The development of Arabidopsis thaliana under phosphate limiting conditions: The role of Strigolactones

Phosphate (P) is one of the most limiting nutrients for plant development and is involved in photosynthesis, energy transmission and cell division amongst others. P occurs in organic and inorganic form but plants are only able to take up inorganic phosphate. Plants have evolved various mechanisms to deal with nutrient deficiencies. Recently research has been done on Strigolactones (SLs), carotenoid derived plant hormones. SL biosynthesis is upregulated under P deficiency and regulates branching, stem thickness, root architecture and leaf senescence. In this study, we looked at the role of SLs on development of <em>Arabidopsis thaliana </em>under P deprivation. A SL biosynthesis mutant (P450) and two SL perception mutants (D14, U-box) were examined when treated with and without phosphate. The effects of P deprivation on bolting time, biomass and photosynthetic capacity were examined. Photosynthetic capacity was measured by Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM). Significant differences between the treatment groups and genotypes were found in dry weight and Quantum Yield of Photosystem II (Y(II)), but no conclusion could be drawn from the overall results.