Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Faculty peers, postdocs and students (graduate and undergraduate) reading the scientific literature, attending national and international scientific meetings, and attending departmental seminars at international institutions, and the general public Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? During the course of this project one Ph.D. student received a rigorous training in genetic and genomic tools. One undergraduate student also received training in genetic and genomic tools each summer during the project. An additional Agricultural Technical Institute undergraduate student in Horticulture was also provided the opportunity to gain experience in greenhouse operations. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? I have given oral presentations describing the findings of our research efforts at national and international scientific meetings. These have all been invited presentations. Some research-related work has also been communicated to lay groups via web-based media, informal presentations to growers, and simple e-mail correspondence. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
LAB EXPERIMENTS: CBF expression was altered in barley to determine the effect on freezing tolerance and gene regulatory control. Experiments designed to determine the functional consequences of structural variation in the wheat and barley genomes were carried out. Genetic, physical mapping and DNA sequence analysis of barley genomic regions important for conferring freezing tolerance were carried out. Functional screens to identify proteins binding to DNA motifs regulating low temperature responsiveness in wheat and barley were carried out. Experiments designed to illuminate the evolutionary path of structural variation in the wheat and barley genomes were carried out using wild wheats and wild barleys. GROWTH CHAMBER EXPERIMENTS: Low temperature gene regulation and freezing tolerance experiments were carried out. GREENHOUSE EXPERIMENTS: Barley genetic stocks and resources including recombinant inbred line populations are being created to increase our understanding of the molecular genetic components of winter hardiness. Seed increases of established wheat and barley genetic stocks were also carried out. FIELD EXPERIMENTS: 2011/2012 Evaluation, selection and advancement of barley lines using field trials were carried out. Criteria include earliness, disease resistance, lodging resistance, head size, winter hardiness, and malting quality. ~80 F2 populations under selection for Ohio adaptability. >800 F3 selections from 2010/2011 are being advanced to the F4. KEY FINDINGS AND PROSPECTS: (1) By overexpressing a single transcription factor, CBF, we can impart an increase in freezing tolerance to barley plants. We predict that these plants will also exhibit an increase in freezing tolerance but we have not yet tested for that outcome. (2) Some barley lines naturally have higher copy numbers of the CBF genes that other barley lines. We have determined that the lines that have the higher copy numbers appear to have greater freezing tolerance. These findings require more rigorous testing with plant populations that we are currently creating. (3) Through rigorous genetic and sequence characterization of barley genomic regions important for conferring freezing tolerance my lab discovered that the genes at these regions are copy number variable; i.e., some barley lines have multiple copies of the genes while other barley lines have only single copies of the genes. This discovery is a major breakthrough and paradigm shift in the winter hardiness field of study. After publication of this finding many labs around the world have begun to find and realize that other genes involved in winter hardiness are also copy number variable. Acceptance of this paradigm shift will allow us to develop tools that are required to more reliably predict winter hardiness. (4) Through the use of bioinformatic (computational) methods we have identified short sequences in the regulatory region of the CBF genes that we predict act like switches to turn the genes on or off. Identification of these switches allows us to now focus on identifying the proteins that act on those switches. Identifying those proteins will give us more control over breeding for winter hardiness. (5) Preliminary experiments designed to illuminate the evolutionary path of structural variation in the wheat and barley genomes suggest that domestication may have resulted in the loss of genetic information from the wheat and barley genomes that are important for winter survival. We are currently carrying out more rigorous experimental analyses to verify these preliminary results. These findings are exciting because we tap into the wild relatives of wheat and barley and reintroduce this genetic information into cultivated forms.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Dhillon, T., and Stockinger, E.J. (2013). Cbf14 copy number variation in the A, B, and D genomes of diploid and polyploid wheat. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 126, 2777-2789.
Dhillon, T., and Stockinger, E.J. (2013). Cbf14 copy number variation in the A, B, and D genomes of diploid and polyploid wheat. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 126, 2777-2789.
