Plants are challenged by a variety of pathogens and insects (biotic stress) and by abiotic stress factors, such as chilling, drought, salinity and heavy metals. Generally, stress results in the accumulation of harmful reactive oxygen species that may negatively affect plants. As is the case with all organisms, plants have the ability to detoxify reactive oxygen species. This is accomplished in part with small antioxidant molecules, such as vitamin C and glutathione.

Vitamin C is not only an antioxidant; it also plays important roles in plant growth and development. In order to understand the function of vitamin C in plant development and defense responses, a variety of molecular, genetic, biochemical and genomics approaches is applied in our research. For more information, please visit our homepage.

Dr. Barth's Home Page: http://www.as.wvu.edu/~cbarth