PhD Oral Defense: The response of canola (Brassica napus [L.]) to a novel set of plant growth regulators: microbial signal molecules
PhD Oral Defense of Timothy D. Schwinghamer, Department of Plant Science
As a member of the Brassicaceae family, canola (Brassica napus [L.]) forms neither arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiotic relationships nor symbioses with rhizobia, but brassicaceous plants may detect lipo-chitooligosaccharides (LCOs), signal compounds that can mediate the legume-rhizobia symbiosis, and other chitin-based signals through lysin motif receptor-like kinases. Lipo-chitooligosaccharides and compounds produced by other rhizosphere microflora have been shown to promote plant growth. New agricultural genotypes of spring annual type canola cvs: 02C3, 02C6, 04C111, and 04C204, which were developed for biodiesel production, and cvs. Polo and Topas, having a range of seed oil contents, were assessed for their response to LCO signal molecules produced by Bradyrhizobium japonicum 532C (Nod Bj V [C18:1, MeFuc]) and thuricin 17, which was produced by Bacillus thuringiensis non-Bradyrhizobium endophytic bacterium 17 (NEB17). The objective of this work was to assess the potential of these signal compounds to act as plant growth regulators of B. napus.