The research profile of the Department is characterized by several principal directions of investigation: developmental plant physiology, with a focus on photomorphogenesis, in vitro morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation, stress physiology, genetic engineering, synthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites, ex situ conservation of medicinal, rare and endangered plant species and fungal growth and development.

Investigations of the role of light and plant growth regulators in plant growth and development are centered at developmental processes controlled by these factors, including seed germination, plant body growth, flowering, sex determination and senescence. Studies of in vitro morphogenesis are aimed at understanding and distinction of regenerative pathways – androgenesis, somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis as influenced by plant growth regulators and other regulatory factors. Commercial application are focused mostly on using in vitro techniques for propagation and production of healthy plantlets enabling also ex situ production of rare, endangered species. Stress physiology research are mostly dedicated to plant responses to abiotic (salinity, drought, extreme temperatures) and biotic (pathogen) stress factors. Transformation of plants, comprising transfer of certain genes of interest into plants, is done on routine basis in studies of morphogenesis, plant growth regulator metabolism, resistance to stress and various pathogens as well as flower color determination in ornamental plants. Studies of secondary metabolite production are targeted at factors affecting their production under in vitro culture conditions, production in small bioreactors and improvement of analytic procedures.

Mycological Research in the Department of Plant Physiology are related to the morphology, pathogenicity and life cycle of plant, animal, human fungal pathogens and food contaminants (Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Candida spp., etc.). Testing of antimicrobial activity of secondary metabolites of plants and fungi in order to obtain new, natural antimicrobial agents that do not have harmful effects on plants, animals and humans is done using different methods. Mushrooms have great potential for the production of bioactive metabolites, and studies have focused on the use of medicinal mushrooms for the purpose of obtaining pharmacologically relevant products and their use in human and veterinary medicine.

Laboratories at the Department of Plant Physiology

The work at the Department is organized in the following labs and facilities:

Tissue culture lab with a preparative lab and sterile block
Citology lab
Molecular biology lab
Micological lab
Phytochemistry lab
Analitical lab
Lab for photomorphogenesis (dark room)
Two green houses

Researchers at the Department of Plant Physiology

There are currently 50 researchers employed at the Department, Among the employees, there are 13 principal research fellows, 8 senior research fellows, 16 research associates, 11 research assistants, 1 research trainees, and one technical adviser.

Projects

Plant Physiology department scientist are engaged with three Basic Research Projects (ON173015, ON173024 and ON173032), two Technological Projects (TR31019 and TR31049), two Integrative and Interdisciplinary Research Projects (III41011 and III46007),

Main topics:

Physiology of plant growth
Photomorphogenesis
In vitro morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation
Stress physiology
Genetic Engineering
The synthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites
Ex situ conservation of medicinal, rare and endangered species
Growth and development of fungi