Award details

Environmental, physiological and genetic control of reproductive development and its ecological significance in grassland legumes.

Reference	BBS/E/G/00003462
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Athole Marshall
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Inst of Grassland and Environmental Res
Department	Inst of Grassland and Environmental Res Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	204,318
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/1997
End date	30/04/1997
Duration	1 months

Abstract

Grassland legumes regenerate by vegetative or reproductive mechanisms. The balance between these regeneration strategies can be influenced by a range of factors. Plant growth during the reproductive phase is studied to examine the environmental, physiological and genetic control of plant development and interaction between vegetative and reproductive growth. The exploitation of novel breeding strategies (inbred lines, interspecific hybridisation) in associated OST- and MAFF-funded research has enabled the introduction of desirable reproductive characteristics from closely related species. This is used as a diagnostic tool to examine the genetic origin of these traits, the consequences of their introduction on agronomic performance and the survival of legumes within the sward, and their potential for incorporation into MAFF-funded breeding programmes. As grassland legumes are insect pollinated, the interaction between plant and pollinator is an important phase of the reproductive process. Novel genetic material, including genetic markers developed in OST-funded research, is used to study plant/pollinator interactions, the efficiency of pollinator activity and gene flow. The foraging behaviour of different pollinator species is also examined and the consequences of their efficiency and pattern of pollen transfer for genetic diversity and population structure examined. Specific attention is given to identifying the critical phases of the reproductive process influencing ovule survival. Particular consideration is given to the environmental, physiological and genetic factors influencing floret site utilisation and the interaction between this component and other reproductive and vegetative characters.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
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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