Improving the quality of glasshouse crops via light quality manipulation

尽管UV-B波长（280-315 nm）只占阳光的一小部分，但它在植物中调节着一系列的调节过程，包括生长、代谢物含量和对病虫害的抗性。UV-B被玻璃和聚碳酸酯等常见温室材料减弱，因此在许多商业种植环境中被耗尽。植物的美学品质，坚固性和保质期是温室作物产业的基础。我们之前已经证明，UV-B可以降低香菜的植株高度，增加叶片抗氧化剂含量，从而提高香菜的质量。然而，大规模补充UV-B在经济上和环境上都是不可取的。现在有许多新型的温室材料可以传输UV-B。这些物质对盆栽药草品质的影响尚未得到评估。该项目旨在将拟南芥的基本环境信号与转化作物科学结合起来。UV-B在增强植物对非生物胁迫的耐受性中的作用将在模式物种拟南芥中进行研究，使用一系列生理和分子技术。与我们的工业合作伙伴Vitacress一起，我们还旨在比较在uv - b衰减和透射玻璃下生长的香菜和罗勒植物的生长，发育和非生物抗逆性。这个项目将要求学生花时间在西萨塞克斯郡奇切斯特的Vitacress现场。

Despite comprising a small component of sunlight, UV-B wavelengths (280-315 nm) regulate a diverse array of regulatory processes in plants, including growth, metabolite content and resistance to pests and diseases. UV-B is attenuated by common greenhouse materials such as glass and polycarbonate and is therefore depleted in many commercial growing environments. Plant aesthetic quality, robustness and shelf life are fundamental to the glasshouse crops industry. We have previously shown that can UV-B can reduce plant height and increase leaf antioxidant content in coriander, thereby improving the quality this major selling herb. UV-B supplementation is, however, economically and environmentally undesirable on a large scale. A number of novel glasshouse materials are now available which transmit UV-B. The impact of these materials on potted herb quality has not been assessed.This project aims to combine fundamental environmental signalling in Arabidopsis with translational crop science. The role of UV-B in enhancing plant tolerance to abiotic stress will be investigated in the model species, Arabidopsis thaliana, using a range of physiological and molecular techniques. Together with our industrial partner, Vitacress, we additionally aim to compare the growth, development and abiotic stress tolerance of coriander and basil plants grown under UV-B-attenuating and transmitting glass. This project will require the student to spend time at the Vitacress site, in Chichester, West Sussex.