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Kochian, Leon V.
Courtesy Professor
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Positions
- Courtesy Professor, Crop and Soil Sciences (CSS), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)
- Adjunct Professor, Plant Biology (BIOPL), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)
My research program focuses on crop mineral nutrition and plant responses environmental abiotic stresses in the soil. My research approach involves the interdisciplinary application of methodologies from molecular biology, genomics, genetics, biochemistry and plant physiology to identify genes that control important plant traits related to mineral nutrient acquisition and abiotic stress tolerance, in order to facilitate crop improvement in these areas.
Research Areas
- environmental sciences
- genetics
- genomics
- international agriculture
- molecular biology
- molecular genetics
- plant biology
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- Teaching
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Affiliations
other Cornell affiliations
Research
research overview
- There are three major projects currently underway: 1. Research on fundamental aspects of plant mineral nutrient transport with emphasis on improving the accumulation of nutritionally important mineral nutrients in plants (Fe, Zn) and minimizing the entry of toxic heavy metals (Cd, Pb) into the food chain. 2. The phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils, primarily from the perspective of elucidating fundamental mechanisms of heavy metal transport, tolerance and accumulation. This research focuses on the heavy metal (Zn and Cd) hyperaccumulator, Thlaspi caerulescens, as a model plant system for studying heavy metal accumulation in plants. 3. A major program in the laboratory deals with mechanisms plants employ to tolerate acid soils, which comprise up to 50% of the world's arable lands. This work involves identifying genes and the associated physiological mechanisms that confer tolerance to toxic levels of aluminum on acid soils, and the ability to function under conditions of low phosphorus availability on acid soils (P efficiency). This project involves an integration of physiological investigations of Al tolerance mechanisms with the molecular mapping and cloning of Al tolerance genes in important crop plants (maize, and sorghum) as well as in Arabidopsis.
research activities
keywords
- abitoic stress tolerance
- mineral nutrition
- nutrient efficiency
- phytoremediation
- plant genomics
submitted impact statement
Publications
individual publications
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academic article
- High-throughput 2D root system phenotyping platform facilitates genetic analysis of root growth and development. . Plant, Cell and Environment. 36:454-466. 2013
- COPT6 is a Plasma Membrane Transporter that Functions in Copper Homeostasis in Arabidopsis and is a Novel Target of SQUAMOSA Promoter Binding Protein-Like 7.. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 287:33252-33267. 2012
- Genetic Architecture of Aluminum Tolerance in Rice (Oryza sativa) Determined through Genome-Wide Association Analysis and QTL Mapping. PLoS Genetics. 7:e1002221. 2011
- 3-dimensional root phenotyping with a novel imaging and software platform. Plant Physiology. 156:455-465. 2011
- Genetic and Physiological Analysis of Iron Biofortification in Maize Kernels. PLoS One. 6. 2011
- Iron biofortification of maize grain. Plant Genetic Resources. 9:327-329. 2011
- Three-Dimensional Root Phenotyping with a Novel Imaging and Software Platform. Plant Physiology. 156:455-465. 2011
- Three-dimensional root phenotyping with a novel imaging and software platform. Plant Physiology. 156:455-465. 2011
- Development of a Novel Aluminum Tolerance Phenotyping Platform Used for Comparisons of Cereal Aluminum Tolerance and Investigations into Rice Aluminum Tolerance Mechanisms. Plant Physiology. 153:1678-1691. 2010
- Association and linkage analysis of aluminum tolerance genes in maize. PLoS One. 5. 2010
- Drosophila ABC transporter, DmHMT-1, confers tolerance to cadmium. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 284:354-362. 2009
- A member of the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion ‘MATE’ family is a major gene that confers aluminum tolerance in sorghum. Nature Genetics. 39:1156-1161. 2007
- A method for cellular localization of gene expression via quantitative in situ hybridization in plants. Plant Journal. 50:159-175. 2007
- Characterization of AtALMT1 expression in aluminum inducible malate release and its role for rhizotoxic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Physiology. 14:843-852. 2007
- AtALMT1, which encodes a malate transporter, is identified as one of several genes critical for aluminum tolerance in Arabidopsis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 103:9738-9743. 2006
