CSREES Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics Program

[EVENT] CSREES and NSF Funds International Opportunity for Early Career Scientists in Rice Functional Genomics and Breeding

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:08:22 -0600

To facilitate new collaborative international research to advance knowledge of the finished rice genome sequence for crop improvement, funding from the CSREES plant genome program and NSF will provide partial support for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior principle investigators working in US institutions to attend the 6th International Symposium on Rice Functional Genomics to be held in Jeju Republic of Korea, November 10-12, 2008. Please see the website http://isrfg2008.com/ for details. This support can be used for registration fees, lodging or airfare expenses. Applicants should send their C.V., abstract of research to be presented (optional but preferred), and cover letter with justification to V. Sundaresan, University of California, Davis (sundar@ucdavis.edu ). Members of underrepresented groups and minorities wishing to attend this symposium are especially encouraged to apply. Symposium speakers include leading scientists from the international rice research community to discuss recent advances in functional genomics, stress and disease, growth and development, and breeding for food security. The range of expertise provides a stimulating venue for young investigators to discuss their research and foster future collaborations.

[EVENT] American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America (ASA-CSSA-SSSA) International Annual Meetings, "Footprints in the Landscape - Sustainability through Plant and Soil Sciences," Nov 1-5, 2009, Pittsburgh, PA.

6 Apr 2009 14:30:55 GMT

[IMPACT] Determining Rice Gene Function: Unlocking the Secrets of the World's Most Important Food

Mon, 6 Apr 2009 17:27:07 -0600

Determining Rice Gene Function: Unlocking the Secrets of the World's Most Important Food

Media Contact:
Jennifer Martin, (202) 720-8188

By Stacy Kish, CSREES Staff
February 17, 2009

Rice

In 2008, headlines of real world events read like the script of a bad science fiction movie – the main food source of half the world was in short supply, sparking riots around the globe. But new research may help shield rice crops from future attacks.

Rice is a tiny cereal grain that is the primary source of food for more than 50 percent of the world’s human population. It is the second most consumed cereal grain and provides more than one-fifth of the caloric intake of people around the world. Fearing a global shortage, many governments and retailers began rationing rice supplies, which led to the events in the headlines.

The importance of this grain to the world community is clear. It is also important to science; the rice genome was one of the first cereal crops sequenced.

Scientists use rice as a model for research of other cereals because it has a relatively small genome compared to other cereals. The diminutive rice genome is one-sixth the size of the maize genome and 40 times smaller than the wheat genome. The complete sequence of the domesticated rice variety, Oryza sativa spp. japonica, was finished in 2004.

Despite all of the progress in mapping the rice genome, the function of individual rice genes lags far behind the same studies in other cereal crops. Now, with funding from USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), scientists in California have cataloged the different techniques available to determine the function of genes in rice.

Pamela Ronald and colleagues at the University of California–Davis and Postech, Korea, provide a complete analysis of all of the tools and publically available collections for this important agricultural crop to the scientific community. These tools will help scientists delve into the rice genome and discover the function of the estimated 41,000 rice genes.

“[The] tools include rice lines that are lacking function of one or more genes, methods for assaying the expression of genes in different environments, and databases to catalog rice gene function,” Ronald said.

A genome, the total of all genes that make up the genetic code of an individual, is like a brick building where genes are the individual bricks in the building. A gene is the basic unit of inheritance.

Currently, the scientific community has identified forms of genes that confer fungal and bacterial resistance, as well as genes that make the grain tolerant of submergence and other stresses. Genes responsible for flowering, nutrient transport, and biochemical pathways play a critical role in plant growth and development, as well as establish the environmental parameters under which the crop thrives.

Research on gene function may provide additional protection to the rice crop from attack from bacterial, fungal, and insect pests. Deciphering gene function may also increase plant growth, crop production. and expand the plant’s environmental tolerance, allowing it to thrive under a new set of conditions dictated by changing climate, including drought, flood, and increased carbon dioxide concentrations.

