Genes Controlling Plant Size
Plant stature is a surprisingly important trait. Growing short has its advantages, so understanding the genetic controls is important. Dr. Phillipa Borrill is a group leader at the University of Norwich in the UK, and has identified a new gene that affec
Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta · Colabra
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (media.transistor.fm) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
Bigger plants are better, right? Not always. Control of plant or tree size can have many advantages, and genetic control of 'dwarf' phenotypes has been important in feeding a billion people. The problem is that the changes induced by dwarfing genes can have a negative effect on other aspects of plant biology, so identifying new genes to control size is an important goal. Dr. Philippa Borrill is a group leader at the John Innes Center, and she recently discovered a gene that contributes to size control in wheat. The discovery establishes a new means to possibly develop more productive crop varieties.