Scott A. Finlayson, PD. IOS-0719414, Phytochrome Regulation of Axillary Branching.
Branching is an important plant characteristic that plays a major role in determining overall plant form and evolutionary fitness, and also the suitability of crop plants for agricultural purposes. While some of the factors controlling branching have been discovered, others, such as the role of light signals, are less well understood. Plants use special sensors termed phytochromes to sense subtle changes in the light they are exposed to as a way of detecting nearby competing vegetation. When triggered, these sensors can cause the plant to alter its branching pattern to divert resources to the growth of the main shoot while suppressing branch growth. This response provides a means of overgrowing competing neighbors and may increase the chance of reproductive success. This study investigates how light signals, detected by phytochromes, regulate branch development using genetic, molecular, and physiological approaches. The project will define which parts of the plant are required to perceive the light signals that control branching and will provide information regarding cellular pathways and processes through which phytochromes control this trait. Furthermore, the project will discover the networks of genes associated with different phases of the branching process and how phytochromes influence their expression. The completion of this study will contribute to education through the training of Postdoctoral and undergraduate scientists and may lead to new strategies for optimizing yields by the manipulation of branching responses to light signals in crops.
