Dr Alex Watson-Lazowski

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

Agriculture and Environment, Harper Adams University

Scientific Background

Research Interests

Dr Alexander Watson-Lazowski is a Senior Lecturer in Crop Production, whose research expertise lies in topics related to plant metabolism. In particular, Dr Watson-Lazowski is interested in the dynamics of transient carbohydrate metabolism, and how this can be related back to beneficial agronomical traits (such as abiotic and biotic stress resistance). In addition, research related to the application of plant biostimulants is on-going within the Watson-Lazowski lab. Research within the Watson-Lazowski lab is largely carried out on UK crop species, but there is also parallel work utilising wild grass species to mine for beneficial natural diversity.

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: Student-centred, collaborative, technique-orientated

Provision of Teaching

Regular meetings will be held to discuss which skills are required/desired. This training will be carried out by myself where possible, or carried out by internal/external collaborators where expertise lies outside of my remit.

After training of a technique is complete, a degree of independent study and unsupervised work is expected. However, I will ensure I am contactable post-training in case any aspects of the training requires clarification.

Progression Monitoring and Management

During the initial stages of your PhD, I will look to be hands on where required to ensure you make a strong start. As you progress, I will look to take a step back and will expect you to take the lead in managing your workload.

I will expect regular updates during one-on-one meetings throughout your PhD to ensure any issues are caught early. The length of these meetings will be flexible, and shorter/longer meetings can be requested as appropriate to avoid them becoming a burden/not fit for purpose.

Communication

I am contactable throughout the working day, and will also often catch up with work and emails outside of standard working hours. However, if contacted, I will not expect you to reply outside of standard working hours.

I am contactable for any issues related to your PhD, whether it be work or wellbeing related. Where I am not suitable to assist, I will put you in contact with a suitable person within the University’s support network.

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me:

In a group meeting

At least once per month

In year 1 of PhD study

At least once per fortnight

In year 2 of PhD study

At least once per fortnight

In year 3 of PhD study

At least once per fortnight

These meetings will be mainly face to face, and I am usually contactable for an instant response on every working day.

Working Pattern

The timing of work in my lab is completely flexible, and (other than attending pre-arranged meetings), I expect students to manage their own time.

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 2 week’s notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5000 words.

Project Details

Dr Watson-Lazowski is the primary supervisor on the below projects:

Improving the agronomic traits of wheat through modified transient carbohydrate accumulation

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Florian Busch (UOB), Dr Tom Pope, Dr Joe Roberts

University of Registration: Harper Adams University

BBSRC Research Themes: Sustainable Agriculture and Food (Plant and Crop Science)

Apply now!

Deadline: 23 May, 2024

Project Outline

Elucidating the diversity and flexibility of plant metabolism is a key research avenue in the pursuit for malleable traits that can enhance plant productivity. Transient storage of carbohydrates in leaves is essential to maintaining metabolic processes through periods where photosynthesis is unavailable. Grass species are notable in that there is distinct variation in transient storage carbohydrates between grass species, with the most common composition being a species-specific combination of starch and sucrose. Variation in these transient starch/sucrose pools can be associated with both physiological and growth characteristics, due to the integral nature of both carbohydrates (Watson-Lazowski et al., 2022). In addition, there are incidental factors related to carbohydrate pools that link back to crop productivity, such as increased starch accumulation improving bioethanol production (Huang et al., 2020). Thus, identifying optimal transient carbohydrate ratios, associated with either species or environment, could represent an important avenue of crop improvement.

Phosphoglucoisomerase 1 (PGI1) and STARCH EXCESS 4 (SEX4) are two genes which are known to function in transient starch metabolism. PGI1 functions as an initial step in the starch synthesis pathway. Previous work using Arabidopsis thaliana showed pgi1 mutant lines are unable to synthesise starch throughout the day (Yu et al., 2000). On the other hand, SEX4 is a glucan phosphatase which is required for normal degradation of starch. Again using A. thaliana, previous work showed sex4 mutant lines gradually accumulate starch over time as degradation is impaired during the night (Niittylä et al., 2006). As A. thaliana innately transiently accumulates only starch, it is not suitable as a model to investigate phenotypes related to both starch and sucrose accumulation. However, wheat is not only a globally important crop species, as a grass, it transiently accumulates both starch and sucrose. By manipulating the carbohydrate pathways in wheat via mutations in the above genes, you will study how changes in transient allocation to each carbohydrate impacts plant functioning.

