PhD Studentship: Balancing Wheat Rust Resilience and Soil Microbial Diversity

Scientific background:

Plant-microbe relationships are shaped by complex, root-exuded metabolites that vary by host genotype and can be augmented to enhance agricultural productivity. In modern agriculture, an emerging, environmentally friendly strategy to enhance resilience to phytopathogens is to disrupt the function of disease susceptibility genes (S-genes), which are targeted by pathogens to promote their growth and infection. However, S-gene disruption often leads to wider changes in the metabolic profile of plants, which can influence colonisation by other pests, pathogens and beneficial microbes.

We previously defined four new S-genes in wheat (TaBCAT1, TaCSP41a, TaICL and TaASIL2) that when disrupted provide protection against wheat rust fungi, the so-called polio of agriculture. In addition, changes in metabolic profiles induced by these S-gene disruptions may provide more expansive beneficial effects against other pathogens and pests. For instance, TaICL disruption leads to hyperaccumulation of glyoxylate cycle intermediates, which when exogenously applied to plants can inhibit various pests and pathogens (e.g., wheat powdery mildew, nematodes, brown plant hopper, aphids etc). Yet, the broader implications of individual S-gene disruptions on shaping plant microbiomes remain to be explored.

Research methodology:

The main aim of this project is to resolve how S-gene disruptions influence root exudation and shape the wheat rhizosphere microbiome, and the implications of this for sustainable agricultural deployment. The individual will: (i) use field and greenhouse experiments, metagenomics and environmental microbiology to characterise the influence of S-gene disruptions in defining root microbial communities, (ii) use GC/MS metabolomics to identify the dominant metabolites influencing microbiome assembly for S-gene disruption mutants, and (iii) use spatial landscape models to establish optimal deployment strategies for S-gene disruption mutants.

Training:

You will join the international, multidisciplinary Saunders and Malone Labs at the John Innes Centre, and develop extensive skills in a breadth of areas, including plant pathology, molecular biology and environmental microbiology. Additionally, you will receive training in landscape modelling by research leaders at Exeter University

Person specification:

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual, keen to work on an interdisciplinary, collaborative project that brings together findings from multiple research fields to push the boundaries of plant pathology and rhizosphere microbiology.

Funding details:

ARIES studentships are subject to UKRI terms and conditions. Successful candidates who meet UKRIs eligibility criteria will be awarded a fully-funded studentship, which covers fees, maintenance stipend (21,805 p.a. for 2026/27) and a research training and support grant (RTSG). A limited number of studentships are available for international applicants, with the difference between 'home' and 'international' fees being waived by the registering university. Please note, however, that ARIES funding does not cover additional costs associated with relocation to, and living in, the UK, such as visa costs or the health surcharge.