Deciphering how nutrient status impacts plant defence

该项目旨在改变我们对养分有效性和植物防御之间关系的理解。植物防御是通过对病原体引起的细胞壁损伤的反应而激活的。我的初步数据揭示了细胞壁损伤的反应取决于植物的氮状态；提供营养和防御之间的直接联系。这项研究将使用新的突变体来解除这一联系，以揭示这一过程背后的分子机制。研究结果将为培育氮素利用效率更高、抗病能力更强的作物提供新途径。它将减少昂贵的化肥和农药的使用，并减轻它们造成的巨大环境破坏，从而使农业受益。

This project aims to transform our understanding of the relationship between nutrient availability and plant defence. Plant defences are activated by responses to cell wall damage, caused by pathogens. My preliminary data uncovered that the response to cell wall damage depends on the nitrogen status of the plant; providing a direct link between nutrients and defence. The research will use new mutants that disengage this link to uncover molecular mechanisms underlying this process. The outcomes will provide new approaches to breed crop plants with improved nitrogen use efficiency and disease resistance. It will benefit agriculture by reducing the use of costly fertilisers and pesticides and mitigate the huge environmental damage they cause.