REPROHEAT · Increasing reproductive success in crops under high ambient temperature
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2017-02-12 → 2019-02-11
- EU contribution
- €158,122
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
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Results in brief
Increasing reproductive success in crops under high ambient temperature
Global warming has been demonstrated to exert a negative effect on Agriculture, for instance counteracting the possible benefits that an increase in CO2 might have in plant physiology. One of the most serious problems caused by higher temperatures with respect to cultivated plants is the decrease in male fertility, which has been associated to several factors including the malformation of pollen grains and to the limitation of pollen tube growth during fertilization. The investigation of treatments and the search for crop varieties that allow an increased tolerance to high temperatures is a very active research field. Several compounds have been tested in the lab to improve pollen fertility with different degrees of success, suchas ethylene, brassinosteroids and auxins. REPROHEAT has tackled this issue with two strategies in parallel: (1) the generation of plant varieties that increase endogenous auxin production in ovaries to promote pollen tube elongation; and (2) the search for compounds that stimulate pollen tube growth by reducing auxin inactivation in ovaries.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
High ambient temperatures represent an obstacle for reproductive development in plants. Our own preliminary data indicate that mutations affecting auxin methylation facilitate pollen tube growth and confer increased reproductive capacity under higher temperatures in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We propose to explore the benefit of reducing auxin methylation in temperature-sensitive crops like tomato and rice to maintain higher fruit/grain yields under heat and drought stress conditions. The research program includes field testing of new tomato varieties generated in this project, in conjunction with a crop company. The combined approach using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology and chemical genetics, together with the thorough training program that we have devised, is targeted at complementing Dr. Resentini’s strong experience in plant molecular and cellular biology. By the end of the term, she will have an advantageous professional position at the interphase between Academy and European Industry.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS · MadridCoordinatorSpain
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union