Plant Science

Metabolic Regulation and Signalling



Research Leader:
Contact: Dr Dimah Habash
Tel: 01582 763133 ext. 2714
fax: 01582 763010
e-mail: Dr Dimah Habash

Scientific approach

We are studying the efficiency of resource use in a major crop, wheat. There have been tremendous increases in wheat yield over the past decades due to the introduction of improved varieties coupled with high chemical inputs. Whilst this strategy has been successful, emerging concerns over environmental pollution and economic considerations are introducing new drivers for farming wheat. To enable a sustainable system of production, we have to use all the available scientific tools to enhance, modify and select wheat varieties which have the ability to use resources more efficiently. We employ a multidisciplinary approach including genetics, biochemistry, genomics, bio-informatics and physiology to deconstruct and understand the genetic components of these complex traits in wheat.

Nitrogen Use Efficiency
Our focus is to understand the molecular and genetic processes defining nitrogen utilisation efficiency (NutE) in bread wheat. In particular, we are studying the gene expression and function of glutamine synthetase (GS), the major enzyme involved in assimilating ammonium into amino acids, and its contribution to the remobilisation of assimilate to the grain. The consequences of manipulating the expression of this enzyme have been studied in wheat and maize. Genetic linkage analysis is used to deconstruct various metabolic and physiological aspects of N assimilation and several loci have been identified. Efforts shall also target the study of genetic variation for NutE in UK wheat cultivars.


Fig.1. QTLs established on a wheat chromosome for traits relating to N use.

Links
The EU SUSTAIN project

Water Use Efficiency
Water is a major determinant of yield for farming wheat in the Mediterranean basin. Durum wheat is one of the most widely cultivated crops mainly grown under rain fed conditions, often characterized by low rainfall and other stresses. We are coordinating a new EUFVI project combing quantitative genetics, crop physiology and transcriptome analysis to identify loci controlling wheat responses and growth under drought. In particular we are studying the physiology and transcriptome of lines from a mapping population of durum wheat from two breeding lines, Lahn x Cham1 (developed at ICARDA.) Individuals showing stability of yield under drought will be selected for transcriptome studies using the Affymetrix wheat chips. We will develop new bioinformatics approaches to integrate database information on responses to drought.
Fig.2. Field trial of Lahn x Cham1 durum wheat mapping population in ICARDA to establish loci for drought.

Links
The EU TRITIMED project
The EU OPTIWHEAT project

Team members

Marcela Baudo
(April 2005- to date)
Agronomy Engineer, PhD in Molecular Genetics.
I am a Postdoctoral Research Scientist member of the Tritimed team. I am involved in the design, development and implementation of experiments leading to Wheat Affymetrix data analysis.
Main activities:

Selection and implementation of genotypes evaluated under field conditions in the Mediterranean

Optimisation of conditions for drought stress imposition to selected Mediterranean genotypes under controlled environmental conditions (CE)

Design of microarray experiments

Transcriptomic data analysis

Management and training of technical staff
contact details:
Dr. Maria Marcela Baudo
Plant Science Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts AL5 2JQ
Tel: +44 (0)1582 763133 ext. 2805 (office)
FAX: +44 (0)1582 763010
e-mail: Dr Marcela Baudo

BBSRC studentship in collaboration with Jacob Koehler (BAB Department) - to be appointed 2006