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“We use 'omics' and other modern tools and technologies to address both fundamental and translational questions in plant science.”
The Chantarachot Group conducts research at the intersection of plant biology and biotechnology, with a strong focus on advancing sustainable agriculture. Our work spans a broad spectrum—from high-resolution data collection for crop monitoring, to developing innovative management practices that enhance crop yield and sustainability, to uncovering the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying plant adaptation to environmental stress. We aim to leverage these insights in synthetic biology and breeding strategies to develop climate-resilient crops. Additionally, we investigate the spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression that drives plant growth, development, and stress responses.Our mission is to generate scientific knowledge while training the next generation of scientists to design forward-thinking solutions that support food security and sustainable agricultural systems, with minimal environmental impact. These efforts align with Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economic Model and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those promoting food security, resource efficiency, and ecosystem protection.
Food and agriculture are vital to Thailand’s economy, with the agricultural sector employing over 30% of the national labor force and serving as a critical social safety net for lower-income communities. However, while global food demand continues to rise with population growth, Thailand’s agriculture is confronting significant challenges—including an aging workforce and increasing frequency of extreme weather events such as drought, flooding, and heatwaves—exacerbated by climate change. These factors collectively pose a serious threat to national agricultural productivity and the country’s capacity to contribute to global food security.
To address these challenges, agriculture must adopt climate-smart management practices and develop new crop cultivars that are resilient to increasingly extreme and unpredictable climates. Our group leverages Thailand’s rich natural biodiversity and genetic resources to identify traits and genes that enhance plant survival under adverse conditions, applying this knowledge to develop stress-resilient, high-yield crop varieties. With expertise in plant genetics and genomics, we make data-informed decisions by integrating information across multiple biological scales—from molecular and physiological traits to environmental variables and field performance. We also participate in collaborative research projects aimed at advancing circular and regenerative farming practices, supporting a more sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural future.
Flooding Biology of Rice
Rice is naturally resilient to waterlogging, having adapted to semi-aquatic environments. However, most rice varieties are not well equipped to survive sudden and complete submergence, often dying within a week of being fully underwater. Interestingly, certain wild and cultivated rice varieties have evolved adaptive traits that enable them to avoid or tolerate such conditions. These include the “escape” strategy of deepwater and floating rice, and the “quiescence” strategy controlled by the SUB1 gene, which has been successfully used in breeding modern flood-tolerant rice varieties around the world.
In anticipation of increasingly severe and prolonged flooding events, our collaborative project with researchers from the Prachin Buri Rice Research Center and the Rice Department of Thailand aims to explore both natural populations and mutagenized rice lines to identify genes that regulate developmental plasticity and flood resilience. This work will provide valuable genetic markers and biotechnological tools for the development of next-generation, flood-tolerant rice varieties adapted to diverse flooding conditions.
Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation in Plants
Gene expression is a fundamental process that governs cellular metabolism, growth and development, and plant responses to environmental cues. Using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, our research focuses on the molecular mechanisms that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. We employ an integrative approach combining genetics, genomics, molecular biology, and cell biology to investigate how specific messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are selected for translation, degradation, or sequestration.
[Above] Cytoplasmic mRNAs are destined for translation, storage or degradation, the fates that involve several mRNA-ribonucleoprotein complexes including poly(ribo)some, stress granules (SGs), processing bodies (PBs), and those in between. These key regulatory processes requires different enzymes and RNA-binding proteins. Previous work from Thanin's PhD studies unveiled the Arabidopsis DHH1/DDX6-like proteins called RH6, RH8 and RH12 as SG and PB components that play an important role in the decay and translation of some stress and defense response mRNAs. We are now investigating how these and other decay factors contribute to cytoplasmic mRNA dynamics under different environmental conditions. Picture on the left is modified from Chantarachot & Bailey-Serres (2018).
Cacao Genetics for Sustainable Thai Cocoa Value Chain
The recent surge in global cacao prices, largely driven by climate-induced crop failures in major producing regions, presents a strategic opportunity for Thailand to establish itself as a producer of premium, single-origin cocoa. However, seizing this opportunity requires more than favorable economics—it calls for scientific innovation and access to climate-resilient cacao germplasm adapted to Thailand’s diverse regional microclimates. In collaboration with Chula's School of Agricultural Resources, The Innovation Center for Research and Development of Sustainable Thai Cocoa (ISTC) and Audiva Thai Cacao Co., LTD, our group provides genetic and genomics-based solutions to strengthen Thai cocoa value chain. We focus on the identification of superior clones and the development of breeding strategies for high-yielding, climate-resilient cacao varieties that meet the quality standards of the fine chocolate market. By enabling the production of single-source Thai cocoa, our work supports both sustainable agriculture and value-added branding opportunities for local farmers in the global specialty chocolate industry.
Orchid Biology and Biotechnology
Orchids are one of the most captivating families of vascular plants, renowned for their extraordinary morphological and physiological diversity. Their intricate biology is what first inspired Thanin to pursue a career in plant science. Our group currently investigates the flowering behavior of tropical Dendrobium orchids, with a special focus on selected taxonomic sections exhibiting unique developmental traits. Our goal is to unravel the genetic, hormonal, and environmental regulation of flowering time, integrating molecular biology, physiology, and developmental genetics. Alongside this, we pursue associated interests in plant biotechnology and synthetic biology, including tools for gene function analysis, trait manipulation, and sustainable orchid propagation and production.
WE THANK THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS FOR SUPPORTING OUR RESEARCH:
WE THANK THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS FOR SUPPORTING OUR RESEARCH:
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