to aid diagnosis and the study of biological processes. used microscopy techniques “Widely simply don’t work when imaging through thick sections of tissue. I hope to be able to extend the depth at which you can successfully use optical microscopy by making computational analysis part of the process,” Dr Munro said. is about designing a microscope “This that maximises the information obtained about a sample, rather than providing the clearest image. We can then use our knowledge of physics and computational skills to construct a clearer image.” Making our crops more efficient Phosphorus is essential for crop growth but we need to use it more efficiently. Mulla mulla can store phosphorus at very high concentrations native vegetation that cannot to solve the problem. She is one of four successful tolerate it, and into waterways ARC Future Fellows at UWA who have won four and estuaries where it can years’ funding for specific research projects. significantly reduce water Associate Professor Ryan hopes to gain insight into how we could make crops more efficient users of P quality and negatively affect wildlife, by examining native plants that accumulate P when commercial fisheries and public it’s readily available and store it in their amenity. This problem is particularly serious in the Peel Harvey region, south of Perth. tissues at high concentrations for use in lean times. Megan Ryan So there is an urgent need to make our farming systems more efficient A native herb, Ptilotus polystachyus reserves of phosphate rock are users of P. Development of crops that (mulla mulla), can store P at higher being depleted as they are mined to are naturally efficient in uptake and concentrations than any other make fertiliser. Much of the use of P will mean that fertilisers will known plant without adverse effects. phosphorous not need (P) applied in fertiliser becomes tied up to be applied liberally. Financial amazing ability may result from “This in the soil in plants cannot access. benefits to farmers as well as availability of P varying with the environmental benefits will result. seasons,” Over time, application of P fertiliser A/Professor Ryan said. all to “It’s has increased soil P levels on farms Plant biologist Megan Ryan is hoping do with rainfall.” but it is now being lost, moving into
to aid diagnosis and the study of biological processes. “Widely used microscopy techniques simply don’t work when imaging through thick sections of tissue. I hope to be able to extend the depth at which you can successfully use optical microscopy by making computational analysis part of the process,” Dr Munro said. “This is about designing a microscope that maximises the information obtained about a sample, rather than providing the clearest image. We can then use our knowledge of physics and computational skills to construct a clearer image.” Making our crops more efficient Phosphorus is essential for crop growth but we need to use it more efficiently. Mulla mulla can store phosphorus at very high concentrations Megan Ryan reserves of phosphate rock are being depleted as they are mined to make fertiliser. Much of the phosphorous (P) applied in fertiliser becomes tied up in the soil in plants cannot access. Over time, application of P fertiliser has increased soil P levels on farms but it is now being lost, moving into native vegetation that cannot tolerate it, and into waterways and estuaries where it can significantly reduce water quality and negatively affect wildlife, commercial fisheries and public amenity. This problem is particularly serious in the Peel Harvey region, south of Perth. So there is an urgent need to make our farming systems more efficient users of P. Development of crops that are naturally efficient in uptake and use of P will mean that fertilisers will not need to be applied liberally. Financial benefits to farmers as well as environmental benefits will result. Plant biologist Megan Ryan is hoping to solve the problem. She is one of four successful ARC Future Fellows at UWA who have won four years’ funding for specific research projects. Associate Professor Ryan hopes to gain insight into how we could make crops more efficient users of P by examining native plants that accumulate P when it’s readily available and store it in their tissues at high concentrations for use in lean times. A native herb, Ptilotus polystachyus (mulla mulla), can store P at higher concentrations than any other known plant without adverse effects. “This amazing ability may result from availability of P varying with the seasons,” A/Professor Ryan said. “It’s all to do with rainfall.”