Improvement of seed quality and quantity is a key issue for human nutrition and agriculture production which will contribute to a sustainable strengthening of agriculture to feed the growing world`s population. The quality and yield attributes of seeds depend on proper embryo development. The embryogenesis is imperative for determining final shape and size of seed. Moreover, the embryo encloses all the modules and primary patterns obligatory for the new plant to develop after germination. Although the role of auxin in the establishment of embryonic polarity and patterning has been implicated, very limited studies have been conducted to exploit the mechanisms behind the regulation of auxin biosynthetic genes. Also, the adverse effects of high temperature are the major concern during early seed development. It is now evident that auxin plays key role as an integrator of environmental cues. Thus, we propose to decipher the genetic and molecular mechanisms behind the spatiotemporal regulation of auxin biosynthetic genes during embryo development, and how this regulatory network is impacted by heat stress. In the proposed work, we expect to provide some novel regulators of auxin biosynthetic pathways and information about their environmental regulation during embryo development by means of multidisciplinary approaches such as genetics, epigenetics and molecular. Taken together, the data produced in this project will facilitate further translational research to be expanded towards various crop species.

Sustainable Development Goals

Masaryk University is committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to improve the conditions and quality of life on our planet by 2030.

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