Toorop, Peter
Job TitleSenior Scientist Diagnostics
DepartmentSeed Conservation
SectionResearch
Science Teams:
Joined Kew: 2001
Foreign Language(s): Dutch (mother tongue), French (basic), Portuguese (basic).
Qualifications & Appointments
MSc (equivalent) Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands, 1988
PhD (equivalent) Agricultural Science, Wageningen University, The Netherlands, 1998
Editorial board Kew Scientist
Editorial board Seed Science Research
Editorial board Revista Brasileira de Sementes
External grants: ARC AUk$297, CNPq mR$1.3
Correspondent for and member of the Dutch Institute for Biology 2001-2009
Role
Molecular characterisation and (eco)physiological aspects of seed quality
Science management: member of Departmental Student Steering Committee;
Science advice: regular reviewer of manuscripts for a range of peer-reviewed journals (e.g. Annals of Botany, Genomics, Plant Science)
Science supervision: five PhD students that were co-supervised completed 2006-2011
Science communication and dissemination: contributions were made to courses in Lavras (MG, Brazil) 2007 and 2008, in Oviedo (Spain) 2008, and in Salvador (BA, Brazil) 2010.
Scientific interests/activities: Our assessment of the germination process is often based on the observation of radicle protrusion, which marks the end of germination. Dormancy, ageing and storage behaviour are aspects of seed quality that influence germination capacity of banked seeds, and fitness of these populations depends on their genetic variation. Parameters to assess dormancy and longevity routinely other than germination tests are not commonly available. One particularly poorly understood type of dormancy is physiological dormancy, which often cannot be broken easily resulting in accessions with inadequate performance. Improving knowledge of the molecular background of physiological dormancy contributes to a better assessment of seed quality. Model species are used to deepen the knowledge, while a wider range of species is used in comparison. A range of species of particular interest is those from the Brazilian Cerrado and Caatinga, which are biodiversity hotspots. My research areas of interest lie not only in the molecular and physiological aspects of seed dormancy, including cycling through induction and breaking of physiological seed dormancy, but also: seed desiccation tolerance, genomics and proteomics as tools to better understand seed physiology, seed ageing, genetic diversity of seed populations in relation to seed physiological traits, seed development aspects, post-germination desiccation tolerance, and seed enhancement treatments (priming). Ultimately, improved understanding in these areas will lead to enhanced diagnostics tools with potential applications, e.g improved in situ restoration. As part of the dissemination of acquired knowledge, I have taken part in teaching seed physiology modules as part of post-graduate courses; and I was invited to speak in Aracaju (Brazil 2008), Curitiba (Brazil 2009), and Bristol (2010).
Projects
- Genetic Polymorphisms in Populations of Aesculus hippocastanum across Europe (project completed 2011)
- Improving seed quality through seed priming
- Intraspecies Variation in Seed Traits
- Light and Seed Germination in Diverse Taxa
- Molecular and Biophysical Dissection of Changes in Seed Dormancy and the Role of Chemical Stimulants
- Plant Dormancy Transcriptomes and Epigenetic Control
- Proteome Responses to Desiccation in Magnolia ovata Seeds (project completed 2011)
Selected Recent Publications
Santamaría, M.E., Rodríguez, R., Cañal, M.J. & Toorop, P.E. (2011) Transcriptome analysis of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) tree buds suggests a putative role for epigenetic control of bud dormancy. Annals of Botany 108: 485–498 (IF 3.388).
Amaral da Silva, E.A., Toorop, P.E., van Lammeren, A.A.M. & Hilhorst, H.W.M. (2008) ABA inhibits embryo cell expansion and early cell division events during coffee (Coffea arabica “Rubi”) seed germination. Annals of Botany 102: 425–433 (IF 3.388; times cited = 8).
Pinto, L.V.A., Amaral da Silva, E.A., Davide, A.C., Mendes de Jesus, V.A., Toorop, P.E. & Hilhorst, H.W.M. (2007) Mechanism and control of Solanum lycocarpum St. Hill seed germination. Annals of Botany 100, 1175–1187 (IF 3.388; times cited = 7).
Finch-Savage, W.E., Cadman, C.S.C., Toorop, P.E., Lynn, J.R. & Hilhorst, H.W.M. (2007) Seed dormancy release in Arabidopsis Cvi by dry after-ripening, low temperature, nitrate and light shows common quantitative patterns of gene expression directed by environmentally specific sensing. The Plant Journal 51: 60–78 (IF 6.948; times cited = 67).
Cadman, C.S.C., Toorop, P.E., Hilhorst, H.W.M. & Finch-Savage, W.E. (2006) Gene expression profiles of Arabidopsis Cvi seeds during cycling through dormant and non-dormant states indicate a common underlying dormancy control mechanism. The Plant Journal 46: 805–822 (IF 6.948; times cited = 100).
Selected Earlier Publications
Toorop, P.E., Barroco, R.M., Engler, G., Groot, S.P.C. & Hilhorst, H.W.M. (2005) Differentially expressed genes associated with dormancy or germination of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds. Planta 221: 637–647 (IF 3.098; times cited = 24).
Amaral da Silva, E.A., Toorop, P.E., van Aelst, A.C. & Hilhorst, H.W.M. (2004) Abscisic acid controls embryo growth potential and endosperm cap weakening during coffee (Coffea arabica cv. Rubi) seed germination. Planta 220: 251–261 (IF 3.098; times cited = 48).
Toorop, P.E., van Aelst, A.C. & Hilhorst, H.W.M. (2000) The second step of the biphasic endosperm cap weakening that mediates tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) seed germination is under control of ABA. Journal of Experimental Botany 51: 1371–1379 (IF 4.818; times cited = 70).
Hilhorst, H.W.M. & Toorop, P.E. (1997) A review on dormancy, germinability and germination in crop and weed seeds. Advances in Agronomy 61: 111–165 (IF 3.64; times cited = 54).
Toorop, P.E., Bewley, J.D. & Hilhorst, H.W.M. (1996) Endo-ß-mannanase isoforms are present in the endosperm of tomato seeds, but are not essentially linked to the completion of germination. Planta 200: 153–158 (IF 3.098; times cited = 68).
