NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: The role of vegetative development on plant response to environmental stress from genomic and physiological perspectives

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This action funds an NSF Plant Genome Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2021. The fellowship supports a research and training plan in a host laboratory for the Fellow who also presents a plan to broaden participation in biology. The title of the research and training plan for this fellowship to Dr. Erica H Lawrence is "The role of vegetative development on plant response to environmental stress from genomic and physiological perspectives" The host institution for the fellowship is the Pennsylvania State University and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Jesse R Lasky.Plant form and function is altered as plants transition through different developmental phases. The changes in morphology and physiology that accompany developmental phase transitions influence plant environmental response and performance. While the impact of the vegetative-to-reproductive transition has garnered most of the attention of biologists, there is still much to learn about the more visually subtle transition between juvenile and adult vegetative phases, known as vegetative phase change. This project investigates how vegetative phase change alters plant tolerance of environmental stressors in the important crop species sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench), and how variation in the timing of this transition may benefit plants in their native climates. This examination of developmental effects on plant performance will generate new resources to enhance crop breeding, restoration and conservation efforts. The research funded here will provide training in developmental biology, genomics, evolutionary and ecological genetics, RNA sequencing and gene expression. Broader impacts include broadening participation of historically excluded groups in STEM fields through partnerships with established programs serving the Philadelphia and Centre county, PA communities, the development of K12 curriculum related to plant biology, and training opportunities for undergraduates.To understand what role vegetative phase change has on plant performance, we must gain a better understanding of the natural variation, adaptive selection and altered physiology associated with it. Using the genetically diverse and stress tolerant crop species sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench), the project will identify 1) The natural variation surrounding the timing of vegetative phase change among genotypes locally adapted to diverse climates, genetic regulators of this variation, and evidence of environmental selection on these regulators, and 2) Transcriptomic and physiological differences of drought response between juvenile and adult vegetative phases. To do so, variation in the timing of vegetative phase change will be scored across a diverse mapping panel. This data set will be used to identify the genetic regulators of natural variation and to investigate associations between the timing of vegetative phase change and important plant performance traits. Approaches in population and quantitative genetic statistics will be used to test for evidence that these regulators are under selection and play a role in local adaptation. In the field, genotypes will be subjected to drought stress during either juvenile or adult phases to discern transcriptomic and physiological variation in drought stress response between these phases. Further, an understanding of how the timing of drought exposure and vegetative phase change interact to effect whole plant performance will be gained. Together these aims will provide a depiction of how vegetative phase change may contribute to adaptation and future breeding efforts for both natural and agricultural ecosystems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.