Dr Rana Munns
Senior Principal Research Scientist
CSIRO Plant Industry,
GPO Box 1600 ,
Canberra ACT 2601

Personal Website: none
Email rana.munns@csiro.au

Research Aims

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The Big Question:

Genes for improving salt tolerance of crop and pasture species.

These can be used (i) as perfect markers in a selection or breeding program (ii) for gene transformation when community acceptance of GMOs is widespread.

The Short-term goals:

Improving the salt tolerance of wheat and barley using physiological knowledge of mechanisms and molecular genetics, to select amongst natural diversity, backcross into cultivars, and generate new germplasm for salt-affected soils.

Group (lab) Members and areas of research:

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• three technical officers working on physiology, molecular mapping, and breeding of salt tolerance in wheat and barley
• a post-doctoral fellow working on microarrays with Liz Dennis
• colleagues expert in molecular mapping and map-based gene cloning (Evans Lagudah)
• collaboration with Tim Colmer (UWA) on salinity/waterlogging
• collaboration with Mary-Jane Rogers (DPI Tatura; CRC for Dryland Salinity) on salinity tolerance of legumes

Funding

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Current :

• GRDC, CRC for Dryland Salinity

Applications submitted or planned:

• GRDC

Techniques in the Laboratory

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Currently active:

• QTL mapping and molecular markers for the wheat genome
• phenotyping for sodium transport and for salt tolerance in general
• collection of xylem sap
• glasshouse and controlled environment cabinets.

In development:

• Wheat chip for microarray approach to identify genes for controlling sodium transport and other traits for salt tolerance.

Main areas of expertise

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Top three areas of knowledge:

• whole plant physiology
• mechanisms of drought and salinity tolerance
• QTL mapping

Top three technical skills:

• screening for salt tolerance
• phenotyping for genomic mapping and gene discovery
• germplasm development for improved cultivars

Most significant contributions to this research field

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• discovery of novel Na + -excluding durum wheat genotypes
• identification of robust QTL and microsatellite marker for Na + exclusion
• transfer of genes for Na + exclusion into current cultivars via marker-assisted selection
• proof that this increases the salt tolerance of durum wheat.

Publications - Last 5 Years

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• Munns, R., Rebetzke, G.J., Husain, S., James, R.A. and Hare, R.A. (2003) Genetic control of sodium exclusion in durum wheat. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 54, 627-635.

• Munns, R. and James, R.A. (2003) Screening methods for salinity tolerance: a case study with tetraploid wheat. Plant and Soil 253, 201-218.

• Husain, S., Munns, R. and Condon, A.G. (2003) Effect of sodium exclusion trait on chlorophyll retention and growth of durum wheat in saline soil. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 54, 589-597.

• Mäkelä, P., Munns, R., Colmer T.D. and Peltonen-Sainio P. (2003) Growth of tomato and its ABA-deficient mutant ( sitiens ) under saline conditions. Physiologia Plantarum 117, 58-63.

• Munns, R. (2002) Salinity, growth and phytohormones. In "Salinity: Environment - Plants - Molecules". (Ed. A. Läuchli and U. Lüttge) Kluwer, Dordrecht . pp. 271-290.

• Munns, R. (2002) Comparative physiology of salt and water stress. Plant Cell and Environment 25, 239-250.

• Holbrook , N.M. , Shashidhar, V.R., James, R.A. and Munns, R. (2002) Stomatal control in tomato with ABA-deficient roots: Response of grafted plants to soil drying. Journal of Experimental Botany 53, 1503-151.

• Rivelli, A.R., James, R.A., Munns, R. and Condon, A.G. (2002) Effect of salinity on water relations and growth of wheat genotypes with contrasting sodium uptake. Functional Plant Biology 29, 1065-1074.

• Dodd, I.C., Munns, R. and Passioura, J.B. (2002) Shoot turgor does not limit leaf expansion of nitrogen-deprived barley. Journal of Experimental Botany 53, 1765-1770.

• Munns, R. Husain, S., Rivelli, A.R., James, R.A., Condon, A.G., Lindsay, M.P., Lagudah, E.S., Schachtman, D. and Hare, R.A. (2002) Avenues for increasing salt tolerance of crops, and the role of physiologically-based selection traits. Plant and Soil 247, 93-105.

