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Associate Professor Brett Ferguson

Associate Professor Legume Biotech

School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability
Faculty of Science

Associate Professor

Centre for Crop Science
Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation
b.ferguson1@uq.edu.au
+61 7 334 69951

Overview

A/Prof Brett Ferguson’s research interest are in molecular genetics, genomics, genetic transformation and genome editing, such as CRISPR, to unravel the molecular mechanisms driving plant development. His primary focus is on legume crops, using biotechnology and bioinformatic approaches to identify key genes and signals controlling traits of interest. This includes the agriculturally- and environmentally-important symbiosis between legume plants and beneficial rhizobia bacteria that fix critical nitrogen for their host plant. In addition, A/Prof Ferguson works with the fascinating legume tree, Pongamia pinatta, which has tremendous potential as a feedstock for the sustainable production of biodiesel and aviation fuel.

A/Prof Brett Ferguson leads the Integrative Legume Research Group (ILRG) in the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences (SAFS) at the University of Queensland (UQ). He is an Affiliate of the Centre for Crop Science in the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), and an Affiliate of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science (CIPPS). A/Prof Ferguson is also a Chief Investigator in the large, multi-national Hy-Gain for Smallholders Project primarily funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The work of A/Prof Ferguson has contributed to the discovery of many new genes and signals, such as novel microRNAs and peptide hormones, that have critical roles in controlling plant development. His research group identified the complete family of CLE peptide encoding genes of several legume species using an array of molecular and bioinformatic approaches. Additional discoveries of genes involved in legume nodule formation, nitrogen signalling and the regulation of root development, are also having an impact in the research field. Many of these factors could be useful in supporting translational studies and breeding programs that look to improve crop performance. His work also established a requirement for brassinosteroid hormones in legume nodulation and demonstrated a central role for gibberellins in nodule development. Moreover, he contributed to some of the initial work reporting a role of strigolatones in shoot branching, and demonstrated that plants can transport quantities of auxin far in excess of their endogenous levels.

A/Prof Ferguson has also contributed to the developed of new tools and techniques, such as petiole feeding, precision feeding in growth pouches, stem girdling, pHairyRed for promoter-reporter fusions, new hairy-root transformation techniques, novel integrative vectors to enhance transformation efficiency, synthetic biology approaches to generate mature double stranded miRNA, etc.

Research Interests

  • Legumes, legume nodulation, nitrogen and nitrogen fixation.
  • Functional genomics using plant biotechnology (genetics, genomics, bioinformatics, transcriptomics), genetic transformation and genome editing (CRISPR).
  • Pongamia pinnata as a source of sustainable biofuel.
  • Plant physiology, signalling and development, plant-microbe interactions (symbioses).
  • Discovery and characterisation of novel genes and signals required for plant development, including CLE peptide hormones, classical plant hormones, and microRNAs.
  • Establishment of the molecular mechanisms responsible for acid-soil inhibition of legume crop development, and nitrogen and phosphorous signalling networks.
  • Development of superior cowpea and sorghum crop varieties (Hy-Gain project).

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Tasmania

Publications

View all Publications

Grants

View all Grants

Supervision

  • Revolutionising CRISPR genome editing to generate superior legume crops

    Doctor Philosophy

  • Nannochloropsis: a potential chassis strain for synthetic biology in microbial photoautotrophs

    Doctor Philosophy

  • Characterising novel molecular signals involved in Legume nodulation

    Doctor Philosophy

View all Supervision

Available Projects

  • Functional Characterisation of Novel Components Required for the Development and Control of Legume Nodules.

    Nitrogen fertiliser use in agriculture is inefficient, costly and can be environmentally damaging. Legume crops represent an economically and environmentally sound alternative, as their relationship with nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria enables them to thrive in the absence of nitrogen fertiliser. The bacteria (commonly referred to as rhizobia) are housed in specialised root organs, called nodules. Identifying critical components in the development and control of legume nodules is now needed to optimise the process and improve agriculture sustainability. Projects include those that aim to discover and functionally characterise novel factors that 1) are required early in the molecular process of legume nodule development, 2) act to control legume nodule numbers, or 3) are regulated by acid soils to inhibit nodule formation. Findings can considerably enhance the current nodulation model and could help to underpin strategies to reduce the over-reliance on nitrogen fertiliser use in agriculture.

