Cultivation of oilseed rape, which has had the stamens of the flower transformed into a carpel-like organ. Photo: Pelle Kronestedt.
My research is focused on molecular mechanisms regulating reproductive development in vascular plants, e.g. flower development and cone-setting, often integrated into an evolutionary framework.
In this project we study the transcriptional regulation of chromosomal gene clusters in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana. The project's main focus is to use a combination of bioinformatic analyses and molecular approaches to study the function and evolution of chromosomal gene clusters active during stamen development.
This project studies the genetic mechanisms that regulate cone-setting in spruce. Usually, spruce set cones after 20-25 years. To circumvent the long generation time, we utilize an early cone-setting spruce variety, Picea abies var. acrocona, that can produce cones within one year after seed germination. Our long-term goal is to enhance conifer breeding by shortening the breeding cycle of spruce.
Department of Plant Biology: Nathan Zivi, Jia Hu, Kanita Orozovic
Outside of SLU: Olof Emanuelsson, Stefania Giacomello (SciLifeLab),Ove Nilsson (UPSC) Curt Almqvist (Skogforsk).