Summary:

Thursday 30th October

The meeting focused on Dr. Bruar’s research into plant hormones, particularly strigolactone’s, and their potential to enhance crop growth and stability while addressing quality concerns.

• Dr. Bruar specializes in plant biology, focusing on plant hormones and their interactions with environmental factors.
• Research explores how plant hormones influence branching, root architecture, and responses to stress conditions.
• Strigolactones are identified as key regulators of shoot branching and other growth traits in crops.
• Plant hormone pathways interact; no single hormone acts alone, affecting various phenotypes simultaneously.
• Elbow gene mutants show potential for improved tillering and yield stability under low nutrient conditions.
• Current research aims to optimize strigolactone pathways for better crop performance without negative side effects.
• Smaller grain size observed in elbow mutants may impact industry acceptance; further quality analysis is needed.
• Ongoing studies aim to clarify the relationship between strigolactone signaling and grain development.