Jekni?, Z., Pillman, K.A., Dhillon, T., Skinner, J.S., Veisz, O., Cuesta-Marcos, A., Hayes, P.M., Jacobs, A.K., Chen, T.H.H., and Stockinger, E.J. (2013). Hv-CBF2A overexpression in barley accelerates COR gene transcript accumulation and acquisition of freezing tolerance during cold acclimation. Plant Mol Biol.
|
Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: LAB EXPERIMENTS: CBF expression was altered in barley to determine the effect on freezing tolerance and gene regulatory control. Experiments designed to determine the functional consequences of structural variation in the wheat and barley genomes were carried out. Genetic, physical mapping and DNA sequence analysis of barley genomic regions important for conferring freezing tolerance were carried out. Functional screens to identify proteins binding to DNA motifs regulating low temperature responsiveness in wheat and barley were carried out. Experiments designed to illuminate the evolutionary path of structural variation in the wheat and barley genomes were carried out using wild wheats and wild barleys. GROWTH CHAMBER EXPERIMENTS: Low temperature gene regulation and freezing tolerance experiments were carried out. GREENHOUSE EXPERIMENTS: Barley genetic stocks and resources including recombinant inbred line populations are being created to increase our understanding of the molecular genetic components of winter hardiness. Seed increases of established wheat and barley genetic stocks were also carried out. FIELD EXPERIMENTS: 2011/2012 Evaluation, selection and advancement of barley lines using field trials were carried out. Criteria include earliness, disease resistance, lodging resistance, head size, winter hardiness, and malting quality. ~80 F2 populations under selection for Ohio adaptability. >800 F3 selections from 2010/2011 are being advanced to the F4. STUDENTS MENTORED: Taniya Dhillon (Ph.D. student), Melissa Fry (ATI undergraduate student), Bonnie Lathrop (2012 summer undergraduate student from Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, MI. Ph. D. ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY EXAM COMMITTEE SERVICE: Broderick, Shawn. Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, the Ohio State University. December 14, 2012. DISSERTATION EXAM COMMITTEE SERVICE: Grant, Trudi Nadia Lavinia (2012) Characterization of cold and short day acclimation in grape genotypes of contrasting freezing tolerance. Ph.D. Department of Horticulture and Crop Science. the Ohio State University. Zhang, Na (2012) Fine mapping and characterization of fw3.2, one of the major QTL controlling fruit size in tomato. Ph.D. Department of Horticulture and Crop Science. the Ohio State University. Rodrigo-Peiris, Thushani. (2012) Unraveling the functions of plant Ran GTPase-Activating Protein (RanGAP) by T-DNA mutant analysis AND investigation of molecular interactions of Tandem Zinc Finger 1 (TZF1) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Ph.D. Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology, the Ohio State University. Larson, Roger James Andrew (2012) Winter‐hardy spring wheat breeding: analysis of winter x spring wheat germplasm and the development of selection tools. Ph.D. Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph. Guelph Canada. Dhillon, Taniya (2012). Molecular and genetic analyses of freezing tolerance in the Triticeae cereals. Ph.D. Department of Horticulture and Crop Science. the Ohio State University. PARTICIPANTS: Taniya Dhillon (Ph.D. student); Melissa Fry (ATI undergraduate student in greenhouse plant management; Bonnie Lathrop (2012 summer undergraduate student from Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, MI, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellow) TARGET AUDIENCES: Faculty peers, postdocs and students (graduate and undergraduate) reading the scientific literature, attending national and international scientific meetings, and attending departmental seminars at international institutions. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
