Soil:plant signalling networks: manipulations to sustain plant productivity during drought

本项目评估了远距离化学信号在干燥土壤中控制叶片生长的重要性。认为土壤向根信号和根向茎信号都是旱地农业营养生长控制过程的重要组成部分。如果我们要操纵植物在环境压力下保持生产力，了解这两种信号过程将是很重要的。该项目与可持续农业系统相关，因为限制用水（雨养农业和/或赤字灌溉）是世界上许多地方的一个关键目标，包括英国。与此同时，我们知道土壤干燥会极大地限制植物的生产。我们建议将农艺技术（部分根区干燥，使用植物生长调节细菌）与遗传操作（减少胁迫下的乙烯产量，降低乙烯敏感性）相结合，以克服干旱胁迫或亏缺灌溉下营养生长的水力和化学限制。我们将评估土壤和根之间以及根和芽之间ACC和ABA信号的性质和意义，并使用一个模型细菌系统来研究土壤生物在干旱环境中调节植物功能的潜在影响。对这一综合系统的研究可以为在商业规模上控制植物生长提供一种新的方法

This project assesses the importance of long distance chemical signalling in the control of leaf growth in drying soil. It is argued that both soil to root signalling and root to shoot signalling will be important components of the process controlling vegetative growth in dryland agriculture. It will be important to understand both signalling processes if we are to manipulate plants to sustain productivity under environmental stress. The project is relevant to Sustainable Agricultural Systems since limitation of water use (rain-fed agriculture and/or deficit irrigation) is a crucial goal in many parts of the world, including UK. At the same time, we know that soil drying can greatly restrict plant production. We propose a combination of agronomic techniques (partial rootzone drying, the use of plant growth regulating bacteria) with genetic manipulation (reduced ethylene production under stress, reduced ethylene sensitivity) to overcome both hydraulic and chemical limitation to vegetative growth under drought stress or under deficit irrigation. We will assess the nature and significance of ACC and ABA signalling between soil and roots and between roots and shoots and use a model bacterial system to investigate the potential impact of soil organisms in the regulation of plant functioning in dryland environments. Investigation of this integrated system can provide a novel means of manipulating plant growth under stress on a commercial scale