Award details

Senescence, growth and death of cells in crop plants

Reference	BBS/E/G/00003121
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Huw Thomas
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Inst of Grassland and Environmental Res
Department	Inst of Grassland and Environmental Res Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	554,150
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/1999
End date	31/03/2003
Duration	48 months

Abstract

Senescence and deterioration of plant parts and products are central concerns of agriculture, ecology and food technology. Expertise on the physiology, cell biology and genetics of senescence that underpins this project is aligned with the commercial objectives of industrial partners in the areas of amenity and forage breeding (Germinal Holdings), genetic manipulation of forage maize (Advanta), green vegetable quality (Unilever) and pigment biochemistry (Genencor). At the fundamental biomedical level, the relationship between plant and animal cell ageing and death processes has been little investigated; this project foresees a role for plant models in research on the broad area of gerontology, pathology and programmed death. Project objectives are: (a) To analyse the genetic basis of stay-green and other senescence phenotypes in Festulolium, and persistency/determinacy/lesion formation in Trifolium by applying in situ localisation techniques to interspecific hybrids; (b) To establish the biochemistry and cell organisation of novel metabolic pathways that become active in leaf senescence - focusing particularly on chlorophyll and protein catabolism; (c) To isolate genes characteristic of initiation, metabolism and reversal of senescence and of the transition to, or premature inauguration of, cell death; (d) To develop non-invasive methods for screening developmental and genetic variation in leaf senescence, based on colour analysis and digital imaging; (e) To manipulate senescence, cell death, perenniality, persistence and determinacy in forage and amenity species through the introduction of alien genes.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Plant & Microbial Sciences (PMS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
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