Award details

Optimising nutrient use in cereals

Reference	BBS/E/C/00004955
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Malcolm Hawkesford
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Rothamsted Research
Department	Rothamsted Research Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	1,976,223
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/2008
End date	31/03/2012
Duration	48 months

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) is a major input determining productivity, with considerable financial and environmental costs. N is required for canopy formation for efficient carbon capture, thus determining yield. N use efficiency (NUE) (yield/available N) is the product of N uptake efficiency (N taken up/N available) and N utilization efficiency (yield/N taken up). Component traits will be de-convoluted and component genes identified, exploiting variation in alleles and expression profiles in modern wheat cultivars. Roles of nitrate transporters in the roots in controlling uptake processes will be determined: cellular nitrate pools will be measured and compared in soil grown roots of selected cultivars; nitrate influx will be measured on roots growing in soil; the wasteful loss of nitrate from root cells through the efflux pathways will be assessed; key nitrate transporters involved in sensing N availability and uptake will be characterised. Traits associated with NUtE (N and carbon assimilation and partitioning) will be de-convoluted, mapped and data made available for modelling studies. N is utilised for canopy production/photosynthesis which subsequently determines yield and this same N is utilised for grain formation, obviating the need for further uptake. Timing of senescence is critical to extend the photosynthetically active period and to maximise N transfer to the grain. We will investigate variation in associated parameters (canopy architecture, photosynthetic capacity, N storage and remobilisation) screening germplasm, functional staygreen mutants and transgenic lines. Key genes, both those involved in the pathways themselves or in the control of the pathways (transcription factors, signalling pathways) which underpin NUE traits will be identified using mapping approaches and transcriptomics. Cell-specific gene expression of glutamine synthetase and other candidate genes will be examined.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Plant & Microbial Sciences (PMS)
Research Topics	Crop Science, Plant Science
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

I accept the terms and conditions of use (opens in new window)

export PDF file

back to list new search