Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Early Plant Competition

传统上，作物和杂草的竞争被认为是一种植物通过更成功地消耗或控制对诸如光、水和养分等资源的获取而对另一种植物产生的负面影响。虽然毫无疑问，资源限制是植物竞争的主要因素，但其他变量，如光质量（即，低的红光与远红光比率（R：FR）也被证明在植物竞争中起重要作用。以前的研究仅限于描述性的竞争结果，如生物量或产量损失的变化。我们对植物内这些形态变化的实际生理和分子反应的理解是有限的。本研究旨在了解玉米和大豆中发生的机制，以响应检测邻近杂草的营养组织反映的光质量变化。这项研究的结果将确定新的生理和分子反应所产生的快速检测光质量的变化，并确定这些变化是否可以改变植物的能力，以应对环境的线索。此外，将确定由杂草竞争在作物内触发的新分子标记。此外，还将测试来自天然和化学来源的抗氧化剂化合物，以促进作物幼苗从作物和杂草竞争的负面影响中恢复过来。总之，这项研究将提供有价值的信息，以提高作物的抗逆性，通过育种和农艺措施。

Crop and weed competition has been viewed traditionally, as the negative effects which one plant has on another by being more successful at consuming or controlling access to resources such as light, water and nutrients. While there is no doubt that resource limitation is a major factor in plant competition, other variables such as light quality (i.e., low red to far-red ratio, R:FR) has also been shown to play an important role in plant competition. Previous studies have been limited to descriptive outcomes of competition such as changes in biomass or yield loss. Our understanding of the actual physiological and molecular responses that account for these morphological changes within the plant is limited. This research is directed to achieve an understanding of the mechanisms that occur in maize and soybeans in response to detection of changes in light quality reflected from the vegetative tissue of neighbouring weeds. Results from this study will identify new physiological and molecular responses resulting from rapid detection of changes in light quality and determine if these changes can alter the plants ability to respond to environmental cues. In addition, novel molecular markers triggered within the crop by weed competition will be identified. As well, antioxidant compounds from natural and chemical sources will be tested to facilitate the recovery of crop seedlings from the negative impact of crop and weed competition. Together, this research will provide valuable information to enhance stress tolerance in crop plants through both breeding and agronomic practices.