Epigenetic and hormonal mechanisms of seed adaptation to changing ambient temperatures as targets for secure weed management tools

该项目的总体目标是更深入地了解杂草种子适应环境温度变化的基本机制。杂草和热胁迫是农业和粮食安全的主要威胁;目前约有10%的作物产量因杂草而损失。杂草的成功至少部分归功于种子休眠和寿命作为早期生活史适应机制。这个跨学科项目的目标和成果是在伦敦皇家霍洛威大学G Leubner教授的种子生物学小组、伦敦帝国理工学院宋杰博士的植物再生和表观遗传学小组以及杰洛特山国际研究中心先正达杂草控制的D Stock博士的合作下实现的。学生将进行跨物种杂草种子休眠和发芽热时间建模作为农业生态生理基础的适应。这将为随后的比较激素、表观遗传和转录组分析提供定量生理框架和靶组织，以阐明潜在的分子机制。选定的休眠解除和发芽刺激化学品（化学生物学）的机制将在不同的杂草物种的激素，表观遗传学和转录组水平上进行分析。该项目有可能确定新的行动模式，并产生知识，以指导新的战略，以控制杂草种子的发展。

The overall aim of this project is to gain a deeper understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of weed seed adaptation to changing ambient temperatures. Weeds and heat stress are major threats to agriculture and food security; about 10% of crop production is currently lost to weeds. Weeds owe their success, at least in part, to seed dormancy and longevity as early-life history adaptation mechanisms. The objectives and deliverables of this interdisciplinary project are achieved in a collaboration between the Seed Biology Group of Prof G Leubner at Royal Holloway University of London, the Plant Regeneration and Epigenetics Group of Dr Jie Song at Imperial College London, and Dr D Stock from Syngenta Weed Control at Jealott's Hill International Research Centre. The student will conduct cross-species weed seed dormancy and germination thermal-time modelling as the agri-ecophysiological basis underlying the adaptation. This will deliver the quantitative physiological framework and target tissues for the subsequent comparative hormone, epigenetic and transcriptome profiling to elucidate underlying molecular mechanisms. The mechanisms of selected dormancy release and germination stimulant chemicals (chemical biology) will be analysed on the hormonal, epigenetics and transcriptome level in distinct weed species. The project has the potential to identify novel modes of action and to generate knowledge to guide the development of novel strategies to control weed seeds.