Population Genomics

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Flowering plants evolved approximately 150 million years ago, and have subsequently diversified and adapted to an astonishing diversity of environments, habitats and growth forms. Given their ecological and societal importance, understanding the factors affecting plant adaptation are of major interest not only for the basic understanding of evolutionary processes, but also for tackling major questions of societal relevance, such as the factors favouring the rapid spread of herbicide-resistant weeds, and the ability of plants to adapt to rapid climate change. Professor Wright's research plans are focused on using the latest approaches in population genomics to gain important insights into the factors that facilitate and constrain plant adaptation. This work will tackle a number of key areas. First, using the genus Rumex (docks and sorrels), he will investigate the evolutionary factors contributing to the formation of sex chromosomes and the degeneration of Y chromosomes. Separate sexes have evolved recently and multiple times independently in this group, providing an outstanding opportunity to understand the role of neutral, maladaptive and adaptive processes in sex chromosome formation and divergence. By examining the evolution of recombination rates, epigenetics, genome structure and chromosome rearrangements integrated with tests of positive selection, this research should gain major new insights into how and why sex chromosomes evolve and why they vary across species. Second, using the agricultural weed common waterhemp as a model, he will investigate the genomic basis and adaptive dynamics of complex herbicide resistance mechanisms, to better understand the evolutionary origins and nature of spread of resistance across the landscape. This work will enable important new insights into the factors favouring rapid adaptation, as well as provide important insights into the management of agricultural weeds, which impose major economic costs on the agricultural industry.