Projects / Programmes
Rastlinska fiziologija in biotehnologija (Slovene)
January 1, 1999
- December 31, 2003
Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
4.06.00 |
Biotechnical sciences |
Biotechnology |
|
1.03.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Biology |
|
Code |
Science |
Field |
B310 |
Biomedical sciences |
Physiology of vascular plants |
T490 |
Technological sciences |
Biotechnology |
B191 |
Biomedical sciences |
Plant biochemistry |
B390 |
Biomedical sciences |
Phytotechny, horticulture, crop protection, phytopathology |
Researchers (20)
Organisations (1)
no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
1. |
0105 |
National Institute of Biology |
Ljubljana |
5055784 |
13,283 |
Abstract
The programme in Plant Physiology and Biotechnology is designed to bring basic research in the former to bear on studies for industrial applications. Research is centred on
- responses of plants to stress caused by pathogens
- transformation of plants for the development of virus resistant plants
- identification and characterization of plant pathogens and development of diagnostic methods
- production of secondary metabolites in tissue culture.
Plant defence against pathogens is economically very important. The symptoms of infection are well documented but the physiological responses, and hence the natural mechanisms of resistance, are still not understood. We will study the metabolism of plant hormones, particularly jasmonates and salicylic acid, which function as signal molecules in the physiological response of plants to pathogens. As infection often resulted in chlorotic leaves, the metabolism of photosynthetic pigments and peroxidase activity will be also followed. The cellular location of proteins involved in defence, in plants stressed by jasmonic acid or virus infection, will be studied by immuno-localization using electron microscopy, to shed light on their function. The function of plant hormones (jasmonates, cytokinins and auxins) will be studied also in healthy plants.
Resistance to pathogens will be introduced by transforming plants using molecular biology and plant tissue culture. The RNA level and DNA copies of introduced genes in already established transformed lines will be determined and the level of introduced resistance evaluated by infection tests. Genetically modified plants resistant to pathogens will be used in physiological studies of plant defence.
Work on the identification and characterization of plant pathogens will be continued. This depends on the application and development of methods like electron microscopy, serological techniques, fatty acid profiles and molecular biology tools.
Plants are potential factories for producing natural products such as drugs, if they can be grown in suitable types of tissue culture. Selected pharmaceutically important plants will be used to establish and assess different types of culture. Some will be transformed by Agrobacterium rhizogenes to establish hairy root cultures. This research will require the development of suitable methods for detecting secondary metabolites, such as HPLC, ELISA, spectrophotometry and electrophoresis.
Most important scientific results
Final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Final report