The Effect of Symbiotic Fungi on Plant Reproduction

最近的研究表明，磷的育性可以通过控制花粉的特性来控制植物的繁殖。共生真菌，称为菌根真菌，可以增加植物对磷的吸收。本研究将确定共生真菌是否通过影响花粉质量来影响植物繁殖。该项目将极大地促进我们对植物对环境胁迫（磷不育）的响应以及菌根真菌在该响应中的作用的理解。该研究将提供对自然植物种群进化的深入了解，特别是在种群的局部适应和遗传亚结构方面。这项研究将对理解作物授粉、作物及其野生近缘种之间的基因流动以及发展农业理想性状的花粉选择技术产生重要影响。

9419722 Stephenson Recent studies indicate that phosphorus fertility can control plant reproduction by controlling the characteristics of the pollen. Symbiotic fungi, called mycorrhizal fungi, can increase the uptake of phosphorus into plants. This research will determine whether the symbiotic fungi influence plant reproduction via an effect on pollen quality. The project will greatly advance our understanding of the response of plants to environmental stress (phosphorus infertility) and the role of mycorrhizal fungi in that response. The study will provide insight into the evolution of natural plant populations, especially in regards to local adaptation and the genetic substructure of populations. The research should have important ramifications for the understanding of pollination of crops, the flow of genes among crops and their wild relatives, and the development of techniques for pollen selection for agriculturally desirable traits.