For example, a gene called Sub1 has already been used to develop new rice varieties that are tolerant to submergence, a problem that affects 75 million poor farmers in south and southeast Asia. These Sub1 varieties, developed in collaboration with breeders at the International Rice Research Institute, are now showing dramatic gain yields in farmers’ fields in Bangladesh.

Deciphering the function of genes in the rice plant will ensure the supply remains bountiful in the future. The knowledge gained from these studies can be transferred to other important cereal crops as well as bioenergy crops, such as switchgrass.

CSREES funded this research project through the National Research Initiative Plant Genome program. Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, CSREES focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues affecting people’s daily lives and the nation’s future. For more information, visit www.csrees.usda.gov.

[EVENT] International Conference on Heterosis in Plants: Genetics and molecular causes and optimal exploitation in breeding. September 7 to 9, 2009. University of Hohenheim. Stuttgart, Germany.

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:52:19 -0600

Genomics of Forest and Ecosystem Health in the Fagaceae (Beech Family), November 10-13, 2009 taking place at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Research Triangle Park, NC. http://forestbiotech.org/pdf/Fagaceae_nov2009_agenda_venua.pdf

[IMPACT] Wheat CAP update: Wheat Gene for resistance to stripe rust cloned and deployed

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:19:14 -0600

Wheat CAP update: Wheat Gene for resistance to stripe rust cloned and deployed

An international team of researchers, led by Dr. J. Dubcovsky at the University of California, Davis, supported by USDA-CSREES and BARD grants has identified a gene that protects wheat varieties from stripe rust, a disease that causes severe crop losses in most wheat-growing regions. Findings of the study were published in the online version of the journal Science (Feb. 19).

Historically, partial resistance genes have been more durable than race specific genes and provide resistance against a broader spectrum of races. Yr36 belongs to the class of partial resistance genes and is the first of this class cloned in wheat. When Yr36 is combined with other partial resistance genes it provides adequate levels of protection. Yr36 revealed a completely novel gene architecture that has not been found so far in any other organisms.

Virulent forms of the fungus responsible for stripe rust have appeared in the US at the beginning of this decade, overcoming known disease-resistance genes in wheat and have been causing average losses of 23 million bushels per year. The newly identified Yr36 resistance gene was discovered in wild wheat and was found to be absent from modern wheat varieties used for making bread and pasta. With the support of the WheatCAP project wheat breeding programs are using marker assisted selection to accelerate the deployment of Yr36 in commercial varieties. Three Yr36 varieties are already commercially available to the US wheat growers (Lassik, Farnum, & Westmore).

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[IN FOCUS] Researchers Identify Gene to Improve Wheat Frost Tolerance

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:53:04 -0600

Researchers Identify Gene to Improve Wheat Frost Tolerance

Media Contact:
Jennifer Martin, (202) 720-8188

By Stacy Kish, CSREES Staff
February 9, 2009

Winter wheat
Credit: Scott Bauer

The United States, the world’s leading exporter of wheat, is struggling to keep pace with demand, and a decline in grain available is causing a worldwide crisis. Improving the performance of winter wheat is crucial to keeping pace with worldwide demand.

With funding from USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), scientists in California have identified the genes in wheat that are responsible for the plant’s tolerance to freezing temperatures. This discovery may lead to improved crop production.

The tolerance for freezing temperatures varies in different winter wheat varieties, ranging from 1 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. When temperatures fall below this range, wheat is either injured or it dies. Reduced grain production presents serious economic implications.

Wheat breeders have long recognized the need to produce cultivars with greater resistance to freezing temperatures, but have had limited success at developing cultivars that exhibit improved freezing tolerance. This may be due in part to the regulation of temperature tolerance by multiple genes as well as the variable nature of freeze injury in fields where snow and sloped ground create microclimates.

"It has been difficult for wheat breeders to develop more winter-hardy varieties because frost tolerance in wheat is a complex trait that is regulated by many genes," said Professor Jorge Dubcovsky, a wheat breeder and geneticist.

