The role of plant hormones in legume symbioses

土壤微生物可以通过共生关系为植物提供以前无法获得但必需的营养物质。豆科植物是独一无二的，因为它们与固氮细菌和提供磷酸盐等营养物质的菌根真菌形成共生关系。本研究将探讨植物激素（小的、可移动的、强效的生长调节剂）在豆科植物属间形成这些共生关系中的作用。深入了解激素在这些共生关系中共同和不同的作用，对于为研究人员和育种者提供新的工具，以最大限度地提高豆类的营养获取至关重要，豆类是每年为澳大利亚经济贡献约10亿澳元的重要作物。

Soil microbes can give plants access to previously unavailable but essential nutrients through symbioses. Legumes are unique as they form symbioses with both nitrogen-fixing bacteria and with mycorrhizal fungi that supply nutrients such as phosphate. This proposal will investigate the role of the plant hormones (small, mobile, potent growth regulators) in the formation of these symbiotic relationships across legume genera. An insight into the common and divergent roles of hormones in these symbioses is essential to provide researchers and breeders with new tools to maximise nutrient acquisition by legumes, important crops contributing an estimated one billion Australian dollars per year to the Australian economy.