Previous studies in our group identified the components of the age-dependent pathway controlling leaf shape variation across different accessions in Cardamine hirsuta. The QTL analyses in natural variation in leaf margin complexity also associated with some key physiological differences. The major focus of this study will be to investigate whether there is a possible connection between such age-dependent variation in leaf shape and physiological changes that occur during plant aging. In addition to this, the metabolic significance of variation in leaf margin complexity as well as the possible feedbacks between metabolism and leaf form will also be studied in Cardamine.
