Smart plant technology for sensing crop nutritional status

A DEFRA-funded project (AR09-11) which utiliseD cDNA-AFLP and microarray technology identified nutrient regulated genes in wheat exploited the Broadbalk experiment.

The project has identified plant genes whose expression is regulated by specific nutrient status, particularly by N and S. Genes have been evaluated for quantitative expression in relation to differential nutrient status in wheat.

Promoters of candidate genes have been isolated and coupled to reporter genes for use in a transient expression assay systems to evaluate responsiveness to nutritional status following re-introduction by bombardment. The promoters from this screening programme coupled to appropriate reporter genes (fluorescence, luminescence) will be suitable for introduction into transgenic crops or specific sentinel plants which are able to signal or communicate the nutritional status of the crop.

Field-based detection would be through hand-held or tractor-based monitoring. This 'smart plant' technology will aid precision farming, avoiding uneconomic and potentially environmentally damaging excessive application of fertilisers.

Fig 6: Northern blot analysis of gene expression showing a wheat gene specifically induced by sulphate deficiency (-S) at Woburn farm, on Broadbalk and in laboratory grown (hydroponic) plants

Howarth et al, 2009

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