In order to successfully grow winter cereals such as wheat and barley in temperate climate regions like Ohio these cereals must possess a level of winter hardiness that confers the capacity to reliably survive winter. However winter hardiness is a complex trait. Even today modern breeding programs are unable to identify individuals which are superior or inferior in their winter hardiness unless they are grown over multiple winters, and in multiple locations. This presents a challenge because breeders of wheat and barley are constantly challenged with the need to breed for increased yield, increased disease resistance, and constantly changing market demands. As a consequence new genetic material is constantly being introduced into programs. A fundamental obstacle then faced is the inability to reliably identify individuals having superior freezing tolerance from breeding populations because currently there are no reliable predictors, and test winters do not occur with sufficient regularity to eliminate inferior individuals from breeding populations. Recently the OARDC wheat breeding program experienced a situation in which promising new selections advanced five generations, and soon to be released for commercialization, were killed in the 2006-2007 winter. Had the winter of 2006-2007 been mild instead of severe, these wheat selections could have ended up in Ohio farmers' fields where they would inevitably experience winter-kill at a later date. Winter hardiness is critically dependent upon the plant's ability to withstand prolonged periods of freezing temperatures and desiccating, or drought-like conditions. Focusing on freezing tolerance will allow learned principles to be applied to drought tolerance. However freezing tolerance levels are also not static and will increase and decrease over the course of winter. We are now finding that this window of freezing tolerance and the ability of the plant to sustain it is a key component of winter hardiness. I am working to identify genetic factors in the plant that affect freezing tolerance and the window of freezing tolerance. I am also working to understand how the endogenous genetic factors respond to exogenous cues from the environment (daylength and temperature) and alter the plant's window of freezing tolerance and its ability to sustain it. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that confer superior winter hardiness to wheat and barley will provide genetic tools facilitating the reliable identification of individuals having superior winter hardiness, in turn allow us to maintain and even increase production and yield, enhancing profitability. KEY FINDINGS AND PROSPECTS: (1) Regulatory genes increasing freezing tolerance, the CBFs, are higher in copy number in certain barley lines than other barley lines, suggesting freezing tolerance may in part be a "numbers game" in which more is better. (2) CBF gene activity exhibits an inverse relationship with flowering time genes suggesting the latter may be negative regulators of the former.
Publications
- Li, C., Rudi, H., Stockinger, E.J., Cheng, H., Cao, M., Fox, S.E., Mockler, T.C., Westereng, B., Fjellheim, S., Rognli, O.A., and Sandve, S.R. (2012). Comparative analyses reveal potential uses of Brachypodium distachyon as a model for cold stress responses in temperate grasses. BMC Plant Biology 12: 65.
- Stockinger (2012) Malting barley in Ohio. (http://oardc.osu.edu/stockingerlab/t08_pageview/Home.htm)
- Stockinger E. J. (2012) CBF gene copy number variation in wheat and barley and its association with freezing tolerance and winter hardiness. Seminar presented to: Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas. Denton TX. October 18
- Stockinger E. J. (2012) CBF gene copy number variation in wheat and barley and its association with freezing tolerance and winter hardiness. Seminar presented to: Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Beijing China. October 26
- Stockinger E. J. (2012) CBF gene copy number variation in wheat and barley and its association with freezing tolerance and winter hardiness. Seminar presented to: Department of Agronomy, National Taiwan University, Taipei Taiwan. November 2.
- Stockinger E. J. (2012) CBF gene copy number variation in wheat and barley and its association with freezing tolerance and winter hardiness. Seminar presented to: Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University. Beijing China. October 29 Stockinger E. J. (2012) Freezing tolerance in plants and the CBF story. Seminar presented to: Friday Fellowship - Listening to the University - Literature, Art, Music, History, and the Sciences - and Sharing Together. St. Thomas More Newman Center, Columbus OH. December 14.
