Plant Cytogenetics and Genomics Laboratory

Head: Ljiljana Kuzmanović

E-mail: kuzmanovic@unitus.it

The laboratory is equipped with modern instruments for molecular, cytogenetic and morpho-physiological analyses for research and teaching activities. The main research lines developed are the following:

• Transfer of short chromosomal segments containing useful genes, from related wild Graminaceae, into the wheat genome via the cytogenetic approach of chromosomal engineering (non-GMO).
• Selection and molecular and morpho-physiological characterisation of wheat-alien recombinant lines, i.e. products of recombination induced by chromosome engineering.
• Identification and “-omics” analyses (genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics) of genes from wild species of the genus Thinopyrum involved in the control of yield formation and stress resistance in wheat.
• Integrated approach to wheat breeding, including both classical (crosses, agronomic trials) and modern (“-omics” techniques) methods to increase tolerance to abiotic (high temperatures, water deficit, salinity) and biotic (fusarium diseases, rust, powdery mildew) stresses, and to improve yield components (grain number and weight, source-sink balance, root architecture, photosynthetic efficiency, biomass partitioning).