ScienceDaily (Apr. 6, 2009) — Researchers at the universities of Leicester and Oxford have made a discovery about plant growth which could potentially have an enormous impact on crop production as global warming increases.

Dr Kerry Franklin, from the University of Leicester Department of Biology led the study which has identified a single gene responsible for controlling plant growth responses to elevated temperature.

Dr Franklin said: "Exposure of plants to high temperature results in the rapid elongation of stems and a dramatic upwards elevation of leaves."

"These responses are accompanied by a significant reduction in plant biomass, thereby severely reducing harvest yield. Our study has revealed that a single gene product regulates all these architectural adaptations in the model plant species, Arabidopsis thaliana."

Dr Franklin added: "This study provides the first major advance in understanding how plants regulate growth responses to elevated temperature at the molecular level. This discovery will prove fundamental in understanding the effects of global climate change on crop productivity."

"Identification of the mechanisms by which plants sense changes in ambient temperature remains a Holy Grail in plant biology research. Although the identity of such 'temperature sensors' remains elusive, the discovery of a key downstream regulator brings us closer to addressing this important question."

The study has shown that mutant plants, deficient in the regulatory protein phytochrome interacting factor 4 (PIF4) do not display the dramatic stem elongation and leaf elevation responses observed in wild type plants upon exposure to elevated temperature. The study has further shown PIF4 to regulate a pathway involving the plant hormone auxin. The PIF4 gene product was previously identified as a co-regulator of light-mediated elongation growth, suggesting plants integrate light and temperature signalling pathways through converged regulation of the same target proteins.

The work has been published in Current Biology and was funded by the Royal Society and the BBSRC.

Journal reference:

1. Maria A. Koini, Liz Alvey, Trudie Allen, Ceinwen A. Tilley, Nicholas P. Harberd, Garry C. Whitelam, Keara A. Franklin. High Temperature-Mediated Adaptations in Plant Architecture Require the bHLH Transcription Factor PIF4. Current Biology, 2009; 19 (5): 408 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2009.01.046

enlarge

Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown at 22oC (left) and 28oC (right). (Credit: Image courtesy of University of Leicester)

Related Stories

Rising Surface Ozone Reduces Plant Growth And Adds To Global Warming (July 27, 2007) — Scientists have just released new findings that could have major implications for food production and global warming in the 21st century. Researchers have found that projections of increasing ozone ...  > read more

Global Warming Increasing The Dispersal Of Flora In Northern Forests (June 12, 2009) — As a result of stronger winds caused by global warming, seeds and pollen are being carried over longer distances. An increase in temperature of only a couple of degrees may increase the dispersal of ...  > read more

Hormone Clue To Root Growth (July 16, 2009) — Plant roots provide the crops we eat with water, nutrients and anchorage. Understanding how roots grow and how hormones control that growth is crucial to improving crop yields, necessary to address ...  > read more

Plants Used To Detect Gas Leaks ... From Outer Space (Apr. 6, 2006) — Gas leaks can be potentially life threatening in the home, but the presence of gas stresses out plants too. Scientists from the Nottingham University have found that changes in the physical ...  > read more

Search ScienceDaily

Our Changing Climate