Dubcovsky led an international team of scientists from the University of California–Davis (UCD) and European institutions to identify the genes that regulate temperature tolerance in wheat and to identify frost-susceptible varieties.

The research team had previously identified a compact group of 11 genes on wheat chromosome 5AL. These genes play key roles in regulating a large number of other genes that confer tolerance to cold temperatures.

The team demonstrated that the frost-tolerant variety activated two of these genes earlier than the frost-susceptible varieties when exposed to decreasing temperatures. This earlier response helped to better prepare the plants for freezing temperatures.

“This research has great potential to be directly incorporated into winter wheat breeding programs where improved winter survival is a goal,” said project collaborator Dr. Kim Garland-Campbell. “The research to date has focused on differences between spring habit, cold-sensitive wheat and winter habit, winter-tolerant wheat. Our next step is to further examine differences in freezing tolerance among winter wheat varieties to determine which genes are present and active in the hardiest varieties, such as from Russia, the Ukraine, Canada, western Nebraska, and other locations with extremely severe winters.”

The project team will use these discoveries to screen wheat varieties for the best combinations of frost tolerance genes and then develop genetic markers to accelerate the selection of hardier wheat cultivars.

"The identification of these optimum gene combinations will enable breeders to develop hardier winter wheat, which is of vital importance in light of growing pressures to increase global food production," Dubcovsky said.

The United States annually produces more than 50 million metric tons of wheat, which is used to make a broad spectrum of food products ranging from breads to pastas. The results of this research will enhance wheat sustainability and production.

This project is part of the CSREES National Research Initiative (NRI) Plant Genome program and included participants from UCD, USDA’s Agriculture Research Service, Washington State University, the Ohio Plant Biotechnology Consortium, and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, CSREES focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues affecting people’s daily lives and the nation’s future. For more information, visit www.csrees.usda.gov.

[EVENT] Bovine Genome Consortium Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY from May 9-11, 2009

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:52:01 -0600

[SELECTED RESULT] Science Explains Why the Tomato Grew Big

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 15:56:27 -0600

With high hopes and shopping basket in hand, many consumers search for that classic icon of summer-the perfect, round, ripe tomato. Many are unaware, however, that this fruit was not always so robust. With funding from USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) National Research Initiative (NRI), scientists in New York have done their part to ensure consumers get their fill by unlocking the genetic secrets that control inherited traits important to growing the classic tomato. Using selective breeding, early agricultural workers domesticated wild tomatoes by growing plants that enhanced specific traits, specifically fruit size. Wild-type tomatoes are often small, round berries, but today’s domesticated plants produce the large, round tomatoes commonly found on the store shelf. Steven Tanksley and colleagues at Cornell University took on this largely unexplored aspect of plant development to address fruit size and shape–two major factors that control the final yield, quality, and consumer acceptability of many crops. Scientists hope biotechnology will increase their understanding of the genetic blueprint behind natural variation. This knowledge, they believe, will help breeders improve key traits, such as yield, fruit size, nutritional value, and drought resistance, in agriculturally important crops through natural breeding techniques. Tanksley's team used high-resolution genetic mapping to pinpoint, within the chromosome, the position of the 'large fruit' gene. "Plant transformation confirmed the results and proved that the candidate gene was actually the cause of large fruit," Tanksley said. "We identified the possible mutations responsible for the evolution of large fruit by examining the sequence of the ‘small-fruit’ allele and the ‘large-fruit’ allele." By unraveling the molecular and developmental processes that control fruit development, the team identified and isolated key fixed positions on the tomato gene that determine the final size and shape of tomato fruit. Tanksley believes this study is the first step toward reconstructing events that led to the domestication of fruit development. The mechanisms identified through this study will be applied to other agriculturally important crops, such as coffee, pepper, eggplant, and potato. This study also demonstrates the feasibility of isolating the key genes involved in the domestication of crop species from their wild plant ancestors. This information is valuable to agriculture because identification of these genes could lead to advances in plant breeding and the future domestication of new crop plants. CSREES funded this research project through the NRI Plant Genome program. Through federal funding and leadership for research, education, and extension programs, CSREES focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues that impact people’s daily lives and the nation’s future. For more information, visit www.csrees.usda.gov.

