By
Kathryn Dumschott
PhD Candidate, Centre for Carbon Water and Food, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, University of Sydney
The ASPS travel award gave me the opportunity to present my research involving carbon accumulation and partitioning in the legume species Vicia faba (faba bean) at ComBio 2015. Legumes are vitally important for human nutrition and agricultural practices. As we face global population increases and the effects of climate change become evermore apparent, it is crucial to focus on improving legume tolerance to environmental stress. Plants rely on changes in metabolism and carbon allocation to adapt to and tolerate their changing environment. Understanding these responses on a physiological, chemical and molecular basis is crucial for developing improved breeding strategies. Being able to discuss my project provided me the opportunity to hone my presentation skills as well as share my research with the ComBio community. The diverse range and high quality of plant science research covered throughout ComBio2015 meant that every lecture and symposium was both unique and interesting. Overall, it was a great experience that broadened my view on all the research being done in Australia as well as in the international plant science community.
Contact: kathryn.dumschott@sydney.edu.au