International Network of Plant Abiotic Stress

Grantee : Kumud B. Mishra , Institute of Systems Biology and Ecology, Nove-Hrady, CZ

mishra@greentech.cz

HOST: Dr. Rina Iannacone
Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Metapontum, Agrobios
Italy.

riannacone@agrobios.it

DURATION: March31 –May 02, 2010

Motivation & Objectives:

Following enormous accomplishments in plant genetics and plant research there is a great challenge in the mapping of large populations for a better understanding of plant phenomics. Screening of mutants, transgenic plants to determine its stress tolerance capacity requires high throughput integrated platform of plants phenomics and integrated plant performance. To start research in this cutting edge area of plant phenotyping, recently, Metapontum Agrobios (Italy), was equipped with Scanalyzer 3D phenotyping platform. This phenotyping platform can be used for capturing high quality automatic images of the plants in visible, near-infra red wavelength range that can be used for precise monitoring of leaf water content, leaf architecture, plants growth rate, number of leaf, number of nod and internodial distance of the plants. We planned a collaborative experiment to utilize Scanalyzer 3D phenotyping platform, chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, and gas exchange systems to study the integrated response of the transgenic tomato overexpressing the Arabidopsis transcription factor ATHB7, that has already been claimed to be resistance against drought stress. The objective of this experiment is to accomplish a detailed mapping of plants response during course of moderate and severe drought stress. We also aimed to elucidate the functional role of ATHB7 –overexpressing tomato transgenic in drought using phenotyping

Description of the main results obtained

In summary, this collaborative experiment again confirms that tomato transgenic over- expressing transcription factor; ATHB7 is highly resistance against drought stress. Data of NIR imaging confirms that ATHB7 overexpressing plants preserve higher water contents in its leaf may be due to low transpiration as it has significantly less number of stomta as compared to its wild types counterparts. NIR imaging The experiment also reveals that fluorescence parameters e.g., maximum quantum efficiency (Qy=Fv/Fm) and non-potochemical quenching (NPQ) of the fluorescence induction kinetics curve can be used for the determination of its stress tolerance capacity and, therefore, are promising for high-throughput screening of mutants and transgenics.

Future collaboration with host institution

This STSM provides an excellent opportunity of the research group at two institutions to validate previous findings. We have a good opportunity to make some collaborative projects where we can utilize different expertise for the integrated phenotyping.  

Acknowledgements:

I would like to give my special thanks to the European COST project FA0605 for the financial support of my scientific stay in Agrobios, Metapontum, Italy. The proposed STSM was successfully carried-out and the expected goals are fulfilled. I would like to give thank to the host and everyone who took part in this collaborative experiments.