Genetic analysis of metal hyperaccumulation and hypertolerance of Noccaea caerulescens

Summary

Noccaea caerulescens (J. and C. Presl) F.K. Mey. is renowned as a metal hyperaccumulator, exhibiting considerable variation in metal hyperaccumulation and hypertolerance traits. Numerous studies have investigated this species aiming to identify the genes responsible for these traits. Such insights hold promise for advancing green technologies like phytoremediation, biofortification, and phytomining. However, the advancement of research on this species has been impeded by several challenges, including the absence of reverse genetic tools and a scarcity of genetic resources. This thesis aims to develop genetic tools to overcome the limitations of this species by using to-date approaches and subsequently use these tools to explore genetic diversity and evolutionary dynamic of N. caerulescens.