabolic and biosynthetic pathways in plant cells. Signals from mitochondria act to regulate nuclear gene expression to coordinate mitochondrial activity with cellular activity, which is called mitochondrial retrograde signalling (MRS). To date our knowledge of the pathways and components involved in MRS is limited to a single mode ....Mitochondrial Retrograde Signalling in Plants – New Models and Analytical Approaches. Mitochondria are essential organelles involved in energy production and various metabolic and biosynthetic pathways in plant cells. Signals from mitochondria act to regulate nuclear gene expression to coordinate mitochondrial activity with cellular activity, which is called mitochondrial retrograde signalling (MRS). To date our knowledge of the pathways and components involved in MRS is limited to a single model system. This proposal seeks to identify additional MRS pathways, characterise components of these pathways and the signals involved. This new knowledge can be used in translational research as a basis to breed plants with altered stress and growth properties.Read moreRead less
Advanced cryobanking for recalcitrant-seeded Australian rainforest plants. This project aims to develop an interdisciplinary research alliance to enhance the efficiency of ecological restoration for recalcitrant Australian rainforest plant species. The project expects to provide fundamental knowledge to target two major impediments to cryostorage of recalcitrant-seeded native species: desiccation sensitivity with relatively large size, and active metabolism and precocious germination. These attr ....Advanced cryobanking for recalcitrant-seeded Australian rainforest plants. This project aims to develop an interdisciplinary research alliance to enhance the efficiency of ecological restoration for recalcitrant Australian rainforest plant species. The project expects to provide fundamental knowledge to target two major impediments to cryostorage of recalcitrant-seeded native species: desiccation sensitivity with relatively large size, and active metabolism and precocious germination. These attributes severely limit the time available for effective use of collected germplasm for long-term storage. A combination of biochemical, biophysical and molecular simulation approaches will be used to optimise cryopreservation of a wide range of endangered Australian rainforest species. This should provide significant benefits such as enabling conservation agencies to greatly enhance their ability to preserve the unique Australian rainforest flora, particularly given current threats due to habitat loss and global warming.Read moreRead less
Development of cryopreservation for high value provenance collections of recalcitrant plant species used in post-mining restoration. This project will develop new and innovative ways to store highly valued native plant germplasm at ultra cold temperatures (-196 °C, in liquid nitrogen) as a means to ensure that elite genotypes used in minesite restoration and critically endangered species are not lost forever to extinction. This project will be the first of its type in Australia utilising a multi ....Development of cryopreservation for high value provenance collections of recalcitrant plant species used in post-mining restoration. This project will develop new and innovative ways to store highly valued native plant germplasm at ultra cold temperatures (-196 °C, in liquid nitrogen) as a means to ensure that elite genotypes used in minesite restoration and critically endangered species are not lost forever to extinction. This project will be the first of its type in Australia utilising a multidisciplinary approach to answer key storage questions and will provide significant national benefits to conservation programs and landcare groups, providing these with additional resources to ensure the long-term survival of native plant germplasm collections. Read moreRead less