- Characterization of cadmium uptake, translocation and storage in near-isogenic lines of durum wheat that differ in grain cadmium concentration. New Phytologist. 172:261-271. 2006
- The cauliflower or gene encodes a cysteine-rich zinc finger domain-containing protein that mediates high-levels of beta-carotene accumulation. Plant Cell. 18:120-125. 2006
- Molecular and Biochemical Characterization of the Selenocysteine Se- Methyltransferase Gene and Se- Methylselenocysteine Synthesis in Broccoli. Plant Physiology. 138:409-420. 2005
- The physiology, genetics and molecular biology of plant aluminum resistance and toxicity. Plant and Soil. 274:173-202. 2005
- Zinc effects on cadmium accumulation and partitioning in near-isogenic lines of durum wheat that differ in grain cadmium accumulation. New Phytologist. 167:391-401. 2005
- Comparative mapping of a major aluminum tolerance gene in sorghum and other species in the poaceae. Genetics. 167:1905-14. 2004
- How do crop plants tolerate acid soils? Mechanisms of aluminum tolerance and phosphorous efficiency. Annual Review of Plant Biology. 55:459-493. 2004
- The role of shoot-localized processes in the mechanism of Zn efficiency in common bean. Planta. 218:704-711. 2004
- Development and allele diversity of microsatellite markers linked to the aluminium tolerance gene Alp in barley. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research. 54:1315-1321. 2003
- Identification and characterization of aluminum tolerance loci in Arabidopsis (Landsberg erecta x Columbia) by quantitative trait locus mapping. A physiologically simple but genetically complex trait. Plant Physiology. 132:936-948. 2003
- Two tomato non-symbiotic haemoglobin genes are differentially expressed in response to diverse changes in mineral nutrient status. Plant, Cell and Environment. 26:673-680. 2003
- Zinc efficiency is correlated with enhanced expression and activity of zinc-requiring enzymes in wheat. Plant Physiology. 131:595-602. 2003
- Measurement of thiol-containing amino acids and phytochelatin (PC2) via capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection. Electrophoresis. 23:81-87. 2002
- Mechanisms of toxic metal resistance in plants: aluminum and heavy metals. Plant and Soil. 247:109-119. 2002
- Physiological genetics of aluminum tolerance in the wheat cultivar Atlas 66. Crop Science Journal. 42:1541-1546. 2002
- Phytochelatin synthesis is not responsible for Cd tolerance in the Zn/Cd Hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens (J&C Presl). Planta. 214:635-640. 2002
- Rapid induction of regulatory and transporter genes in response to phosphorus, potassium, and iron deficiencies in tomato roots. Evidence for cross talk and root/rhizosphere-mediated signals. Plant Physiology. 130:1361-70. 2002
- Transport interactions between cadmium and zinc in roots of bread and durum wheat seedlings. Physiologia Plantarum. 116:73-78. 2002
- High-and low-affinity zinc transport systems and their possible role in zinc efficiency in bread wheat. Plant Physiology. 125:456-463. 2001
- Nitrate-induced genes in tomato roots. Array analysis reveals novel genes that may play a role in nitrogen nutrition. Plant Physiology. 127:345-59. 2001
- Identification of RFLP markers linked to the barley aluminum tolerance gene, Alp. Crop Science Journal. 40:778-782. 2000
- Uptake and retranslocation of leaf-applied cadmium (109Cd) in diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid wheats. Journal of Experimental Botany. 51:221-226. 2000
- Effects of nutrient solution zinc activity on net uptake, translocation, and root export of cadmium and zinc by separated sections of intact durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var durum) seedling roots. Plant and Soil. 208:243-250. 1999
- Characterization of cadmium binding, uptake, and translocation in intact seedlings of bread and durum wheat cultivars. Plant Physiology. 116:1413-1420. 1998
- Characterization of zinc uptake, binding and translocation in intact seedlings of bread and durum wheat cultivars. Plant Physiology. 118:219-226. 1998
- Evidence for vacuolar sequestration of paraquat in roots of a paraquat-resistant Hordeum glaucum Steud. biotype. Physiologia Plantarum. 99:255-262. 1997
- Resistance to paraquat in wall barley (Hordeum glaucum Steud.) is temperature dependent and not associated with enhanced apoplasmic binding. Weed Research. 36:303-309. 1996
- The Determination Of Aluminum Fluxes In Chara. Plant Physiology. 108. 1995
- Characterization of paraquat transport in protoplasts from maize (Zea mays L.) suspension cells. Plant Physiology. 103:963-969. 1993
- Compartmentation analysis of paraquat fluxes in maize roots as a means of estimating the rate of vacuolar accumulation and translocation to shoots. Plant Physiology. 102:467-472. 1993
- Investigations into the cation specificity and metabolic requirements for paraquat transport in roots of intact maize seedlings. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology. 45:62-71. 1993
