Project Details
Projekt
Tools and biological resources to study characters and traits in the Brassicaceae
Applicant
Professor Dr. Marcus Koch
Subject Area
Evolution and Systematics of Plants and Fungi
Term
from 2011 to 2018
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 197749744
We aim to develop an online database system of cross-referenced information and resources on Brassicaceae taxonomy, systematics, evolution, chromosome numbers, accurate enumeration of all species, traits,characters, and germplasm resources. Biological, molecular and evolutionary knowledge is exponentially increasing in the mustard family (Brassicaceae, Cruciferae). However, because of the complex and overwhelming biological diversity in the family, it is difficult for non-specialists in this plant family to put any research result in a larger evolutionary framework. Many species are remarkable study objects but rarely available. Biological material and resources, either collected directly in the wild or held in germplasm collections, are often taxonomically mis-identified and very rarely are further characterized and documented. There is also no family-wide and comprehensive survey of character and trait distribution despite the fact that we approached a reliable phylogenetic framework quite recently. In order to close these various gaps and provide the full potential of research focusing on the adaptive characters and character-trait evolution in the Brassicaceae, we will provide a comprehensive documentation of the taxonomy and systematics of the entire family. This will include a database with all the relevant taxonomic, systematic and phylogenetic literature; a comprehensive data collection of characters and traits including all potentially adaptive traits in which interested are scientists participating in SSP 1529; a DNA-based identification tool for genera and species; electronic interactive keys for the identification of genera and species, and a setup of a carefully selected and documented germplasm collection representing the entire family. Basic research will be conducted to provide first and comparative insights into the evolution of family-wide characters and traits utilizing also the data collected during the project. The results and framework provided herein will be the basis and starting point for other projects focusing in more details on individual characters and traits, inside and outside SSP 1529 Adaptomics.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
International Connection
USA
Participating Persons
Professor Ihsan Al-Shehbaz, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Klaus Mummenhoff
