Dr Rod King ‘Could Plants Adapt to Increased Temperature Quickly Enough by Normal Evolutionary Pressures?

Rod will look at whether Australian and exotic plants can adapt to increased temperature by normal evolutionary processes quickly enough.

Dr Rod King first began work in CSIRO Plant Industry in 1965 to which, after completing a PhD in Canada, he returned in 1972. His studies focused on environment and reproduction in cereals and grasses and in the mid 1980's were extended to studies of Australian plants with horticultural potential. More recently, with the availability of sensitive analytical techniques and, as well, by applying  molecular approaches with  Arabidopsis and rye grass, he and his colleague Dr Lloyd Evans established for the first time that the plant hormone Gibberellin is a critical natural floral factor. After retiring in 2008 Dr King continued as an Honorary Research Fellow with CSIRO until 2013. His scientific publications exceed 140 over his career and cover a very diverse range of studies in plant science. Aside from local "retirement" activities he now spends some time each year teaching plant biology in China.