Fellowship for Shull: Understanding the Link Between Allelopathy and Hormone Regulation

Allelopathy is an evolutionarily selected mechanism by which plants advantageously alter their immediate environment by biosynthesizing and releasing secondary metabolites (i.e., allelochemicals) that negatively affect the growth of surrounding plants. The central hypothesis of the proposed research is that some allelochemicals alter plant growth by targeting plant hormone regulation in affected plants. My research aim is to gather knowledge and resources for the development of an allelochemical-based approach to weed control, which is centered around a discovery I recently made linking plant hormone signaling and the allelopathic capacity of a compound widely biosynthesized in the plant kingdom. The long-term goal of this research is to combine the weed-suppressive effects of this allelochemical with genetically enstantiated allelochemical resistance. Due to the novelty of my preliminary findings, the outlined professional development and research activities will serve as a foundation for my career, and facilitate my development into a prolific research scientist. Furthermore, the proposed research is in direct alignment with AFRI NIFA EWD program priority area (1), due to the potential development of agricultural biotechnology that decreases the need for off-farm inputs, making sustainable farming practices both economically advantageous and accessible to areas of the world with underdeveloped agricultural infrastructure.