[IMPACT]Plant Phys Stockinger Dubcovsky onlinre first.pdf

30 Nov 2009 20:23:52 GMT

[IMPACT] CSREES NRI Plant Genome-funded researchers map genes for pasta quality in durum wheat

Tue, 7 Oct 2008 16:33:21 -0600

CSREES NRI Plant Genome-funded researchers map genes for pasta quality in durum wheat.

Genetic Traits of High-Quality Pasta

With funding from CSREES, researchers have identified the genetic factors in durum wheat that account for traits in the production of good quality pasta, such as color, firmness, and cooking loss. Durum wheat is mainly used for pasta; U.S. varieties that meet the requirement for high-quality pasta receive premium prices in worldwide markets.

The work was done by The Wheat Applied Genomics Coordinated Agricultural Project, with researchers from the University of California, North Dakota State University, Argentina, and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. Work by this team to construct detailed genetic maps using molecular markers led to the precise location of chromosome regions affecting traits for pasta quality.

This research, published online in September 2008 in the journal Theoretical and Applied Genetics, provides valuable information for breeding programs and molecular markers useful to accelerate selection of adapted durum varieties with improved quality.

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[IMPACT] Disease Resistance in Alfalfa

Tue, 7 Oct 2008 16:22:13 -0600

Disease Resistance in Alfalfa

Researchers at the University of Kentucky, supported by a CSREES National Research Initiative grant, cloned the gene RCT1, a host disease resistance gene in M. truncatula that enables alfalfa to fight multiple races of a fungal pathogen that causes anthrancnose disease. RCT1 provides a novel resource to develop anthracnose-resistant alfalfa cultivars and contributes to our understanding of host resistance against this fungal pathogen.

Alfalfa is economically the most important forage legume worldwide. A recurrent challenge to alfalfa production is the significant yield loss caused by diseases. Although knowledge of molecular mechanisms underlying host resistance to disease facilitates the genetic improvement of alfalfa, the acquisition of such knowledge is hampered by the fact that alfalfa is a tetraploid (contains four sets of chromosomes in its genome) and its outcrossing nature. However, alfalfa is in the same genus as the reference legume Medicago truncatula, which is very amenable to genetic improvement. This provides an opportunity to use M. truncatula as a "surrogate" to clone the counterparts of agronomically important genes in alfalfa. In particular, the high degree of gene sequence identity and the remarkably conserved genome structure and function between the two species allow M. truncatula genes to be used directly in alfalfa improvement.

The study was supported the by NRI Plant Genome and Plant Biology: Genome and Regulation Programs. The report was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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[IMPACT] SNP Marker Development

Tue, 7 Oct 2008 16:22:44 -0600

SNP Marker Development

Researchers at the USDA-ARS small grains genotyping center in Fargo, ND; University of California at Davis, CA; and Montana State University at Bozeman, MT, conducted research to determine the utility of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for genetic mapping and genetic diversity applications in commercial U.S. wheat varieties. The work was done by the Wheat Coordinated Agricultural Project, funded by the CSREES National Research Initiative Plant Genome Program.

DNA markers have been used extensively for genetic analyses. SNPs are a marker system that can differentiate individuals based on variations detected at the level of a single nucleotide base in the genome. Such variations are present in large abundance in the genomes of higher organisms including plants.

The research team evaluated a set of 359 SNP markers derived from gene and intron regions of the wheat genomes on 20 wheat cultivars. Adequate levels of diversity were observed among wheat cultivars for SNPs located in two of the genomes (A and B genomes). However, lower genetic diversity was found in markers developed for another genome (D genome), suggesting the need for a dedicated SNP discovery effort for this genome among elite wheat germplasm. With increasing SNP discovery projects and the development of high-throughput SNP assay technologies, it is anticipated that SNP markers will play an increasingly important role in wheat genetics and breeding applications.

