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Batchelor, Alexandra (2023) Quantifying physiological differences between Brassica napus cultivars to identify traits to improve phosphorus uptake. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

Phosphorus is an essential macronutrient for plants however many soils are phosphorus deficient. This leads to large scale application of phosphorus fertilisers which are non-renewable. An alternative to increasing phosphorus application would be to breed plants that are more efficient at taking up phosphorus from the soil. Brassica napus is the source of the second most produced vegetable oil worldwide and the primary source of edible vegetable oil in the European union and China. Its importance globally makes it important to future-proof it against declining availability of phosphorus fertilisers, this could be achieved through breeding new, more phosphorus efficient varieties.

Previous element analysis work done on winter Brassica napus from the Renewable Industrial Products from Rapeseed (RIPR) diversity population of inbred Brassica napus lines showed that there was a wide variation in phosphorus content of the leaf tissues. It was thought that root architecture may play a role in phosphorus acquisition and that characteristics could be identified that correlate to increased phosphorus acquisition. The aim of this work was to identify physiological characteristics that correlate to improved phosphorus uptake in different Brassica napus cultivars. 6 Brassica napus accessions were chosen to be screened, three with low phosphorus in their leaf tissues, Prince, Caramba and Gefion and three with high phosphorus, Pacific, Montego and Musette. The varieties were screened for root architecture and anatomical traits that correlate to phosphorus uptake using the pouch and wick growth system, hydroponic growth, histological sectioning and element analysis.

The pouch and wick and hydroponic experiments showed that the varieties with high phosphorus in the RIPR population correlated to an increased number of lateral roots, a higher root biomass and decreased convex hull area. These results indicate that root architecture is linked to increased phosphorus uptake in these varieties. These results could be used as the basis for future work that expands the number of accessions and root architecture traits studied to further quantify the role of root architecture in phosphorus acquisition.

Item Type:	Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors:	Graham, Neil Wells, Darren
Keywords:	phosphorus, macronutrition, Bassica napus
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA 421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine S Agriculture > SB Plant culture
Faculties/Schools:	UK Campuses > Faculty of Science > School of Biosciences
Item ID:	76195
Depositing User:	Batchelor, Alexandra
Date Deposited:	21 Dec 2023 10:55
Last Modified:	21 Dec 2023 10:55
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/76195

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