Functional genetics of barley stamen maturation

  • Date: Oct 13, 2022
  • Time: 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM (Local Time Germany)
  • Speaker: Ivan F. Acosta
  • Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne
  • Location: Zentralgebäude
  • Room: Seminar Room
  • Host: Alisdair Fernie
Abstract

Following meiosis, pollen and anthers reach maturity through multiple processes that require tight coordination to guarantee the release of viable pollen en route to fertilization. In cereals, microspores undergo mitosis to produce mature tricellular pollen grains, which also accumulate large starch deposits for later energy supply. Concomitantly, some anther regions modify their cell walls in preparation for anther opening and pollen release. Our research uses functional genetics to understand the control of these processes in barley stamens. I will present three topics where our studies have unveiled important connections between development and metabolism: a) our recent discovery of a mechanism whereby auxin activates pollen starch accumulation by enhancing heterotrophic energy production pathways; b) our characterization of factors required for cell wall modification and loosening in anthers; and c) our studies on the effects of drought or heat stress on barley fertility, when applied during the phase of stamen maturation.

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