Julie E. Gray
University of Sheffield
Julie Gray is a professor, and the Director of Research and Innovation, in the School of Biosciences at the University of Sheffield. She is interested in understanding plant environmental signalling responses, particularly those that control the opening or closing of stomatal pores, or that determine how many stomata develop on the leaf surface. Her research group have identified and manipulated the expression of stomatal signalling genes to create crops with enhanced water use efficiency, drought and salinity tolerance.
Title of presentation
Manipulating stomata to enhance stress tolerance
Authors
Julie Gray, Robert Caine and Jessica Dunn
University of Sheffield, UK
Abstract
Characterisation of Arabidopsis epidermal patterning factors, which regulate stomatal development, has allowed us to manipulate orthologous signalling peptides in cereal crops. This has produced crops with abnormally low or high densities of stomata and correspondingly altered stomatal conductance. Modified crops with substantially reduced stomatal density have lower levels of water loss and enhanced drought tolerance. They require less water to grow, and yet maintain seed yields. For example, rice plants with approximately half the usual number of stomata, use only 60% of the normal amount of water, are better able to survive drought, and still yield well. Crops with increased stomatal densities have enhanced cooling capacity at high temperatures but are able to close their stomata to conserve water under drought conditions. Optimisation of stomatal conductance to suit growth conditions could enhance yields under stressful conditions and perhaps help to mitigate the impacts of climate change on food security.
My Sessions
Manipulating stomata to enhance stress tolerance
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Presentation