Eine hohe Resistenz gegen Bodenpathogene, gute Standortanpassung und Veredlungsaffinität sind die entscheidenden Merkmale von Unterlagen. Bei der Pathogenresistenz ist bei Reben die Widerstandsfähigkeit gegen die Reblaus Daktulosphaira vitifoiae essentiell, da die europäische Kulturrebe Vitis vinifera L über keinerlei Resistenzen verfügt und nur an wenigen Standorten ein wurzelechter Anbau möglich ist. Amerikanische Wildformen mit solchen Reblausresistenzen sind daher in der Unterlagenzüchtung von großer Bedeutung. Die langfristige Sicherung solcher Genotypen ist daher eine Voraussetzung für spätere Züchtungsarbeiten zur Erstellung neuer besserer Unterlagen. Daneben spielt auch die Standortanpassung eine wichtige Rolle. Vitis berlandieri ist hier am wichtigsten, da sie als einzige Art über eine hohe Kalkverträglichkeit verfügt und die Mehrheit der deutschen und europäischen Weinbaustandorte durch hohe Kalkgehalte im Boden charakterisiert sind. Kalkempfindliche Arten leiden unter Kalkchlorose mit stark vermindertem Wuchs. Aufgrund begrenzter Verfügbarkeit wurden jedoch nur wenige Pflanzen der Art in der Unterlagenzüchtung verwendet und damit nur ein Teil des Potentials der Art genutzt. In einem gemeinsamen Projekt mit dem United States Department for Agriculture wurden daher im September 2005 im ursprünglichen Verbreitungsgebiet der Art in Zentraltexas Samen von Wildformen gesammelt und die Hälfte davon in Geisenheim zur Keimung gebracht und ausgepflanzt. Derzeit werden mehr als 5000 Pflanzen in der in vivo Erhaltung. In den kommenden Jahren werden diese hinsichtlich ihrer relevanten Eigenschaften phänotypisch charakterisiert und in einem späteren Stadium auch genotypisiert, um für weitere Kreuzungs- und Selektionsarbeiten nutzbares material zu identifizieren.
Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is an important cereal grain which serves as major animal fodder crop as well as basis for malt beverages or staple food. Currently barley is ranked fourth in terms of quantity of cereal crops produced worldwide. In times of a constantly growing world population in conjunction with an unforeseeable climate change and groundwater depletion, the accumulation of knowledge concerning cereal growth and rate of yield gain is important. The Nordic Genetic Resource Center holds a major collection of barley mutants produced by irradiation or chemical treatment. One phenotypic group of barley varieties are dwarf mutants (erectoides, brachytic, semidwarf, uzu). They are characterized by a compact spike and high rate of yield while the straw is short and stiff, enhancing the lodging resistance of the plant. Obviously they are of applied interest, but they are also of scientific interest as virtually nothing is known about the genes behind the development of plant dwarfism. The aim of this project is to identify and isolate the genes carrying the mutations by using state of the art techniques for gene cloning at the Carlsberg Laboratory. The identified genes will be connected with the mutant phenotype to reveal the gene function in general. One or two genes will be overexpressed and the resulting recombinant proteins will be biochemically and structurally characterized. The insights how the mutation effects the protein will display the protein function in particular. Identified genes and their mutant alleles will be tested in the barley breeding program of the Carlsberg brewery.
Eine hohe Resistenz gegen Bodenpathogene, gute Standortanpassung und Veredlungsaffinität sind die entscheidenden Merkmale von Unterlagen. Bei der Pathogenresistenz ist bei Reben die Widerstandsfähigkeit gegen die Reblaus Daktulosphaira vitifoiae essentiell, da die europäische Kulturrebe Vitis vinifera L über keinerlei Resistenzen verfügt und nur an wenigen Standorten ein wurzelechter Anbau möglich ist. Klimaveränderungen erfordern neue Unterlagen mit hoher Reblausfestigkeit und besserer Standortanpassung. Aufgrund der derzeitigen Szenarien werden sowohl Trockenresistenz als auch Toleranz gegen hohe Kalkgehalte insbesondere in Verbindung mit hohem Bodenwassergehalte zukünftig von Bedeutung sein. Hierfür werden entsprechende Kreuzungen vorgenommen, die Sämlinge aufgezogen, auf ihre Reblausfestigkeit getestet und anschießend Prüfungen der Wurzelungs- und Veredlungsfähigkeit vorgenommen. Anschließend wird die Witterungs- und Bodenanpassung der Zuchtstämme insbesondere auf Trocken- und Kalkstandorten untersucht. Ziel ist die Entwicklung verschiedener Unteralgen, die eine vollständige Reblausresistenz mit hohen Trockenheits- und/oder Kalktoleranz kombinieren.
