All podcasts

Genes Controlling Plant Size

Plant stature is a surprisingly important trait. Growing short has its advantages, so understanding the genetic controls is important. Dr. Phillipa Borrill is a group leader at the University of Norwich in the UK, and has identified a new gene that affects dwarfing. Her work in wheat introduces a potential new way to increase agricultural production.

Dec 3, 2022 by Dr. Kevin Folta in Talking Biotech

Apple podcasts linkGoogle podcasts linkSpotify podcasts link

Bigger plants are better, right? Not always. Control of plant or tree size can have many advantages, and genetic control of 'dwarf' phenotypes has been important in feeding a billion people. The problem is that the changes induced by dwarfing genes can have a negative effect on other aspects of plant biology, so identifying new genes to control size is an important goal. Dr. Philippa Borrill is a group leader at the John Innes Center, and she recently discovered a gene that contributes to size control in wheat. The discovery establishes a new means to possibly develop more productive crop varieties.

Colabra

Get your whole lab on the same page today.

Learn more