This project builds on our long-standing interest in the regulation of shoot growth. Our work shows that plants are inherently ‘cautious’ about resource use, and therefore limit their own growth, even when external factors (light, mineral nutrients, water) are not limiting. We want to identify the mechanisms that plants use to determine their growth relative to available resources, and to understand the consequences of this for crop growth and yield, nutrient use efficiency, and forest biomass accumulation. Practically speaking, what are the main factors that limit the growth of the shoot system of crops in field conditions?
Tom Bennett Lab 