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Professor Brian Thomas

Job Title
Professor
Department
Life Sciences
Phone
+44(0)2476 575050
Research Interests

My research interests are in the mechanisms by which plants interact with the environment and the practical consequences of these interactions. I am particularly interested in the role of light and photoperiod in modulating developmental transitions, such as juvenility, flowering and bulb initiation. My current research includes a study of the control of juvenility, which is defined as the phase of early development during which plants are not competent to respond to environmental signals that induce flowering in adult plants. I work with Antirrhinum and Arabidopsis where flowering is photoperiod-sensitive and with Brassica where flowering is usually low-temperature-dependent. An important finding is that the length of the juvenile phase is regulated by light quantity, pointing to links between assimilate resource management and flowering capacity [1]

A second area of research is the genetic control bulbing in Allium species in response to daylength. The working hypothesis is that the mechanism is analogous to the photoperiodic regulation of flowering, which is well-characterised. We have identified components linked to the circadian clock that may be related to daylength sensitivity [2]. Future work aims to identify the intra-organ signals and target genes that mediate the vegetative to bulbing transition.

I also have a strong interest in climate change and crop development and have led several recent projects assessing the potential impact of predicted weather patterns on aspects of development in a range of crops. Current work involves a study of water and nutrient use efficiency in Brassica and wheat at ambient and elevated CO2 levels.

Biography

Brian obtained his first degree in Botany and a PhD in Plant Physiology at UCW Aberystwyth. He worked as a Postdoctoral Scientist in Carleton University, Ottawa and the University of Reading before becoming a research scientist at the Glasshouse Crops Research Institute in Littlehampton, which subsequently became part of Horticulture Research International. He moved to Wellesbourne in 1995 where he was latterly a Research Director responsible for the Crop Improvement and Biotechnology Research Theme. He joined the University of Warwick in 2004 as part of Warwick HRI. He became a member of the newly formed School of Life Sciences in 2010.

  • Thomas, Brian, Massiah, Andrea J., Jackson, Stephen D., Morris, K., Adams, S., 2006. Light signals in flowering. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, Elsevier Inc
Title Funder Award start Award end
Support for a Base Collection for use in Vegetable Research: GRU renewal tender; Defra GC0148 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 01 Apr 2014 31 Mar 2024
Assesssing the challenges around the variability of nutritional density in vegetables which can impact on food quality and the impact of processing linked to VeGIN 57617 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 01 Sep 2018 31 Mar 2019
Vegetable Genetic Improvement Network (VeGIN) Tender - Sep 2014 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 28 Nov 2014 31 Dec 2017
Extension to VeGIN: Vegetable Genetic Improvement Network for leafy and field vegetables CH0101 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 01 Mar 2014 30 Sep 2014
Adaption of interacting factors associated with climate change Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 01 Apr 2010 30 Apr 2013
DEFRA Warwick Guarantee Projects Inflation 2010/11. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 14 Apr 2011 31 Dec 2011
AC0310 Climate change impacts and adaptation - a risk based approach Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 01 May 2009 30 Apr 2010
Supplement/Amendment 2 to DEFRA AC0309 Scoping Study on the Potential Impact of Envrionmental Factors Associated with Climate Change on Major UK crops Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 01 Dec 2008 31 Mar 2009
DW: HH3728SX: Developing tools for growers and breeders to enable the predictable manipulation of flowering Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 01 Apr 2005 31 Mar 2009
Scoping Study on the Potential Impact of Environmental Factors Associated with Climate Change on Major UK Crops Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 01 Apr 2008 30 Sep 2008
Extension to vulnerability of UK agriculture to extreme events CSA7128/AC0301 RHRBT0290 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 01 May 2007 31 Mar 2008
Vulnerability of UK Agriculture to Extreme Events. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 01 May 2006 30 Apr 2007
Scoping Study on maintaining the quality of fruit and veg in the supply chain (core grant) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 01 Dec 2006 31 Mar 2007

Research Themes:

Environmental Bioscience

Plant & Crop Science