The quick and the dead: identifying mechanisms for plant drought survival

该项目旨在确定控制植物对低空气湿度反应的基因，这些基因通过限制水分流失来提高干旱存活率。大多数植物的水分流失是通过气孔发生的。该项目希望通过确定在这段时间内发生的分子变化和测试关键作用的候选基因来确定在湿度降低的几分钟内关闭气孔的基因。将研究不同的陆地植物模型，以确保结果的广泛适用性。一个主要的预期成果是关于减少植物水分流失的基因的新知识，这将最终通过培育改良的、适应干旱的品种以实现干旱气候下的粮食安全的新目标而使以植物为基础的产业受益。

This project aims to identify genes that control plant responses to low air humidity, which enhance drought survival by restricting water loss. Most plant water loss occurs through pores called stomata. This project expects to identify the genes that close stomata within minutes of decreased humidity by determining the molecular changes that occur over this timeframe and testing candidate genes for a critical role. Diverse land plant models will be examined to ensure broad applicability of results. A major expected outcome is new knowledge of genes that minimise plant water loss, which would ultimately benefit plant-based industries through new targets for breeding improved, drought-adapted varieties for food security in a drying climate.