- Characterization of the transport and cellular compartmentation of paraquat in intact maize seedlings. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology. 43:212-222. 1992
- Effect of inorganic cations and metabolic inhibitors on putrescine transport in roots of intact maize seedlings. Plant Physiology. 99:508-514. 1992
- Transport interactions between paraquat and polyamines in intact maize seedlings. Plant Physiology. 99:1400-1405. 1992
- Transport kinetics and metabolism of exogenously applied putrescine in roots of intact maize seedlings. Plant Physiology. 98:611-620. 1992
- Evidence for cotransport of nitrate and protons in maize roots. I. Effects of nitrate on the membrane potential. Plant Physiology. 93:271-280. 1990
- Evidence for cotransport of nitrate and protons in maize roots. II. Measurement of NO3- and H+ fluxes with ion-selective microelectrodes. Plant Physiology. 93:281-289. 1990
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chapter
- Maize aluminum tolerance. Handbook of Maize: Its Biology. 367-380. 2008
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conference paper
- Advances to Whole Root System Quantification Tools and Techniques. The Proceedings of the International Plant Nutrition Colloquium XVI. 2009
- Stress-inducible overexpression of E.coli trehalose biosynthetic genes in rice and maize plants improves drought tolerance. Gordon Research Conference on Salt and Water Stress in Plants. 2008
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Teaching
teaching overview
- I am the Director of the USDA lab on campus and thus am an Adjunct Professor in Plant Biology and also Crop and soil Sciences. However, teaching is very important to me and I created and have taught the graduate course in plant mineral nutrition (BioPl642) for the past 20 years. I also have served as major professor for 13 PhD students during my time at Cornell, and have mentored a number of udnergraduates.
teaching activities
- BIOPL-6420: Mineral Nutrition: From Plants to Humans - Spring 2013
- BIOPL-7490: Graduate Research in Botany - Spring 2013
- CSS-6420: Mineral Nutrition: From Plants to Humans - Spring 2013
- CSS-7900: Graduate-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Spring 2013
- CSS-7910: Graduate-Level Thesis Research in Crop Science - Spring 2013
- CSS-7970: Graduate Individual Study in Crop and Soil Science - Spring 2013
- CSS-8900: Master's Level Thesis Research in Crop Science - Spring 2013
- CSS-8920: Master's Level Thesis Research in Soil Science - Spring 2013
- CSS-9900: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Spring 2013
- CSS-9910: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Crop Science - Spring 2013
- BIOPL-4070: Nutritional Quality Improvement of Food Crops - Fall 2012
- BIOPL-7490: Graduate Research in Botany - Fall 2012
- CSS-7900: Graduate-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Fall 2012
- CSS-7910: Graduate-Level Thesis Research in Crop Science - Fall 2012
- CSS-7970: Graduate Individual Study in Crop and Soil Science - Fall 2012
- CSS-8900: Master's Level Thesis Research in Crop Science - Fall 2012
- CSS-8920: Master's Level Thesis Research in Soil Science - Fall 2012
- CSS-9900: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Fall 2012
- CSS-9910: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Crop Science - Fall 2012
- HORT-4070: Nutritional Quality Improvement of Food Crops - Fall 2012
- PLBR-4070: Nutritional Quality Improvement of Food Crops - Fall 2012
- BIOPL-7490: Graduate Research in Botany - Spring 2012
- CSS-7900: Graduate-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Spring 2012
- CSS-7910: Graduate-Level Thesis Research in Crop Science - Spring 2012
- CSS-7970: Graduate Individual Study in Crop and Soil Science - Spring 2012
- CSS-8900: Master's Level Thesis Research in Crop Science - Spring 2012
- CSS-8920: Master's Level Thesis Research in Soil Science - Spring 2012
- CSS-9900: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Spring 2012
- CSS-9910: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Crop Science - Spring 2012
- BIOPL-4070: Nutritional Quality Improvement of Food Crops - Fall 2011
- BIOPL-7490: Graduate Research in Botany - Fall 2011
- CSS-7900: Graduate-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Fall 2011
- CSS-7910: Graduate-Level Thesis Research in Crop Science - Fall 2011
- CSS-7970: Graduate Individual Study in Crop and Soil Science - Fall 2011
- CSS-8900: Master's-Level Thesis Research in Crop Science - Fall 2011
- CSS-8920: Master's-Level Thesis Research in Soil Science - Fall 2011
- CSS-9900: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Fall 2011
- CSS-9910: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Crop Science - Fall 2011
- HORT-4070: Nutritional Quality Improvement of Food Crops - Fall 2011
- PLBR-4070: Nutritional Quality Improvement of Food Crops - Fall 2011
Other
college
- CALS
research keyword
- abitoic stress tolerance
- mineral nutrition
- nutrient efficiency
- phytoremediation
- plant genomics