• Lindsay, M., Munns, R., Lagudah, E. and Hare, R. (2002) A QTL for sodium-exclusion mapped in durum wheat. In: Plant Breeding for the 11th Millenium, J.A.McComb (ed), Proceedings 12th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference (Perth, 15-20 September, 2002) pp. 525-527.

• James, R.A., Rivelli, A.R., Munns, R. and von Caemmerer, S. (2002) Factors affecting CO 2 assimilation, leaf injury and growth in salt-stressed durum wheat. Functional Plant Biology 29, 1393-1403.

• Munns, R., Hare, R.A., James, R.A. and Rebetzke, G.J. (2000) Genetic variation for improving the salt tolerance of durum wheat. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 51, 69-74.

• Davies, C.L., Turner, D.W. Dracup, M. and Munns, R. (2000) Does yellow lupin ( Lupinus luteus ) tolerate waterlogging better than narrow-leafed lupin ( L. angustifolius )? IV. The importance of roots and shoots in tolerance to waterlogging. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 51, 729-736.

• Munns, R., Passioura, J.B., Guo, J., Chazen, O. and Cramer G.R. (2000) Water relations and leaf expansion: importance of timescale. Journal of Experimental Botany 51, 1495-1504.

• Passioura, J.B. and Munns, R. (2000) Rapid environmental changes that affect leaf water status induce transient surges or pauses in leaf expansion rate. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 27, 941-948.

• Munns, R., Guo, J., Passioura, J.B. and Cramer, G.R. (2000) Leaf water status controls day-time but not daily rates of leaf expansion in salt-treated barley. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 27, 949-957.

• Munns, R., Hare, R.A. and Colmer, T.J. (2000) Salt tolerance in wheat and barley. Proceedings 8 th International Barley Genetics Symposium (22-27 October, 2000, Adelaide ). Volume I, pp 238-245.

• Munns, R., Cramer, G.R. and Ball, M.C. (1999) Interactions between rising CO 2 , soil salinity, and plant growth. In "Carbon Dioxide and Environmental Stress". Ed. Y. Luo and H.A. Mooney. Academic Press, pp 139-167.

• Munns, R. and Rawson, H.M. (1999) Effect of salinity on salt accumulation and reproductive development in the apical meristem of wheat and barley. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 26, 459-464.

• Richards, R.A., Rebetzke, G.J., Condon, A.G., van Herwaarden, A.F., Duggan, B.L. and Munns, R. (1999) Targeting physiological traits to overcome environmental limitations and raise the yield potential of dryland crops. 11 th Australian Plant Breeding Conference Proceedings, Adelaide , 19-23 April. pp 27-33.

Ten Career Best Publications

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1. Munns, R., Rebetzke, G.J., Husain, S., James, R.A. and Hare, R.A. (2003) Genetic control of sodium exclusion in durum wheat. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 54, 627-635.

2. Munns, R. (2002) Comparative physiology of salt and water stress. Plant Cell and Environment 25, 239-250.

3. Rivelli, A.R., James, R.A., Munns, R. and Condon, A.G. (2002) Effect of salinity on water relations and growth of wheat genotypes with contrasting sodium uptake. Functional Plant Biology 29, 1065-1074.

4. Munns, R. Husain, S., Rivelli, A.R., James, R.A., Condon, A.G., Lindsay, M.P., Lagudah, E.S., Schachtman, D. and Hare, R.A. (2002) Avenues for increasing salt tolerance of crops, and the role of physiologically-based selection traits. Plant and Soil 247, 93-105.

5. Munns, R., Schachtman, D.P. and Condon, A.G. The significance of a two-phase growth response to salinity in wheat and barley. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 22, 561-569 (1995).

6. Munns, R. Physiological processes limiting plant growth in saline soils:
   some dogmas and hypotheses. Plant, Cell and Environment 16, 15-24 (1993).

7. Munns, R. Why measure osmotic adjustment? Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 15, 717-726 (1988).

8. Munns, R. and Termaat, A. Whole-plant responses to salinity. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 13, 143-160 (1986).

9. Munns, R. Na+, K+ and Cl- in xylem sap flowing to shoots of NaCl-treated barley. Journal of Experimental Botany 36, 1032-1042 (1985).

10. Greenway, H. and Munns, R. Mechanisms of salt tolerance in nonhalophytes. Annual Review of Plant Physiology, 31,149-190 (1980).