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This is the first year for our study with the objective of
understanding the role of sucrose hydrolysis, and the potential
impact of its manipulation in commonly used rice varieties in
Texas. We are looking at enzyme manipulation during early seed set
in the bottom third of the panicles, heat stress at early grain
filling, and |
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Photosynthesis by the rice plant produces sugars, in the form of sucrose, that are distributed throughout the plant where they are used for (1) energy, by being broken down during respiration, (2) construction of chemical building blocks, such as the units of the cellulose polymer that makes up a lot of the plant’s structural material, and (3) storage compounds, such as starch, for later use. Partial breakdown (hydrolysis) of these sugars by a sucrose-specific enzyme called invertase is the typical route dedicating the sugars’ use for energy via respiration. Because of the critical position of invertase in the important process of respiration, we are examining the possible role of invertase in several developmental events known to strongly impact Texas rice yield and quality. |
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We are looking at over-the-top
applications of chemical activators and inhibitors of invertase
activity to determine how these affect yield and other factors
contributing to yield. We anticipate that short-term manipulations
of this enzyme’s activity could increase the efficiency of the
rice plant at certain developmental periods with resultant
increases in yield of the main crop, ratoon crop, or their
combined yield. Generous funding for this project has been
provided by the Texas Rice Research Foundation.For the Plant Physiology Project Ronnie Porter is providing technical research assistance and Alicia Delgado, Casey Hall and Marcus McCabe are helping for the summer. |