Through the use of mutants and transgenic plants he has been able to define the respective roles of the family of phytochrome photoreceptors and provided a molecular framework for understanding and manipulating competitive interactions between plants. The objective is to develop genetic engineering approaches to modify the architecture of wheat plants grown in the field. Benefits will include reduced elongation growth, improved allocation of resources to seeds, decreased susceptibility to lodging, extension of photosynthetic activity and delayed senescene. PHYC gene constructs will be generated. Photophysiological analysis will be used to identify transformed lines with modified architecture, and these will be subject to full crop physiological analysis leading to field trials.
Light signals play a crucial role in determining the architecture of individual plants and canopies.
FR ratio, which are perceived by the phytochromes. We propose to develop a novel strategy for the elimination of shade avoidance elongation growth responses. Maarten Koornneef, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Shade avoidance is a classic example of phenotypic plasticity - individuals of identical genotype exhibit very different growth patterns depending on the signals they receive of the proximity of neighbours. Phenotypic plasticity theoretically requires the differential selection of gene expression, and is normally thought to be multigenic in character.