Award details

Molecular biology and genetic manipulation of phenyl propanoid metabolism in forage legumes.

Reference	BBS/E/G/00003356
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Mark P Robbins
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Inst of Grassland and Environmental Res
Department	Inst of Grassland and Environmental Res Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	164,574
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/1997
End date	31/03/1999
Duration	24 months

Abstract

A major aim of plant biotechnology is the genetic manipulation of plants in order to improve crop performance. This will in some cases involve modification of the chemical composition and responses of the plant by directing biochemical pathways in more favourable directions either to improve raw material quality or to create new products from plants. End products of the phenylpropanoid pathway are important characters in forage crops. For example accumulation of condensed tannins, which are considered to be the effective anti bloat agents in forage legumes such as Lotus corniculatus, is a potentially important agronomic character for introduction into bloat causing forage legumes such as white clover. Transformed root and shoot cultures of Lotus corniculatus and Trifolium repens produced using wild type and genetically manipulated strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes will be used to study the regulation of the phenylpropanoid, flavonoid and tannin biosynthetic pathways and to develop strategies for modifying the type and distribution of these compounds by genetic manipulation thus contributing to the development of technologies for improving crops and livestock.

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

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