Structure/function relationships and modes of action of plant growth promoting chitosans

Anne Vortkamp (an associated third generation MCGS doctoral candidate working in the group of Prof. Moerschbacher, financially supported by the first Indo-German Public/Private Partnership “2+2” proposal CuChi-BCA) investigates molecular structure/function relationships and cellular modes of action of chitosans in promoting plant growth, in parallel to the work by Ekaterina Gubaeva and Sven Basa investigating chitosan induced plant disease resistance. She has established a Petri dish-based assay for root and shoot growth quantification using surface-sterilised Arabidopsis and tomato seedlings, to find out whether the growth promotion seen in soil upon chitosan dressing of seeds will also be observed in the absence of soil microflora. Using this or a soil-based assay, as appropriate, she plans to identify the most active chitosans for plant growth promotion (in collaboration with Sven Basa) and to screen Arabidopsis mutants for chitosan induced growth promotion (in collaboration with Ekaterina Gubaeva and Prof. Niehaus from Bielefeld University). In parallel to work planned by Ekaterina Gubaeva and Rebecca Melcher, Anne will use cDNA arrays to identify genes involved in chitosan induced plant growth promotion, in collaboration with the group of Prof. Appa Rao.

Last update 06.05.2013

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