|
Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: LAB EXPERIMENTS: Expression of regulatory genes altered in barley. Ongoing experiments to analyze wheat and barley genetic stocks at the DNA level Ongoing gene expression experiments to analyze wheat and barley genetic stocks Ongoing genetic and physical mapping, and DNA sequence analysis of wheat and barley genetic stocks GROWTH CHAMBER EXPERIMENTS: Low temperature gene regulation experiments carried out GREENHOUSE EXPERIMENTS: Winter hardiness and malting quality traits combined through genetic crossing F2 seed production Wheat and barley genetic stocks created Seed production of wheat and barley genetic stocks FIELD EXPERIMENTS: 2010/2011 field trials with barley lines evaluating malting quality, disease resistance, and winter hardiness 2010/2011 barley F2 and F3 populations under selection for Ohio adaptability Ph. D. ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY EXAM COMMITTEE SERVICE 2011: (2 students). Ph. D. DISSERTATION EXAM COMMITTEE SERVICE: (4 students). PARTICIPANTS: PARTICIPANTS: Taniya Dhillon, Stockinger's Ph.D. student TARGET AUDIENCES: TARGET AUDIENCES: faculty peers, postdocs and students (graduate and undergraduate) reading the scientific literature, attending national and international scientific meetings, and attending departmental seminars at international institutions. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
In order to successfully grow winter cereals such as wheat and barley in temperate climate regions like Ohio these cereals must possess a level of winter hardiness that confers the capacity to reliably survive winter. However winter hardiness is a complex trait. Even today modern breeding programs are unable to identify individuals which are superior or inferior in their winter hardiness unless they are grown over multiple winters, and in multiple locations. This presents a challenge because breeders of wheat and barley are constantly challenged with the need to breed for increased yield, increased disease resistance, and constantly changing market demands. As a consequence new genetic material is constantly being introduced into programs. A fundamental obstacle then faced is the inability to reliably identify individuals having superior freezing tolerance from breeding populations because currently there are no reliable predictors, and test winters do not occur with sufficient regularity to eliminate inferior individuals from breeding populations. Recently the OARDC wheat breeding program experienced a situation in which promising new selections advanced five generations, and soon to be released for commercialization, were killed in the 2006-2007 winter. Had the winter of 2006-2007 been mild instead of severe, these wheat selections could have ended up in Ohio farmers' fields where they would inevitably experience winter-kill at a later date. Today we know that winter hardiness is critically dependent upon the plant's ability to withstand prolonged periods of desiccation or drought-like conditions. Another component of winter hardiness is freezing tolerance. Freezing tolerance is amenable to empirical studies because we can put numbers to it using lab-based assays; i.e., what the lethal temperature is for a particular variety can be measured, whereas drought tolerance is much more subjective for a variety of reasons. Because of this I focus on freezing tolerance with the intention that learned knowledge can be applied to our understanding of drought tolerance. However freezing tolerance levels are also not static and will increase and decrease over the course of winter. We are now finding that this window of freezing tolerance and the ability of the plant to sustain it is a key component of winter hardiness. I am working to identify genetic factors in the plant that affect freezing tolerance and the window of freezing tolerance. I am also working to understand how the endogenous genetic factors respond to exogenous cues from the environment (daylength and temperature) and alter the plant's window of freezing tolerance and its ability to sustain it. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that confer superior winter hardiness to wheat and barley will provide genetic tools facilitating the reliable identification of individuals having superior winter hardiness, in turn allow us to maintain and even increase production and yield, enhancing profitability.
Publications
- Lee, C., Rudi, H., Stockinger, E.J., Cheng, H., Cao, M., Fjellheim, S., Westereng, B., Rognli, O.A., and Sandve, S.R. 2011. Comparative analyses reveal potential uses of Brachypodium distachyon as a model for cold stress responses in temperate grasses. BMC Plant Biology, (under review)
- Jeknić, Z., Pillman, K.A., Dhillon, T., Skinner, J.S., Veisz, O., Cuesta-Marcos, A. Hayes, P.M., Jacobs, A.K., Thomashow, M.F., Stockinger, E.J., and Chen, T.H.H. 2011. Hv-CBF2A overexpression in spring barley cultivar Golden Promise increases transcript levels of other CBF genes at FROST RESISTANCE-H2 and accelerates the acquisition of freezing tolerance. Plant, Cell & Environment, (under review)
- Stockinger, E. J. 2011. Pipkin. In The Oxford Companion to Beer. Edited by Oliver, Garrett. New York. Oxford University Press.
