Dr. John S. Boyer Professor University of Delaware College of Marine Studies 700 Pilottown Rd. Lewes, Delaware 19958 phone: (302) 645-4014 fax: (302) 645-4007 boyer@udel.edu

• DuPont Professor of Marine Plant Biochemistry/Biophysics

Education

• A.B., Swathmore College
• M.S., University of Wisconsin
• Ph.D., Duke University

Research Interests

Our laboratory explores how water availability affects plants, especially dehydration caused by evaporation or salinity, and what mechanisms control the responses of cell enlargement, photosynthesis, and reproduction.

Current Projects

• Role of internal pressures in controlling growth rate in the large-celled alga Chara

• Identification of the primary and enzymatic events causing growth inhibition in land plants encountering water deficits

• Mechanism of photosynthetic desiccation tolerance in the intertidal algae

• Determination of internal CO2 as a way to distinguish stomatal versus metabolic control of photosynthesis

• Metabolic causes of reproductive failure during drought in maize

Teaching

Physiology of Marine Organisms, Marine Biochemistry, Marine Biology Seminar, and several special problems courses in photosynthesis and plant growth.

Current Research Group

• An Ching Tang, Research Scientist (Ph.D., Univ. of Florida) - Primary events controlling growth of water deficient leaves

• Yajun Wu, Research Scientist (Ph.D., Univ. of Missouri) - Enzymatic changes in cell walls of marine algae and land plants

• Timothy Proseus, M.S. student (B.S., Univ. of North Carolina, Wilmington) - role of turgor in growth of Chara

Selected Publications

Zhu, G.L. and Boyer, J.S. 1992. Enlargement in Chara studied with a turgor clamp: growth rate is not determined by turgor. Plant Physiol. 100:2071-2080.

Nonami, H. and Boyer, J.S. 1993. Direct demonstration of a growth-induced water potential gradient. Plant Physiol. 102:13-19.

Boyer, J.S. 1993. Temperature and growth-induced water potential. Plant, Cell & Environ. 16:1099-1106.

Maruyama, S. and Boyer, J.S. 1994. Auxin action on growth in intact plants: threshold turgor is regulated. Planta 193:44-50.

Lauer, M.J. and Boyer, J.S. 1992. Internal CO2 measured directly in leaves: abscisic acid and low leaf water potential cause opposing effects. Plant Physiol. 98:1310-1316.

Zinselmeier, C., Lauer, M.J. and Boyer, J.S. 1995. Reversing drought-induced losses in grain yield: sucrose maintains embryo growth in maize. Crop Sci. 35:1390-1400.

Boyer, J.S. 1995. Biochemical and biophysical aspects of water deficits and the predisposition to disease. Annu. Rev. Phytopath. 33:251-274.

Boyer, J.S. 1995. Measuring the Water Status of Plants and Soils. Academic Press: San Diego. 178 pp.

Kramer, P.J. and Boyer, J.S. 1995. Water Relations of Plants and Soils. Academic Press: San Diego. 495 pp.

boyer@udel.edu

Graduate College of Marine Studies

University of Delaware