歡迎來到植物與菌根菌實驗室
磷是植物生存的必需元素，但土壤中可供植物利用的磷卻很少，因此，植物發展出許多適應缺磷逆境的生存方式，例如：提升磷的吸收利用效率，改變根系結構以增加吸收表面積等。在田間操作，農民大多施無機磷肥以維持作物生長，但無機磷酸容易溶於水而流失，流失的營養鹽常造成水體優養化，影響生態。
內生菌根菌為絕對共生的真菌，在缺磷逆境中，植物和菌根菌會透過一連串的化學對話而建立起共生關係，菌絲在根的皮層細胞中會特化形成叢枝狀結構，利用這個大表面積的結構，菌根菌將從土壤裡吸收來的無機磷酸，氮肥及其他營養元素供應給植物，以換取植物的光合產物（醣類）來維持生存。這種互利共生關係在四百萬年前就已經演化出來，至今已有超過８０％的陸生植物可以和菌生菌形成共生關係來增加營養素的來源。
本實驗室成立的主要目的是要探討形成及穩定植物與菌根菌共生關係所需之訊息分子與養份交換的機制，以及了解不同菌種對作物生長及逆境抗性的影響；透過不同層面的研究，期望能對作物與菌根菌的共生有深入的了解，並進一步應用於永續農業的發展。
Phosphorus is one of essential macroelements. However, the availability of inorganic phosphate, the absorptive form by plants is usually low in soil. Plants have evolved several strategies to adapt the phosphate starvation stress, including the enhancement of phosphate uptake activity and the modification of root architecture. In the fields, farmers apply fertilizers to promote the growth of crops, but the inorganic mineral nutrients are easily run off causing eutrophication.
Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) symbiosis which evolved around 400 million years ago is widely observed in the roots of most land plants. During this association, the fungus forms highly branched hyphae, called arbuscules, in the root cortical cells. Each arbuscule is surrounded by a plant membrane, called the periarbuscular membrane and this symbiotic interface is the hub of nutrient exchange. Fungus provides mineral nutrient, mainly nitrogen and phosphate acquired through the extensive hyphal network to the host plant to exchange for photosynthetic products.
In my lab, we study the regulation of symbiosis and the mechanism of modulating nutrient exchange between fungus and host plant and the effects of symbiosis on the plant resistant responses to stresses.