Salinity occurs often simultaneously with drought stress. Therefore, breeding for tolerance to combined both stresses can contribute significantly to crop yield. However, classical selection in salinity has generally been unsuccessful, partly due to high variability of salt stress resulting from the different salinity and drought status. Unfortunately, the use of unrealistic stress protocols for mimicking salinity and drought stress is the norm rather than the exception in biotechnological studies. Therefore, the great challenge is to gain knowledge required to develop plants with enhanced tolerance to field conditions. Our overall hypothesis is that a realistic stress protocol simulating a field environment with combined salt and drought stress as a platform for precision phenotyping of plant tolerance to salinity may solve this problem. This study will demonstrate that highly managed stress environments can be created and key traits of plants can be characterised by using advanced non-destructive sensors that are able to identify relevant traits of plants.
Die Flussperlmuschel (Margaritifera margaritifera) ist als vom Aussterben bedrohte Art einzustufen. Die Nachzucht der Muschel gelang in den letzten Jahren mittels einer eigens errichteten Nachzuchtstation jedoch durchaus sehr erfolgreich. Um für die Wiederansiedelung der Flussperlmuschel in Fließgewässern zu gewährleisten gilt es vorab geeignete Lebensraumbedingungen zu finden. Dabei ist die Habitatmodellierung als geeignetes Instrument für eine Bewertung bzw. eine Vorauswahl anzusehen. Diese Modellierung beruht auf Eingangsparametern, die in intakten Flussperlmuschelgewässern erhoben werden müssen. Solche intakten Gewässer mit reproduktiven Flussperlmuschelpopulationen existieren aktuell nur noch in Nordeuropa (z. B. Schweden, Finnland, Norwegen) und in einem deutschen Heidebach, der Lutter, in der ein umfangreiches, das gesamte Einzugsgebiet umfassendes Sanierungs- und Wiederansiedelungsprojekt sehr erfolgreich umgesetzt wurde. Ziel des Projektes ist es, in verschiedenen österreichischen Gewässern jene (Lebensraum-)Parameter zu erfassen, welche von der Flussperlmuschel genutzt bzw. auch nicht genutzt werden, um funktionale Zusammenhänge für ein zukünftiges Management zu erkennen, bzw. auch jene Nutzungskurven abzuleiten, die für mögliche hydraulische Modellanwendungen zur Habitatevaluierung benötigt werden. Um dieses Ziel zu Erreichen wird eine Charakterisierung der Gewässermorphologie mittels tachymetrischer Vermessung von genutzten und nicht genutzten Gewässerprofilen durchgeführt als Grundlage für die eindimensionale numerische Modellierung (HEC-RAS). Weiters werden Kornverteilungskurven mittels volumetrischer Beprobung aus Deck- und Unterschicht erstellt mit einer Bestimmung der Feinsedimentanteile (kleiner als 0,063 mm, kleiner als 0,125 mm, kleiner als 0,250 mm) durchgeführt.
Establishment of modified genes If genes from genetically modified plants were to be passed on to their wild relatives, there could be serious ecological consequences, particularly if these genes were to become established in the genomes of wild plants. So far, little is known about these processes. Background One possible risk associated with genetically modified crop plants is the propagation of their genes through cross-breeding with closely related species. Scientists are seeking to assess whether resistance could be transferred from crop plants to weeds in this way and subsequently propagated in the weeds. If this was the case, these weeds would also become resistant to diseases or herbicides, an undesirable side effect. Objectives Hybrids of transgenic wheat and a close relative, jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica), will be grown under greenhouse conditions to generate information on the propagation of modified genes and whether they can become established in the genome of a wild species over several generations. The ecological consequences of this type of gene transfer will be investigated as part of the field trial with transgenic wheat (cf. Keller project I). Methods A first generation of transgenic wheat and jointed goatgrass hybrids will be bred in a greenhouse trial. Subsequent generations will be studied to see how the transgenic sequences from the wheat are passed on in the hybrids and how active they are. In addition, the ecological consequences will be assessed in a field trial. Significance There is already considerable information about the risk of cross-breeding between transgenic crop plants and their wild relatives, but little is known about the ecological consequences. The project closes this gap by investigating how the modified genes from transgenic wheat can be inherited in cross-breeding with goatgrass and whether the resulting plants have new ecological traits such as undesirable resistance.
Abiotic environmental stresses are among the major factors limiting agricultural productivity in many developing countries. A common feature of various environmental stresses is the excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the leaf tissue leading to 'oxidative stress' and in turn visible leaf lesions, reduced growth, and in severe cases plant death. This project aims at identifying molecular mechanisms associated with oxidative stress tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under three different environmental conditions: (i) high tropospheric ozone concentration, (ii) zinc deficiency, and (iii) iron toxicity. This is achieved by dissecting naturally occurring genotypic variability in oxidative stress tolerance into distinct quantitative trait loci (QTL). Physiological mechanisms and genes underlying such tolerance QTL are identified by adopting an interdisciplinary approach including biochemical characterization of the antioxidant systems, transcriptome profiling, and experiments with gene knock-out mutants for candidate genes. Theoretical understanding of stress tolerance mechanisms obtained from laboratory experiments would be validated in field experiments together with international research institutions and partners in developing countries. At a later stage, the project strives to adopt emerging techniques in gene discovery such as single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) based association mapping, and apply lessons learned from studying the 'model cereal crop' rice to other species such as barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The project is expected to contribute to world-wide efforts in adapting crop production to stress environments by specifically advancing the understanding of oxidative stress tolerance.
