Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Early Plant Competition

传统上，作物和杂草竞争被视为一种植物通过更成功地消耗或控制对光、水和养分等资源的获取而对另一种植物产生的负面影响。毫无疑问，资源限制是植物竞争的一个主要因素，但其他变量，如光质量(即低红光与远红光比，R：FR)也被证明在植物竞争中起着重要作用。以前的研究仅限于描述竞争的结果，如生物量或产量损失的变化。我们对解释植物内部这些形态变化的实际生理和分子反应的了解是有限的。这项研究旨在了解玉米和大豆对邻近杂草营养组织反映的光质变化的反应机制。这项研究的结果将确定由于快速检测光质变化而产生的新的生理和分子反应，并确定这些变化是否可以改变植物对环境提示的反应能力。此外，还将识别由杂草竞争在作物内触发的新分子标记。此外，将测试来自天然和化学来源的抗氧化剂化合物，以促进作物幼苗从作物和杂草竞争的负面影响中恢复过来。总之，这项研究将为通过育种和农艺实践提高作物的抗逆性提供有价值的信息。

Crop and weed competition has been viewed traditionally, as the negative effects which one plant has on another by being more successful at consuming or controlling access to resources such as light, water and nutrients. While there is no doubt that resource limitation is a major factor in plant competition, other variables such as light quality (i.e., low red to far-red ratio, R:FR) has also been shown to play an important role in plant competition. Previous studies have been limited to descriptive outcomes of competition such as changes in biomass or yield loss. Our understanding of the actual physiological and molecular responses that account for these morphological changes within the plant is limited. This research is directed to achieve an understanding of the mechanisms that occur in maize and soybeans in response to detection of changes in light quality reflected from the vegetative tissue of neighbouring weeds. Results from this study will identify new physiological and molecular responses resulting from rapid detection of changes in light quality and determine if these changes can alter the plants ability to respond to environmental cues. In addition, novel molecular markers triggered within the crop by weed competition will be identified. As well, antioxidant compounds from natural and chemical sources will be tested to facilitate the recovery of crop seedlings from the negative impact of crop and weed competition. Together, this research will provide valuable information to enhance stress tolerance in crop plants through both breeding and agronomic practices.