The Plant Ontology

Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Investigators

Abstract

PI: Pankaj Jaiswal (Oregon State University) CoPIs: Maria Gandolfo-Nixon (Cornell University), Dennis Stevenson (New York Botanical Garden) Plant Ontology (PO) is a uniquely effective tool to bridge the knowledge developed by genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, taxonomy, botany, and the genomics research communities. During the course of this project, a common set of controlled vocabulary terms describing anatomical structures and developmental stages of the flowering and non-flowering plants will be developed. This will produce resolution to the divergences between the numerous terminologies used by different genomics projects and the nomenclatures used for various plant parts as described classically by plant taxonomists and anatomists as well as across other botanical subdisciplines. The standardization of definitions and naming of the vocabulary terms in the PO that describe either a plant structure or developmental stage provides a framework for fostering consistency in describing gene expression profiles and observed phenotypic traits. The consistent use of PO in descriptions, allows plant biologists and breeders to make meaningful cross-database and cross-species queries to discover patterns of similarities and dissimilarities, and discover the nature of evolutionary innovations. Also, it will allow the examination of the functions of genes and the genetic interactions associated with plant developmental processes and their contribution to agronomic and commercially significant phenotypic traits, such as improved disease resistance and biomass yield. The project website is http://www.plantontology.org. All the contents and results of the project will be released to the public from this website resource. The project outreach program will organize teachers' training workshops and exhibits for students and general public. The focus of these workshops/exhibits will be Plant Biology awareness.