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The Role of Sugar Demand in Apical Dominance: Branching in a New Direction (2015–2017)

Abstract:
For centuries, people around the world have made use of the knowledge that pruning the growing tips of shoots causes buds on the stem below to grow out into branches. Yields in crop, horticulture and forestry industries depend on shoot architecture. Since the discovery of auxin in the 1930s, shoot branching has been thought to be regulated by plant hormones. However, we propose a new theory whereby shoot tip demand for sugar is predominant in apical dominance; enhanced sucrose, a mobile sugar, is necessary and sufficient for the initial growth of buds. This project will expand this theory, revealing underlying components involved in sucrose action and describe how the network of sugar demand and hormones acts to control shoot architecture.
Grant type:
ARC Discovery Projects
Researchers:

  • Professor Christine Beveridge

    UQ Laureate Fellow
    School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability
    Faculty of Science

  • Dr Jim Hanan

    Honorary Principal Fellow
    Centre for Horticultural Science
    Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation

  • Dr Milos Tanurdzic

    Senior Lecturer
    School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences
    Faculty of Science
Funded by:
Australian Research Council