Using mutant lines generated within the Watson-Lazowski lab, your first objective will be to characterise and compare the metabolic phenotypes of sex4 and pgi1 mutants in wheat. Your second objective will then be to explore how these metabolic phenotypes effect plant functioning in response to abiotic stress. Finally, your third objective will be to assess how the metabolic phenotypes impact on additional desirable agronomic characteristics, such as insect herbivory resistance and animal silage properties. This work will utilise a range of genetic, biochemical and physiological techniques. To guide you, your supervisory panel will consist of experts in the fields of plant biology and entomology across Harper Adams University and the University of Birmingham.

Your PhD will take a multi-disciplinary approach to not only aid in the elucidation of transient carbohydrate pathways in wheat, but also show the possible benefits to desirable agronomic traits that can be achieved through the manipulation of transient carbohydrate pathways.

References

Huang et. al. (2020). Genetic engineering of transitory starch accumulation by knockdown of OsSEX4 in rice plants for enhanced bioethanol production. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 117(4), 933-944.

Niittylä et. al. (2006). Similar protein phosphatases control starch metabolism in plants and glycogen metabolism in mammals. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 281(17), 11815-11818.

Yu et. al. (2000). Mutation of Arabidopsis plastid phosphoglucose isomerase affects leaf starch synthesis and floral initiation. Plant Physiology, 123(1), 319-326.

Watson-Lazowski et. al. (2022). Loss of PROTEIN TARGETING TO STARCH 2 has variable effects on starch synthesis across organs and species. Journal of Experimental Botany, 73(18), 6367-6379.

Techniques

Genetic techniques – DNA/RNA extractions, PCR genotyping, RNA-Sequencing

Biochemical techniques – Protein extractions, NAD/NADH assays, Western blots

Physiological techniques – Photosynthetic measurements

Entomology techniques – Insect monitoring and tracking

Investigating the underpinning plant processes activated by the application of novel biostimulant products

Secondary Supervisor(s): Professor Peter Kettlewell, Dr Joe Roberts

University of Registration: Harper Adams University

BBSRC Research Themes: Sustainable Agriculture and Food (Plant and Crop Science)

No longer accepting applications

Project Outline

The continual pursuit of improved crop performance and yield has led to a recent influx of novel agricultural products. One class of such product, which has recently seen an increase in both user uptake and the number of products available, are known as biostimulants. Biostimulants are derived from natural products which can stimulate beneficial plant processes. Benefits range from improved nutrient uptake to enhanced abiotic and biotic stress resistance (Rouphael & Colla, 2020). However, limited regulation of the market has meant the mechanisms which underpin the function of numerous biostimulant products, remain unknown (Yakhin et. al., 2017). Further to this, the extent of the biological processes that can be enhanced by biostimulant application remains far from clear. This information is key to understanding the true potential of biostimulants, ensuring any beneficial effects are maximised in the future.

Building on current industry links within the Watson-Lazowski and Kettlewell labs, you will investigate how several novel biostimulant products function, linking any underpinning mechanisms discovered to their ability to improve abiotic stress resistance. Work will largely be carried out on crops important to UK agriculture, however, there will be an opportunity to investigate additional crops if any are of particular interest to the successful candidate. During this project, experiments will be carried out under controlled glasshouse conditions and within a farm environment, mimicking current agricultural practices.

Your first objective will be to investigate pathways activated by the application of a range of novel biostimulants products. Building on preliminary data generated within the Watson-Lazowski lab, you will utilise a range of techniques (including transcriptomics and metabolomics) to investigate pathways of interest to agriculture. In particular, you will look to identify transcriptomic and metabolic responses which are conserved across a range of crop species. Your second objective will be to run abiotic stress experiments (including temperature and drought stress) to investigate the extent to which the application of the biostimulant products can alleviate stresses currently impacting UK agriculture. Finally, based on the knowledge gained from your first two objectives, your third objective will look to maximise any benefits of biostimulant application by investigating avenues of optimisation, such as application method and application timing.

Your PhD will take a multi-disciplinary approach to not only help elucidate how a range of novel biostimulant products function, but also highlight desirable agronomic traits that can be improved through the application of biostimulant products.

References

Rouphael & Colla. (2020). Biostimulants in agriculture. Frontiers in plant science, 11: 40.

Yakhin et. al. (2017). Biostimulants in plant science: a global perspective. Frontiers in plant science, 7: 2049.

Techniques

Genetic techniques - RNA extractions, qRT-PCR, RNA-Sequencing

Metabolomic techniques – Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS)

Physiological techniques – Gas exchange measurements, Fluorescence measurements

Statistics – Robust experimental design and statistical analysis of large-scale experiments