Centre for Plant Success Webinar Series: Alicia Hellens

Alicia Hellens

Part 1- The transcription factor bZIP11 acts antagonistically with trehalose 6-phosphate to inhibit shoot branching

The ontogenetic regulation of shoot branching allows plants to adjust their architecture in accordance with the environment. This process is due to the regulation of axillary bud outgrowth into branches, which can be induced by increasing sugar availability to the buds through decapitation of the shoot tip. Different sugar signalling components have been identified in the induction of shoot branching. However, the molecular components that maintain bud dormancy in response to sugar starvation remain largely unknown. In this part of the talk I will present findings from one chapter of my PhD, which identified a new model of interactions between sugar signalling molecules, Tre6P, bZIP11, and SNRK1 in the inhibition of axillary shoot branching.

Part 2 – Life beyond a PhD: my first year as a kiwifruit rootstock breeder

Kiwifruit is New Zealand’s largest commercial fruit crop bringing over $8 billion annually via cultivars grown for Zespri. The Kiwifruit Breeding Centre is a joint venture between Zespri and the New Zealand crown research company Plant and Food Research, to provide more kiwifruit better and faster for Zespri. Kiwifruit cultivars that produce desirable fruit do not necessarily have good root systems or resistance to disease. For this reason, commercial kiwifruit plants are not grown from seed but are the result of grafting onto a rootstock. A rootstock can also impact characteristics onto the scion such as low vigour in vegetative growth. In New Zealand there are two commercial rootstock varieties both of which have drawbacks. With a rapidly changing climate it is more vital than ever that rootstocks are bred for current and future environments both in New Zealand but also around the world. Therefore, the rootstock breeding program is focusing on developing new, environmental specific rootstocks targeting desirable, sustainable, traits. In this part of the talk I will give an overview of the kiwifruit breeding pipeline and discuss rootstock-specific traits of interest in our programme.

This event is open to Centre Members only. If you are a Centre Member who would like to attend, please contact admin@plantsuccess.org for the Zoom invitation.