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Secretory and glandular trichomes (SGTs) are found on the surfaces of above ground plant tissues of approximately one third of all vascular plant species. Humans are familiar with these structures because they contain the essential oils that give cooking herbs their distinctive smell and taste. In addition to making foods taste better, these uni- and multi-cellular appendages are proposed to play a critical role in plant protection against various environmental stresses including herbivore attack, pathogen infection, extreme temperature, and excessive light.
Funding for the project commenced 1 September 2006 and the collaborating groups have been engaged in a number of different activities. Most of our efforts are focused on five representative species: Solanum lycopersicum (tomato cultivar M82), S. habrochaites (LA1777), S. pennellii (LA0716), S. pimpinellifolium (LA1589) and S. peruvianum (LA1708).
Several hundred plants put were transplanted to the field in East Lansing during late May. Click here for photos of our hard-working crew.
Summer Research Experiences at MSU
During the summer of 2008 positions will be available for undergraduate
students, secondary science teachers, and faculty. Stipends, mentoring,
and a variety of participating labs will make this a great opportunity
for those aspiring to gain an exciting summer experience. To apply to the 2008 MSU Plant Genomics Summer Training Program go to www.plantgenomics.msu.edu.
For information about the University of Michigan's Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program go to http://www.lsa.umich.edu/urop/ or contact Professor Eran Pichersky.
PI Gregg Howe featured in MSU's student newspaper.
The Solanum Trichome Project is a collaborative functional genomics project funded by a National Science Foundation grant to Michigan State University, The University of Michigan and The University of Arizona. Did you find a bug or an error? Please let us know.