Results from this study were presented in San Diego, CA, at the Plant and Animal Genome XVI Conference in January 2008 and were published in the journal Molecular Breeding in July 2008.

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[Impact] Genomics-assisted Crop Improvement

Tue, 7 Oct 2008 16:06:32 -0600

Genomics-assisted Crop Improvement

Researchers at Kansas State University, Cornell and USDA have completed a comprehensive review and perspective on association mapping strategies for genomics-assisted crop improvement. Their research highlights advances in high throughput genome sequencing and genotyping, as well as in quantitative and population genetics, to enhance the use of association mapping for improved plant production and protection.

Ultimately, association mapping methods from the project may assist a wide range of scientists to understand the molecular basis of different traits, such as disease resistance or seed protein components and help to develop new genomic-aided breeding methods for crop improvement.

Their research was featured on the cover of the July 2008 issue of the Crop Science Society of America journal The Plant Genome.

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[IMPACT] CSREES NRI-funded plant genome researchers convert information from the analog world of a living Medicago plant to the digital realm of DNA microarrays.

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:46:50 -0600

Medicago Gene Expression Atlas

Medicago truncatula is a model or reference species for legume genetics, genomics, and breeding. Transcriptomics using DNA microarrays enable researchers to measure gene expression throughout the plant on a genome-wide scale. Bioinformatic analysis of microarray data yields insight into the potential role of genes and gene products in plant growth, development, and response to the environment. With funding from the CSREES National Research Initiative Plant Genome Program, researchers at the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and partner institutions describe a novel repository of such data for the legume family: The Medicago Gene Expression Atlas. Data were generated for three biological replicates of all the major organ systems of this model legume using the Affymetrix Medicago GeneChip, which contains over 50,000 probe-sets for Medicago genes. The data described here and contained in the corresponding database is the most comprehensive set of transcriptome data available for any legume, and the database will be up-dated regularly with complementary data as it becomes available.

Bioinformatic analysis of microarray data yields insight into the potential role of genes and gene products in plant growth, development, and response to the environment. This data will increase knowledge about legumes, which account for one-third of the world’s primary crop production.

Their research was featured on the cover of the Plant Journal.

[SELECTED RESULT] CSREES NRI-funded rice project publishes a book on organic farming, genetics, and the future of food.

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:05:30 -0600

CSREES-funded Researcher Co-Authors Book on Organic Farming

Dr. Pam Ronald, professor of genetics at the University of California–Davis and CSREES National Research Initiative-funded plant genome project director, has co-authored a book entitled, Organic Farming, Genetics and The Future of Food,” with organic producer Raoul Adamchak. Ronald describes the tools and processes of genetic engineering (GE), as well as the potential ecological benefits and risks of using GE technology, to generate new crop varieties. Adamchak manages a 5-acre certified organic farm and provides a farmer’s view of how the philosophy and practice of organic farming differs from conventional agriculture.

Of particular interest is Ronald’s description of a 10-year USDA-funded project that led to the cloning of a submergence tolerance gene from rice. An outcome of her research on submergence tolerance is the development of a new rice variety that is now producing dramatic yields in Bangladesh, an area of the world where families live on less than $1 a day and suffer from frequent flooding. Cultivation of submergence-tolerant rice in Asia may provide crop protection against damaging floods and increase world food security for resource-limited farmers.

Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Home Page

[SELECTED RESULT] CSREES-funded researchers develop new methods to sequence the large and complex onion genome.

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:03:32 -0600

Onion Genome

Onion has a huge amount of DNA, more than six times the amount of humans. This enormous amount of DNA has hindered efforts to sequence the onion’s DNA and develop genomic resources for this economically important specialty crop. Pilot sequencing of the onion DNA revealed very low gene densities and long tracts of repetitive DNA, which indicates that widely used approaches to genome sequencing would be inefficient and expensive. To get around this obstacle, researchers reduced the frequency of redundant DNA by selecting against DNA with an additional methyl group attached. Methylated DNA tends to be repetitive in plant genomes.