- Stockinger, Eric J., Poster Presenter. 2011. Genetic analyses of CBF gene copy numbers at FROST RESISTANCE-2. Presented at Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology: Functional Consequences of Structural Variation in the Genome. Steamboat Springs, CO. (January 8 - 13)
- Stockinger, Eric J. 2011. Seminar Presenter. Freezing tolerance and winter hardiness in the Triticeae cereals: historical aspects and current status. Department of Plant Pathology, the Ohio State University. Wooster, OH. (November 29)
- Stockinger, Eric J., Seminar Presenter. 2011. Genetic analyses of CBF copy number variation in the Triticeae. Presented at 2011 Annual Meetings of The American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. San Antonio, TX. (October 16)
- Stockinger, Eric J., Seminar Presenter. 2011. Genetic analyses of CBF gene copy numbers at FROST RESISTANCE-2. Presented at 2011 North American Barley Researchers Workshop. Oregon State University. Corvallis, OR. (June 8)
- Stockinger, Eric J., Seminar Presenter. 2011. Cold hardiness, a genomics perspective focusing on the Triticeae cereals. Presented at 9th International Plant Cold Hardiness Seminar. Centre de Recherche Public - Gabriel Lippmann. Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. (July 21)
- Stockinger, Eric J, Seminar Presenter. 2011. Genetic analyses of CBF gene copy numbers at FROST RESISTANCE-2 Department of Biology, The College of Wooster. Wooster, OH. (January 18)
|
Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Winter hardiness and malting quality are complex traits that are essential for the production of barley. Greater working knowledge of the genetic basis underlying winter hardiness will provide tools enabling the development of modern barleys possessing superior winter hardiness alongside superior malting quality characteristics. Traditionally spring-sown barleys are used for malting and brewing while autumn-sown winter barleys are used for animal feed. Recently there is immense interest by growers and end-users to have winter barleys that can be used for malting and brewing because of increased demand and decreased supplies; the latter due in part to new disease pressures and spring barley crop failures that are blamed on changing climatic patterns. Research in the Stockinger lab is revealing the molecular mechanisms that confer superior winter hardiness to wheat and barley. These studies are providing genetic tools that will allow the reliable identification of individuals having superior winter hardiness. Winter barleys produce significantly higher yields than spring barleys, they fetch significantly higher returns for growers, they are more water-use efficient, they avoid disease pressures faced by spring barleys because of earlier maturation, and earlier maturation occurs during conditions highly favorable for grain filling. High-quality winter barleys that can be used for malting and brewing have the potential to fill an agricultural niche, increase economic growth, and diversify agricultural land use in Ohio and in other regions of the US. PARTICIPANTS: One OSU Ph.D. student in Horticulture and Crop Science, two OSU Agricultural Technical Institute undergraduate students, and one Kalamazoo College (MI) undergraduate student. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target Audience(s) include faculty peers, postdocs and students (graduate and undergraduate) that read the scientific literature, attend national and international scientific meetings, and attend departmental seminars at institutions around the globe. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: All field experiments ended April 2010 after a member of the field crew sprayed the field with an herbicide. Many key lines were lost as a result. Greenhouse and growth chamber experiments were terminated September 16, 2010 when an EF-2 tornado struck the OARDC campus and destroyed the greenhouses and severed power. Many key lines were lost as a result.
Impacts
Winter hardiness and malting quality are complex traits that are essential for the production of barley. Greater working knowledge of the genetic basis underlying winter hardiness will provide tools enabling the development of modern barleys possessing superior winter hardiness alongside superior malting quality characteristics. Traditionally spring-sown barleys are used for malting and brewing while autumn-sown winter barleys are used for animal feed. Recently there is immense interest by growers and end-users to have winter barleys that can be used for malting and brewing because of increased demand and decreased supplies; the latter due in part to new disease pressures and spring barley crop failures that are blamed on changing climatic patterns. Research in the Stockinger lab is revealing the molecular mechanisms that confer superior winter hardiness to wheat and barley. These studies are providing genetic tools that will allow the reliable identification of individuals having superior winter hardiness. Winter barleys produce significantly higher yields than spring barleys, they fetch significantly higher returns for growers, they are more water-use efficient, they avoid disease pressures faced by spring barleys because of earlier maturation, and earlier maturation occurs during conditions highly favorable for grain filling. High-quality winter barleys that can be used for malting and brewing have the potential to fill an agricultural niche, increase economic growth, and diversify agricultural land use in Ohio and in other regions of the US.
