PhD Candidate

Division of Plant Science and Technology

(Co-advisor Felix Fritschi, Division of Plant Science and Technology)

Education

Hallie Thompson, Ph.D candidate, Robert Sharp Lab

BS, Biochemistry, University of Missouri

Research Interests

A majority of current maize root studies under drought are done on seedlings with only primary and seminal roots, it is important to see how maize nodal (adult) root systems respond to drought stress. The nodal root system supplies up to 80% the water maize needs to grow into maturity, making this root system particularly important in later stages of growth. I use the rainout shelters (http://mizzouwire.missouri.edu/stories/2011/drought-simulator/index.php) at Bradford Research Farm to impose drought on maize plants, enabling the study of nodal root systems under controlled water treatments in a field setting. Current projects consist of taking laboratory discoveries in the primary root system out to the field.

Posters/Presentations/Publications
  • Thompson, H., Alexander, D., Sharp, R. E., & Fritschi, F. B. (2017). Root growth under drought: metabolic response of maize
    nodal roots under field conditions. MU Interdisciplinary Plant Group. University of Missouri: MU Interdisciplinary Plant Group.
  • Thompson, H., Alexander, D., Sharp, R. E., & Fritschi, F. B. (2017). Root growth under drought: metabolic response of maize
    nodal roots under field conditions. DuPont Pioneer. University of Missouri: DuPont Pioneer.
  • Thompson HJ, Alexander D, Sharp RE, Fritschi F. American Society of Plant Biologists annual meeting, Austin, TX, July 2016. “Root growth under drought: metabolic response of maize nodal roots under field conditions”
  • Thompson HJ, Fritschi F, Sharp RE. “Root growth under water deficit: ferulate crosslinks as restraints to cell wall extension”. 9th International Society of Root Research Meeting, Canberra, Australia, Oct. 2015. Root growth under water deficits: ferulate crosslinks as restraints to cell extension”.
  • Thompson HJ, Sharp RE, Fritschi F. “Limitations to Maize Root Growth Under Water Stress: Ferulate Crosslinks as Restraints to Cell Wall Extension”. IPG Symposium, Univ. Missouri, May 2015.
  • Thompson HJ, Fritschi F, Sharp RE. “Root growth under drought: metabolic response of maize nodal roots under field conditions”. 9th International Society of Root Research Meeting, Canberra, Australia, Oct. 2015.