  • Overcoming Negative Impacts of Soil Acidity on Legume Nodulation and Nitrogen Fixation

    Legume plants can enter into a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia bacteria. This relationship can considerably improve soil health and crop yields, whilst also reducing the need for expensive and polluting nitrogen fertilisers, thus helping to enhance agricultural sustainability and food security. Legume plants form new root organs, called nodules, to house their rhizobia partners. The process of forming a nodule is called nodulation and it is tightly regulated by the host plant to optimise resources, often based on environmental conditions. Soil acidity is one environmental factor that can negatively influence nodulation. It represents a serious global problem as many of the world’s agricultural soils are acidic. This project aims to identify and characterize critical new molecular factors of legumes that function in acid-regulation of nodulation. Findings will enhance our knowledge of the genes and signals that act in acid-inhibition, and could benefit future efforts to overcome the negative effect of soil acidity on legume nodulation.

  • Discovery and Functional Characterisation of New Plant Peptide Hormones

    The world is facing a serious and urgent threat to food security, with several studies concluding that crop production needs to double by the year 2050 to feed the rapidly growing population. Discovering new factors that enhance crop growth and yields is regarded as a pivotal step in meeting this demand. This project will characterise and synthesise exciting new peptide hormones recently identified in soybean that control plant development. Known members of this peptide family have critical roles in regulating shoot, root and seed growth, but the function of most remains unknown. Findings will enhance the molecular mechanisms of plant development, and could benefit agricultural sustainability and food security by aiding in the selection of superior crops and the commercialisation of novel regulatory compounds that increase crop yields.

View all Available Projects

Publications

Book Chapter

  • Soybean CLE peptides and their CLAVATA-like signaling pathways

    Jones, Candice H., Hastwell, April H., Gresshoff, Peter M. and Ferguson, Brett J. (2022). Soybean CLE peptides and their CLAVATA-like signaling pathways. Soybean physiology and genetics. (pp. 153-175) edited by Hon-Ming Lam and Man-Wah Li. London, United Kingdom: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/bs.abr.2022.02.006

  • Advances in understanding soybean physiology and growth

    Zhang, M. B., Chu, X. T., Su, H. N., Hastwell, A. H., Gresshoff, P. M. and Ferguson, B. J. (2018). Advances in understanding soybean physiology and growth. Achieving sustainable cultivation of soybeans: volume 1 breeding and cultivation techniques. (pp. 3-22) edited by Henry T. Nguyen. Sawston, Cambridge, United Kingdom: Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing. doi: 10.19103/as.2017.0034.01

  • Rhizobia and legume nodulation genes

    Ferguson, B.J. (2017). Rhizobia and legume nodulation genes. Reference module in life sciences. (pp. 1-5) Online: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-12-809633-8.07071-0

  • The regulation of legume nodule numbers

    Ferguson, B. J. and Gresshoff, P. M. (2016). The regulation of legume nodule numbers. Plants In Action2. (pp. *-*) Brisbane, QLD Australia: ASPS & NZSPB.

  • Physiological implications of legume nodules associated with soil acidity

    Ferguson, Brett J. and Gresshoff, Peter M. (2015). Physiological implications of legume nodules associated with soil acidity. Legume nitrogen fixation in a changing environment: achievements and challenges. (pp. 113-125) edited by Saad Sulieman and Lam-Son Phan Tran. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-06212-9_6

  • Rhizobia and legume nodulation genes

    Ferguson, B. J. (2013). Rhizobia and legume nodulation genes. Brenner’s encyclopedia of genetics. (pp. 236-239) edited by Stanley Maloy and Kelly Hughes. New York, NY, United States: Academic Press Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-374984-0.01046-9

  • Systemic signalling in legume nodulation: nodule formation and its regulation

    Hayashi, Satomi, Gresshoff, Peter M. and Ferguson, Brett J. (2013). Systemic signalling in legume nodulation: nodule formation and its regulation. Long-distance systemic signaling and communication in plants. (pp. 219-229) edited by František Baluška. Heidelberg, Germany: Springer-Verlag. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-36470-9_11

  • The development and regulation of soybean nodules

    Ferguson, Brett (2013). The development and regulation of soybean nodules. A comprehensive survey of international soybean research - genetics, physiology, agronomy and nitrogen relationships. (pp. 31-47) edited by James E. Board. Rijeka, Croatia: InTech - Open Access Publisher. doi: 10.5772/52573

  • Soybean nodulation and nitrogen fixation

    Ferguson, Brett J. and Indrasumunar, Arief (2011). Soybean nodulation and nitrogen fixation. Agricultural research updates. (pp. 103-119) edited by Barbara P. Hendriks. Hauppauge, N.Y., United States: Nova Publishers.

