Molecular and epigenetic changes during leaf senescence will be characterized in barley flag leaves which have been collected from fields and have been characterized for various photosynthetic parameters. One objective of the project is to elucidate early development related events in the photosynthetic apparatus which precede the expression of senescence associated genes in the nucleus. Another objective is to identify chloroplast signals and putative mediators of retrograde signalling affecting senescence associated chromatin modifications and gene expression in the nucleus. Based on the data of this field trial hypotheses on the mechanism of senescence regulation by chloroplast originating signals will be developed. These hypotheses will be tested in future projects which will be conducted in an interdisciplinary context of a package application by WB, HK, KH and KK.
DFG Programme
Research Grants