CSREES-funded researchers at the University of Wisconsin, The J. Craig Venter Institute, and partner institutions have completed pilot sequencing of random and methyl-filtered DNA fragments from one highly inbred onion population. Their results indicate that methyl-filtration of onion DNA was very effective in reducing the proportion of both self-replicated (transposons) and anonymous sequences, and identified increased non-organellar proteins. These results are the highest so far reported for any plant and indicate that sequencing of methyl-filtered DNA fragments is an efficient approach to mapping the enormous onion genome.

This research was supported by a CSREES Initiative for Future Agricultural and Food Systems grant and has been accepted for publication in the journal Molecular Genetics and Genomics.

Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Home Page

[FUNDING OPPORTUNITY] Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:10:13 -0600

Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)

The Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) was established to solve critical industry issues through research and extension activities. Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and nursery crops including floriculture. SCRI will give priority to projects that are multistate, multi-institutional, or trans-disciplinary; and include explicit mechanisms to communicate results to producers and the public. Projects must address at least one of five focus areas: research in plant breeding, genetics, and genomics to improve crop characteristics; efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to pollinators; efforts to improve production efficiency, productivity, and profitability over the long term; new innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening; and methods to prevent, detect, monitor control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production and processing of specialty crops.

Special Notation

More SCRI Information

Who Is Eligible to Apply

1862 Land-Grant Institutions

1890 Land-Grant Institutions

1994 Land-Grant Institutions

For-profit Organizations Other Than Small Businesses

Individuals

Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS status, other than Institutions of Higher Ed

Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS status, other than Institutions of Higher Ed

Other or Additional Information (See below)

Private Institutions of Higher Ed

State Agricultural Experiment Stations

State Controlled Institutions of Higher Ed

More Information on Eligibility

Applications may be submitted by Federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations, State agricultural experiment stations, individuals, or groups consisting of 2 or more of these entities.

Request for Application (RFA) | Apply: Electronic

[IN FOCUS] CSREES NRI Plant Genome-funded researchers discover mechanism for gene expansion in barley.

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:36:24 -0600

Barley Gene Expression Research

Iowa State University and USDA Agricultural Research Service researchers Pingsha Hu and Roger Wise combined cloning with expression analysis to hypothesize a new mechanism for extensive gene expansion in cereal crops. Barley microarray analysis indicates that individual members take on new functions after their expansion. The research shows how cereal crops adapt to harsh environmental conditions and will allow for the development of crops with advantageous traits, such as disease resistance.

Receptor-like kinases (RLKs) have diverse roles in plant cells such as hormone signaling, meristem development, cell differentiation, pollen recognition, and pathogen defense. There are several hundred RLK family members in the model plants Arabidopsis and rice, which is far greater than in animals. In this newly discovered case in barley, Hu and Wise focused on an archetypal RLK gene family as a model for cereal crops and found that expansion of the RLK gene family occurred by duplication after the evolutionary separation of rice from barley and wheat.

The discovery was recently reported in the 2008 journal Functional & Integrative Genomics.

Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Home Page

[IN FOCUS] CSREES NRI Plant Genome program funded research identified a gene responsible for Fusarium head blight resistance in wheat.

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:36:24 -0600

Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in Wheat

Fusarium head blight (caused by Fusarium graminearum) is capable of causing yearly losses of more than $1 billion due to reduced wheat yield and grain quality. A research team, composed of James A. Anderson and Sixin Liu, University of Minnesota, and Shiaoman Chao, USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Biosciences Research Lab, Fargo, ND, has initiated a marker-assisted selection (MAS) approach to accelerate selection of grains for resistance to Fusarium. Although MAS for simply inherited traits has become commonplace in many plant breeding programs, there are few examples of its application with complex traits such as Fusarium head blight resistance. This team has identified a gene (Fhb1) that contributes to a relatively high resistance to Fusarium head blight in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and has validated its effect in additional populations in near-identical lines developed from segregating lines in their breeding program.