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Other Outputs

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Revolutionising CRISPR genome editing to generate superior legume crops

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Nannochloropsis: a potential chassis strain for synthetic biology in microbial photoautotrophs

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Characterising novel molecular signals involved in Legume nodulation

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Molecular analysis of novel CLE peptide hormones that respond to legume pathogens

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Regulators of female reproductive development in cowpea

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Helping crops cope as climatic extremes escalate: elucidating plant responses to novel growth enhancing compounds

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • The Characterisation of Root Meristem Growth Factor (RGF)/GOLVEN (GLV)/CLE-Like (CLEL) Peptides in Soybean Root Development and Nodulation

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

Completed Supervision

Possible Research Projects

Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.

  • Functional Characterisation of Novel Components Required for the Development and Control of Legume Nodules.

    Nitrogen fertiliser use in agriculture is inefficient, costly and can be environmentally damaging. Legume crops represent an economically and environmentally sound alternative, as their relationship with nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria enables them to thrive in the absence of nitrogen fertiliser. The bacteria (commonly referred to as rhizobia) are housed in specialised root organs, called nodules. Identifying critical components in the development and control of legume nodules is now needed to optimise the process and improve agriculture sustainability. Projects include those that aim to discover and functionally characterise novel factors that 1) are required early in the molecular process of legume nodule development, 2) act to control legume nodule numbers, or 3) are regulated by acid soils to inhibit nodule formation. Findings can considerably enhance the current nodulation model and could help to underpin strategies to reduce the over-reliance on nitrogen fertiliser use in agriculture.

  • Overcoming Negative Impacts of Soil Acidity on Legume Nodulation and Nitrogen Fixation

    Legume plants can enter into a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia bacteria. This relationship can considerably improve soil health and crop yields, whilst also reducing the need for expensive and polluting nitrogen fertilisers, thus helping to enhance agricultural sustainability and food security. Legume plants form new root organs, called nodules, to house their rhizobia partners. The process of forming a nodule is called nodulation and it is tightly regulated by the host plant to optimise resources, often based on environmental conditions. Soil acidity is one environmental factor that can negatively influence nodulation. It represents a serious global problem as many of the world’s agricultural soils are acidic. This project aims to identify and characterize critical new molecular factors of legumes that function in acid-regulation of nodulation. Findings will enhance our knowledge of the genes and signals that act in acid-inhibition, and could benefit future efforts to overcome the negative effect of soil acidity on legume nodulation.

  • Discovery and Functional Characterisation of New Plant Peptide Hormones

    The world is facing a serious and urgent threat to food security, with several studies concluding that crop production needs to double by the year 2050 to feed the rapidly growing population. Discovering new factors that enhance crop growth and yields is regarded as a pivotal step in meeting this demand. This project will characterise and synthesise exciting new peptide hormones recently identified in soybean that control plant development. Known members of this peptide family have critical roles in regulating shoot, root and seed growth, but the function of most remains unknown. Findings will enhance the molecular mechanisms of plant development, and could benefit agricultural sustainability and food security by aiding in the selection of superior crops and the commercialisation of novel regulatory compounds that increase crop yields.

  • Application of genetic transformation and genome editing (e.g. CRISPR) to establish molecular mechanisms in plant development.

  • Enhancing the genetic and genomic understanding of the legume tree, Pongamia pinnata, as a source of sustainable biodiesel and aviation fuel.

  • Development of new tools for genetic transformation and genome editing of legume plants.

This staff member is a UQ Expert for media in the following fields:

Plants - development, physiology, genetics, Plant molecular biology, Legumes, Nodulation - Botany, Plant-microbe interactions, Microbe-plant interactions, Symbiosis, Genetics - plants, Soybean

They are happy to lend their expertise to your articles or broadcasts and share their research discoveries and insights with the community via media channels.

For additional assistance with story ideas, general advice and information or help with seeking further experts, please email the UQ Media Team or telephone (07) 3365 1120.

Links

ResearcherID: T-9501-2017

ORCID: 0000-0003-3737-8368

Scopus ID: 10143374100

Google Scholar ID: VJly2BoAAAAJ

Personal Profile: Link

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