Effects of anthropogenic noise on fish behaviour and development Background Anthropogenic (man-made) noise is causing an ever-increasing problem in the natural world and it penetrates through all media - air, soil, vegetation and even water -, and may therefore affect any animals with hearing abilities and for which sound plays a crucial role. Compared to terrestrial animals, however, there have been far fewer investigations of the impact of anthropogenic noise on marine and freshwater organisms; relatively little is known about how exposure to such sounds affects fish. Investigations into potentially negative influences on fish are vital because they provide a critical food resource to the burgeoning human population and form an integral link in many food webs. The need for scientifically rigorous studies examining the impacts of anthropogenic noise on fish is therefore obvious, and has been highlighted in recent academic review and by inclusion in the policies of international and national organisations. Many species live in groups, where social interactions are essential. This is especially true for cooperative breeders - species in which parents are assisted in the care of their offspring by other individuals, known as 'helpers' - which display a wide repertoire of behaviours. Cooperatively breeding fishes are frequently territorial and consequently cannot escape areas of high anthropogenic noise; they are therefore highly vulnerable to any disruptive effects of such noise on behaviour and development. However, nothing is yet known about how anthropogenic noise might impact helping behaviour and very little about its effects on fish development. Objectives This project focuses on the effects of anthropogenic noise on fish behaviour and development. Specifically, I will investigate for the first time in fish how anthropogenic noise affects cooperative behaviour. Furthermore, I will examine how any noise-induced changes in cooperative care impact on offspring development, in addition to direct effects arising from the exposure of eggs and fry to the noise itself. By combining physiological assessment of hearing thresholds, controlled experimental manipulations, detailed behavioural observations and developmental measures of a well-studied model species (the cooperatively breeding cichlid, Neolamprologus pulcher), my overall aim is to advance our understanding of the disruptiveness of man-made sound on fish. In particular, I will address the following key research questions: o Q1. Does anthropogenic noise disrupt cooperative behaviour? o Q2. How is reproductive success affected by anthropogenic noise?
Transgenes inserted into crop plants could migrate into the genetic material of closely related wild types and cause undesirable effects - such as the development of resistance to herbicides. Background Goatgrasses (Aegilops) are genetically closely related to wheat and are often found in wheat fields, where they can be very aggressive weeds. If genetically modified wheat - for example a variety resistant to a certain herbicide - was brought onto the market on a large scale, there would be a danger of the modified genes migrating by means of wheat pollen into the genetic material (genome) of goatgrasses, making these weeds resistant to herbicides too. This risk has been demonstrated on many occasions. However, little is known about the actual probability of this gene migration occurring. Objectives The project aims to quantify to which extent the genes of genetically unmodified wheat have already mingled naturally with the genome of goatgrasses growing in the vicinity. The project also aims to assess the extent to which modified genes from transgenic wheat could spread into other, related wild types if they were to cross. Methods Various goat grasses from the Mediterranean region and North America will be investigated using genetic markers to establish how many genes have already migrated from unmodified wheat into the genome of these grasses through foreign pollination. The way these migrated genes are passed on to other related wild species will be investigated by cross-breeding various goatgrasses under both natural and experimental conditions. Significance The frequency with which wheat genes are transferred to closely related wild types and an understanding of the mechanisms by which the transferred genes spread among the wild types are important in assessing the risk associated with the development of marketable transgenic wheat varieties. In addition, the goatgrasses that will be studied are currently native predominantly around the Mediterranean and in North America but are likely to become more common in our country in the future, not least because of their migratory potential and the effects of global warming.
This ITN provides training multidisciplinary and multisectorial opportunities in a diversity of research approaches and methodologies for sustainable apple growing. The scientific work focuses on apple as one of the economically most important European fruit crops. It will investigate the most devastating bacterial disease (fire blight caused by Erwinia amylovora). The overall aim is to identify and exploit general resistance mechanisms and to apply them to other crop-pathogen systems. The research programme will adopt both, short- and long-term strategies, to obtain new, cost-effective and ecologically beneficial protectants and protective strategies. Short-term strategies refer to agronomic influences on disease resistance. Long-term strategies will focus on the breeding for disease resistance and, therefore, on the identification of resistance genes. The use of resistant plants will reduce the need for plant protectants and, thus, the potential risks to consumers, fruit-growers and environment. Full genome sequence information of horticultural plants (apple published 2010, pear expected this year) and their main pathogens opens completely new possibilities to develop control measures and define breeding strategies. An interdisciplinary approach is needed to develop innovative approaches. Therefore, it is necessary to provide wide-ranging opportunities to overcome institutional and disciplinary boundaries for some time and to work and obtain training on related research fields at other institutions. These cover natural defence mechanisms, host-pathogen interactions and agronomic effects. Young researchers will become familiar with modern methods in breeding, horticulture, phytopathology, analysis, biochemistry, molecular biology and bioinformatics. In addition, training in research management, communication/presentation and team management will provide key skills for public and private sector employment thereby improving employment chances of young researchers.
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