JIC Institute Strategic Programmes

Research in this Programme aims to generate new knowledge of genes and networks controlling plant growth and development and uses this to understand the processes controlling crop plant productivity.

Our research is clustered into three trait- and crop- led themes that integrate and focus research directly onto key strategic objectives in the major groups of rotation crop plants in the UK: bread wheat, oil seed rape and legumes. These research themes focus on reproduction, plant architecture and biomass and yield traits. This research is supported and guided by research in a fourth theme that focuses on developing new approaches, resources and enabling technologies to underpin research in crop productivity and knowledge transfer to crop plants. The outputs of our research are directly linked to breeding programmes of our collaborating industrial partners.

Our research has the following distinctive characteristics:

• Modelling, imaging, genomic and theoretical approaches are used to guide research
• We take a multidisciplinary approach to understanding gene function
• Research focussed on key crop traits underlying productivity is integrated with knowledge from model systems to gain a deeper understanding of mechanisms involved in plant productivity and to identify key genes
• New genomics and informatics strategies are being developed for applying knowledge about plant productivity to the key UK rotation crops in alliance with plant breeders.

This programme investigates interactions between the plant and its environment using molecular genetics, population genetics, structural, biochemical and cell biological approaches and mathematical modelling.

The overall objective of the programme is to create a coherent understanding of plant-environment interactions and this is addressed by the specific objectives:

• Investigation into the mechanisms of nutrient acquisition involving roots and symbionts, the assimilation of these nutrients in the plant tissue and the improvement of nutrient-use-efficiency in wheat.
• To understand the plants’ perception and response to the abiotic environment, both ambient changes and stressful situations and applying this knowledge to improve wheat and barley resilience and productivity.
• Dissecting the mechanisms of plant/pathogen and plant/pest interactions and applying this to increase pest and pathogen resistance in wheat and other target crops.
• Developing an understanding of the mechanisms in wheat that allow integration of diverse environmental signals and how this impinges on yield.

This programme addresses outstanding fundamental questions in plant and microbial metabolism, and exploits research outcomes for the improvement of crops for raw materials and enhanced food and feed quality, the development of bio-based industries and the discovery and development of new natural products, including antibiotics.

The overall objectives of the programme are:

• To understand core metabolic processes, the evolutionary origins and functional significance of metabolic diversity, and the interactions of metabolism with development and with environmental cues.
• To exploit this information to underpin improvements in agriculture, bio-based industries and health.