2014 Undergraduate student project at the John Innes Centre, Norwich
Investigating the effect of Rht semi-dwarfing genes on Septoria tritici blotch in terms of disease escape and resistance
Semi-dwarfing (Rht) genes are vital in wheat breeding because they enable plants to remain standing despite high levels of fertiliser application. A recent paper (Saville
et al. 2012, Journal of Experimental Botany 63: 1271-1283) has shown that
Rht genes also affect several diseases of wheat, altering the severity of biotrophic and necrotrophic diseases in contrasting ways. This undergraduate summer project will develop this work by studying the effect of semi-dwarfing
Rht genes on Septoria tritici blotch, the leading disease of wheat in the UK. The work will involve pathology experiments on wheat seedlings and on adult plants grown in polytunnels. Precise genetic stocks will be used to evaluate the contributions of
Rht genes to disease resistance and disease escape in relation to Septoria.
The student will gain experience of many aspects of plant pathology, the use of genetic stocks in plant pathology, data analysis, presentation skills and the application of research to a practical subject.
The project is for 10 weeks, starting in June 2014, preferably in the first half of the month. The student will be paid £300 per week. The project is supported by the Home-Grown Cereals Authority and will be co-supervised by a PhD student
studying Septoria resistance and escape in wheat.
Applications are welcomed from undergraduates at UK universities studying relevant subjects. Applicants should email their CV, including a summary of courses taken, along with a short statement explaining why they are interested in this
project (max. 1 page) to Professor James Brown at the John Innes Centre (james.brown@jic.ac.uk) by
Friday 23rd May.
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Prof James K M Brown
John Innes Centre, Colney Lane, Norwich, NR4 7UH, England
Phone 01603 450615
http://www.jic.ac.uk/staff/james-brown