Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center

27 Jul, 01 AM - 27 Jul, 12 PM

Because of their remarkable adaptations to heat and drought, Agave species have recently been proposed as a new bioenergy plant feedstock for arid environments. Symbiotic microbes can significantly impact the health and stress adaptations of their host plants by enhancing nutrient and water acquisition, producing plant growth-promoting chemical compounds, and warding off plant pathogens. However, the beneficial symbiotic microbes of agaves are largely unknown. Here, we propose to study how microbes associated with wild agaves enhance their adaptations to survival in desert environments. We propose to sample microbes from wild Agave deserti at Boyd Deep Canyon, identify beneficial microbial species, and assess their role in plant stress adaptation through high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies. Our study will identify microbes with potential applications for the development of a sustainable agave-bioenergy industry.

Visit #25788 @Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center

Approved

Under Project # 23956 | Research

The Agave Microbiome: Plant-associated microbial communities in desert environments

professional - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Reservation Members(s)

Stephen Gross Jul 27, 2011 (1 days)
Stephen Gross Jul 27, 2011 (1 days)
Group of 2 Undergraduate Student Jul 27, 2011 (1 days)

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Lab Space 4 Jul 27 (11 hours)