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Visiting Scientist Seminar – Dr Lorna McAusland
Jun 20, 2023, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Dr Lorna McAusland
Research Fellow, School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham
A hard day’s night; determining a role for stomatal conductance in nocturnal heat tolerance
Time: Tuesday 20th June, 11am
Location: PGC 126/127
Abstract
Nocturnal stomatal conductance (gsn) represents a significant, enigmatic source of water-loss, with implications for whole plant metabolism, thermal regulation and water-use efficiency. With night-time temperatures rising at a rate 1.4x that of daytime temperatures, it is vital to identify and understand variation in the magnitude and responses of gsn in major crops such as wheat. Using a custom temperature free-air controlled enhancement (T-FACE) setup in North-Western Mexico, the nocturnal field responses of twelve T. aestivum genotypes were investigated in response to artificial nighttime warming.
The magnitude of gsn was genotype-and growth-stage-specific, accounting for up to 19% of daytime rates of water loss. Finally, we explore the variation in gsn and its potential links with foliar uptake, cuticular conductance and establishment under nocturnal heat.
About the speaker
Dr Lorna McAusland is a plant physiologist (pronouns she/her), specialising in the dynamic responses of photosynthesis and water regulation to heat stress. Currently hosted by Professor Erik Murchie’s lab at the University of Nottingham (UK), Lorna was recently awarded a BBSRC-Discovery Fellowship; working on development of high-throughput systems to assess non-foliar photosynthesis under heat.
If you would like to meet with Dr McAusland, please contact Dr Rebecca Vandeleur: rebecca.coleman@adelaide.edu.au