Projects
Society relies on mathematical descriptions of climate change, weather forecasting, crop performance, and other processes in which the control of carbon uptake and water loss by plants forms a basic element.
Theme
- Plant environmental biology and functional ecology
Determine the virulence function of effectors from flax rust and wheat stem rust
Theme
- Photosynthesis and plant energy biology
- Plant-microbe interactions
Student intake
Open for Bachelor, Honours, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- Megan Outram, Supervisor
- Simon Williams, Supervisor
The architecture of the root system is integral for plant productivity as the spatial deployment of roots will substantially determine the ability of the plant to exploit nutrient sources.
Theme
- Plant genetics and gene regulation
- Plant-microbe interactions
Student intake
Open for Bachelor, Honours, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- Michael Djordjevic, Supervisor
Nitrogen fertiliser is indispensable for agricultural productivity, but crops are inefficient at utilising fertiliser for grain production.
Theme
- Plant genetics and gene regulation
Student intake
Open for Honours, Master, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- Michael Djordjevic, Collaborator
- Michael Taleski, Principal investigator
- Ulrike Mathesius, Collaborator
Many of the algae forming symbiotic associations with coral reef organisms have unique forms of Rubisco which we know very little about.
Theme
- Photosynthesis and plant energy biology
Transient gene expression via agroinfiltration of tobacco leaves has been used to study the interaction between many different resistance (R) proteins and their cognate avirulence (Avr) proteins. In this assay system, R protein activation and downstream signalling results in leaf necrosis.
Theme
- Plant-microbe interactions
- Host-microbe biology
This series of project builds upon the chloroplast signalling work, but moves into large scale biology with projects ranging from epigenetics and drought stress, novel mechanisms for regulating transcription.
Theme
- Plant environmental biology and functional ecology
- Plant genetics and gene regulation
One of the biggest challenges of the 21st century is to feed an increasing world population of up to 9 billion people. Wheat is the most widely grown crop in the world and together with rice provides over 60% of all calories consumed world-wide. Wheat is the major crop in Australia and contributes 5% towards worldwide production. However we could do even better if harvest loss due to pathogen epidemics were reduced.
Theme
- Host-microbe biology
- Plant genetics and gene regulation
- Plant-microbe interactions
Student intake
Open for Bachelor, Honours, Master, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- Benjamin Schwessinger , Supervisor
- John Rathjen, Supervisor