Publications
- Knox A.K., Dhillon, T., Cheng, H., Tondelli, A., Pecchioni, N., and Stockinger, E.J. (2010) CBF gene copy number variation at Frost Resistance-2 is associated with levels of freezing tolerance in temperate-climate cereals. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 121: 21-35.
- Dhillon, T., Pearce, S. P., Stockinger, E. J., Distelfeld, A., Li, C., Knox, A. K., Vashegyi, I., Vagujfalvi, A., Galiba, G., and Dubcovsky, J. (2010) Freezing tolerance and flowering regulation in cereals: the VRN-1 connection. Plant Physiology. 153: 1846-1858.
- Dominguez, T., Hernandez, M.L., Pennycooke, J.C., Jimenez, P., Martinez-Rivas, J.M., Sanz, C., Stockinger, E.J., Sanchez-Serrano, J.J., and Sanmartin, M. (2010) Increasing ω-3 desaturase expression in tomato results in altered aroma profile and enhanced resistance to cold stress. Plant Physiology. 153: 655-665.
|
Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: LAB EXPERIMENTS: Genetic mutations have been employed to determine the underlying molecular basis of certain genes important for conferring freezing tolerance. A manuscript describing our findings is in the final stages of preparation. CBF expression has been altered in barley to determine the affect on freezing tolerance and gene regulatory control. A manuscript is in preparation. Genetic, physical mapping, and DNA sequence analysis of certain regions of the barley genome important for conferring freezing tolerance are being carried out. Bioinformatic analyses were carried out to identify DNA sequence motifs important for regulating low temperature responsiveness in wheat and barley. A book chapter describing these findings is in preparation. Antibodies have been raised to key proteins of interest. GREENHOUSE EXPERIMENTS: Superior winter hardiness and superior malting quality traits are being combined through genetic means. Wheat and barley that will be used for molecular genetic analyses of freezing tolerance have been propagated in the greenhouse to provide sufficient seed for experimental analyses. FIELD EXPERIMENTS: Field Trials with Oregon Barley Elite Trial lines (sown 10/12/09) are being carried out. Field Trials with barley lines were grown and evaluated 2008-2009 for malting quality, disease resistance, and winter hardiness. STUDENTS MENTORED: Two Ph.D. students in Horticulture and Crop Science, one Stark State Ohio undergraduate student, and two OSU Agricultural Technical Institute undergraduate students. Ph. D. ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY EXAM COMMITTEE SERVICE 2009: Five students total and from four departments (Veterinary Preventative Medicine, Environmental Sciences, PCMB/Molecular Genetics, and Horticulture and Crop Science) DISSERTATION EXAM COMMITTEE SERVICE: Two students (Horticulture and Crop Science, and Plant and Pest Science at the University of Adelaide, Australia) PARTICIPANTS: Taniya Dhillon, Stockinger's Ph.D. student TARGET AUDIENCES: Target Audience(s) include faculty peers, postdocs and students (graduate and undergraduate) that read the scientific literature, attend national and international scientific meetings, and attend departmental seminars at institutions around the globe. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Winter hardiness and malting quality are complex traits that are essential for the production of barley. Greater working knowledge of the genetic basis underlying winter hardiness will provide tools enabling the development of modern barleys possessing superior winter hardiness alongside superior malting quality characteristics. Traditionally spring-sown barleys are used for malting and brewing while autumn-sown winter barleys are used for animal feed. Recently there is immense interest by growers and end-users to have winter barleys that can be used for malting and brewing because of increased demand and decreased supplies; the latter due in part to new disease pressures and spring barley crop failures that are blamed on changing climatic patterns. Research in the Stockinger lab is revealing the molecular mechanisms that confer superior winter hardiness to wheat and barley. These studies are providing genetic tools that will allow the reliable identification of individuals having superior winter hardiness. Winter barleys produce significantly higher yields than spring barleys, they fetch significantly higher returns for growers, they are more water-use efficient, they avoid disease pressures faced by spring barleys because of earlier maturation, and earlier maturation occurs during conditions highly favorable for grain filling. High-quality winter barleys that can be used for malting and brewing have the potential to fill an agricultural niche, increase economic growth, and diversify agricultural land use in Ohio and in other regions of the US.
