Marcus Samuel - Bio-solution to canola green seed problem

Successful plant reproduction is dependent on a compatible interaction between the pollen/pollen tube and the pistil. Flowering plants cannot control the type of pollen grains that land on their stigma and have therefore evolved appropriate selection and recognition mechanisms to either accept or reject the pollen. Our goal is to identify the early signaling mechanisms that control compatible pollen-pistil interactions, and to identify signaling pathways and mechanisms through which SI negatively regulates this compatibility network. Given the fact that reproduction is the most important agronomic trait of a plant, understanding plant reproduction allows us to develop strategies to improve crop yield