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David Livingston, Associate Professor, Crop Science/USDA Research Agronomist

David Livingston


Associate Professor, Crop Science/USDA Research Agronomist

 CROP SCIENCE
PERSONNEL
Campus Box 7629
840 Method Rd. Unit 3 PO Box 7629
Raleigh, NC 27502
Phone: (919) 515-4324
FAX: (919) 515-2305

dpl@unity.ncsu.edu
Commodity Areas Disciplines Appointments
  • Wheat and Small Grains
  • Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • USDA
Dr. Livingston received his Ph.D. in 1988 at Michigan State University in Plant Breeding and Physiology. He coordinated the oat breeding project at Pennsylvania State University from 1988 until 1994 when he was transferred by the USDA to North Carolina State University. He now serves as project leader for a winter hardiness evaluation program, which involves basic and applied research on thermodynamic, genetic, and physiologic factors affecting tolerance of small grains to abiotic stresses caused primarily by exposure to freezing temperatures. 

Dr. Livingston

  1. Develops improved methods for identifying winter cereal germplasm with elite freezing tolerance mechanisms, 
  2. Uses thermodynamic and physiological measurements to identify mechanisms of freezing tolerance, 
  3. Participates with other ARS and public university programs in a national small grain enhancement effort.

Project description

Quantitatlive Trait Loci:

In a collaborative effort with Dr Paul Murphy (North Carolina State Small Grains Breeder), several loci were identified in oat that were closely associated with freezing tolerance. This was accomplished using AFLP marker technology in conjunction with field evaluation and crown freezing with custom designed freezers. We will use these markers to identify germplasm with freezing tolerance genes and use traditional breeding methods to combine them with genes for lodging resistance, high yield, and other economically important traits.

Right: Preparing oat crowns for a freeze test.

 crown freezing

Biochemistry, Physiology and Thermodynamics:

Expanding on our discovery that CO2 from respiration dissolves in liquid water in the plant and induces ice to melt, metabolic energies of adaptive biochemical reactions will be measured using Isothermal Calorimetry to characterize and monitor stresses that determine gene expression for traits important in freezing tolerance. Several proteins have been shown to be exported into the apoplast while plants were frozen. These proteins have been sequenced and their function will be investigated. In addition to proteins, the primary storage carbohydrate (fructan) is also exported into the apoplast and has been shown to stabilize membranes during freezing. A collaborative project with Dr. Arnd Heyer at the Max Plank Institute in Germany  has been established to investigate the relationship of fructan to membrane stability during freezing and drought stress.

Right: Longitudinal section of an oat crown

 longitudinal section of oat crown

Germplasm Evaluation:

Four International oat and barley Nurseries are being coordinated. This involves soliciting winter hardy germplasm for inclusion in the nursery, distributing seed to cooperators, summarizing and statistically analyzing data, and preparing and distributing annual reports to more than 70 breeders and interested personnel worldwide. These nurseries are critical tools for assessing winter oat and barley germplasm being considered for cultivar release because they allow breeders to test multiple environments in a single year.

Right: Winter kill in a field of barley and oats

 farm

Other Personnel

Dr. R. Premakumar, Research Chemist. Dr. Premakumar is responsible for all molecular aspects of the project as well as oversight for 4 international nurseries. He is currently attempting to identify proteins that are expressed in the apoplast of frozen oat and rye crowns. 		Dr. Premakumar
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