Publications
- BOOK CHAPTER: Stockinger EJ (2009) Winter hardiness and the CBF genes in the Triticeae. In: Plant Cold Hardiness From the Laboratory to the Field, LV Gusta, M Wisniewski and KK Tanino, (eds.), CABI Publishing Oxon, UK. pp. 119-130.
- ABSTRACTS: Lichtenberg, J., Alam, M., Bitterman, T., Drews, F. Ecker, K., Elnitski, L., Evans, S., Geisler, M., Grotewold, E., Gu, D., Jacox, E., Kurz, K. Lee, S., Liang, X., Majmudar, P. Morris, P. Nelson, C., Stockinger, E. J., Welch, J., Wyatt, S., Yilmaz, A., Welch, L.R. (2009) Construction of Genomic Regulatory Encyclopedias: Strategies and Case Studies. Fourth Annual Ohio Collaborative Conference on Bioinformatics. Case Western University, Cleveland Ohio, June 14-17.
- Lichtenberg, J., Yilmaz, A., Kurz, K., Liang, X., Drews, F. Grotewold, E., Nelson, C., Stockinger, E.J., and Welch, L.R. (2009) Word Encyclopedias of Plant Genomes. Ohio Plant Biotechnology Consortium. Ohio State University, Columbus OH. Nov 14. (3rd Place in paper competition)
- INVITED SPEAKER: Stockinger E.J. (2009) Molecular Genetic Analyses of Winter Hardiness in the Triticeae cereals. Department of Biology, The College of Wooster, Wooster OH. Jan 15.
- Stockinger E.J. (2009) Structural and regulatory features of barley CBF genes at Frost Resistance-2 in relation to freezing tolerance and VRN-1 allelic states. 2009 Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Symposium, Function of Protein and DNA Modifications in Plants. The Ohio State University, Columbus OH. March 24-25.
|
Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The project started in October of 2008. My lab has just recently generated preliminary data indicating that differences in CBF gene copy numbers occur between hexaploid winter and spring wheat genotypes. We also find differences across winter wheat types. We now hypothesize that these copy number differences may account for differences in winter survival observed across wheats including different advanced breeding line selections from Dr. Clay Sneller's breeding program, and hope to test this hypothesis. We have used bioinformatics to identify motifs in the regulatory regions of the CBF genes and will be testing these bioinformatically-identified motifs for functionality in the coming year. PARTICIPANTS: Taniya Dhillon, Stockinger's Ph.D. student TARGET AUDIENCES: Target Audience(s) include faculty peers, postdocs and students (graduate and undergraduate) that read the scientific literature, attend national and international scientific meetings, and attend departmental seminars at institutions around the globe. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Illuminating the Frost Resistance-2 locus and how the genes at this locus are regulated will lead to a much greater understanding of the underlying molecular-genetic basis of freezing and drought tolerance in wheat, barley, and rye. This work will provide genetic tools enabling the development of modern cultivars possessing superior freezing and drought tolerance alongside improved agronomic characters such as enhanced malting quality of barley, and superior bread-making quality of wheat. Ohio farmers and farmers around the world and society in general will benefit from this work through enhanced economic value added to the wheat, barley, and rye crops, and through reduced losses expected to occur as a result of winter kill and drought.
Publications
- Project started in October of 2008. Two Manuscripts have been submitted and acceptance is pending.
|
|