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The broad research basis in the Department is complemented by work on a number of different plant types. Plant technology is a developing theme, with staff involved in plant tissue culture research on pineapple micropropagation and callus culture, with a view to efficient production of the enzymebromelain. This complements other interests in the Department in this potentially useful protease. There is also interest in using the technique of protoplast fusion to transfer late blight resistance form wild Solanum species into the cultivated potato. Additionally, well established research on algal callus culture is aimed at investigating the potential of algal cells for use as a source of materials such as alginates. Research also studies algal shock responses, particularly to heavy metals. In this context, the use of algae as the basis of a bioassay system for pollution monitoring is also being investigated. Algal gene expression is also an area of interest with the control of glyoxylate bypass gene expression in Chlorella, Chlamydomonas and other algae being investigated. Research in taxonomy is also carried out on the genera Mimulus and Euphrasia as well as the ascomycete fungi, and there are interests in the phytosociology of arable weed communities, sulphur tolerance in bryophytes, and the mycology of semi-natural grasslands.
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