SUPR
Conifer graft sequencing
Dnr:

NAISS 2024/23-364

Type:

NAISS Small Storage

Principal Investigator:

Charles Melnyk

Affiliation:

Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet

Start Date:

2024-06-01

End Date:

2025-06-01

Primary Classification:

10607: Botany

Webpage:

Allocation

Abstract

Grafting is an important technique to improve stress tolerance and propagate plants. It is widely used in trees, including conifers, that are dominant and economically important plants. However, conifer grafting is poorly understood, especially at the molecular level. To better understand the process of graft healing in conifers, we performed a time-course transcriptome at the Norway Spruce (Picea abies) graft junction. Based on the transcriptome, we aim to identify genes associated with cambium, phloem and xylem formation, as well as other factors for important for successful grafting, such as sugar, phytohormones and temperature. We will also identify genes that change expression in spruce grafts and compare these to Arabidopsis grafts to identify a conserved mechanism.