Wolfson Centre for Photosynthetic Diversity
Lancaster University
Planned for delivery in summer 2024, this new plant phenotyping platform will be housed in a CE facility with dynamic lighting capability. An imaging gantry will snapshot canopy RGB and hyperspectral reflectance (400-1700 nm), paired with continuous mass balance measurements of transpiration and biomass.
Existing capability:
- ‘Drops’ water use phenotyping lysimeter platform
- High throughput measurement of selected phytohormones
- Temperature controlled imaging fluorescence, capable of high throughput leaf disc assays
- Multiple, matched, mobile LI-COR photosynthesis systems and hand-held MultiSpeQ chlorophyll fluorometers
- Whole plant gas exchange
What we do
Plant and Crop Sciences at Lancaster University delivers from the molecular to the crop scale. Our strength is applying research to provide solutions to real-world problems, particularly Agri-Food Challenges. We address plant environment and plant pollutant interactions, pest and disease control, photosynthesis, and nutrient cycling. The expertise in photosynthesis that underpins the Centre for Photosynthetic Diversity draws on unique-within-the-UK capabilities for understanding the central carbon fixing enzyme Rubisco, critical expertise in carbon concentrating mechanisms, and novel approaches to evaluate regulation of photosynthesis and water use efficiency.
Projects
- Improving Rubisco for photosynthetic efficiency
- Enhancing crops with C2 photosynthesis
- Seed priming for induced resistance
- Root shoot signalling