The establishment of the USDA-ARS Regional Small Grains Genotyping Centers has dramatically increased their capabilities to apply MAS by providing access to high-throughput DNA extraction and genotyping equipment. Virtually all U.S. wheat breeding programs working to build resistance for Fusarium head blight use the markers Anderson, Liu, and Chao developed to help select resistant lines and thereby reduce damage caused by this disease.

Their research was reported at the International Plant Breeding Symposium and published in the 2008 journal of Crop Science.

Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Home Page

[EVENT] International Conference on Sorghum for Biofuel, Houston, TX, August 19-22, 2008.

Tue, 27 May 2008 17:54:17 -0600

[IN FOCUS] The Wheat Coordinated Agricultural Project is impacting the next generation of crop scientists and breeders.

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:59:21 -0600

Wheat CAP Educational Impact

The Wheat Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP) is a multi-state, multi-institutional project funded by CSREES’ National Research Initiative dedicated to the genetic improvement of U.S. wheat through research, education, and extension. Wheat CAP involves 25 public wheat-breeding programs and is led by Project Director Jorge Dubcovsky, plant breeder and geneticist at the University of California-–Davis. During the project’s first 2 years, participants of Wheat CAP trained 16 high school students, 59 undergraduate students, and 50 graduate students on wheat breeding and marker assisted selection (MAS).

Wheat CAP Ph.D. student C. Uauy received the 2006-07 Distinguished Dissertation Award in biological and life sciences from the Council of Graduate Schools. Among the students who have completed the Wheat CAP program:

eight undergraduates are in graduate school;
three undergraduates and one graduate student are employed in technical positions at universities;
four undergraduates and five graduate students work in breeding and large seed companies; and
one undergraduate and four graduate students are in agricultural business.

Wheat CAP education activities include formal training courses on mapping and quality trait loci analyses; "Combine to Kitchen" educational trips that increase student appreciation of job opportunities in agriculture; a MAS workshop for Future Farmers of America; a MAS demonstration at a meeting of Montana Tribal Colleges Science Teachers; and educational and recruiting animations for plant breeding and MAS posted on the Wheat CAP educational page.

For more information, see the Wheat CAP newsletter or contact Ed Kaleikau, the CSREES national program leader for the Plant Genome CAP Program.

Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Home Page

[IN FOCUS] CSREES NRI Funded Genomics Project Reveals Insights in Seed Development

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 16:54:18 -0600

CSREES NRI Funded Genomics Project Reveals Insights in Seed Development

Plant endosperm, the nutritive tissue surrounding the embryo within seeds of flowering plants, represent more than 60 percent of the world’s food supply. These organs are unusual in that they contain three sets of genomes. Studying these genomes has been difficult because a large amount of storage proteins and starch grains are present and cannot be separated. With funding from the CSREES National Research Initiative Plant Genome program, researchers at Mississippi State University developed novel methods for the removal of starch grains and storage proteins in rice endosperm. These new methods provide the opportunity for scientists to not only improve rice yield by learning ways to increase the size of endosperm, but also will provide critical insight into seed development for many important plants. The results of the study were published in the February 2008 issue of the journal Electrophoresis.

Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Home Page

[IN FOCUS] CSREES and the National Plant Genome Initiative advance plant biology through plant genomics research. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:36:25 -0600 National Plant Genome Initiative Plant genomics research in the United States continues to advance plant biology, addressing fundamental biological questions using the tools, resources, and concepts of genomics. Work supported through the National Plant Genome Initiative (NPGI) leverages scientific expertise and resources from multiple federal agencies, including the USDA, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, U.S. Agency for International Development, and the National Institutes of Health. This work will expand our fundamental knowledge about the genetic makeup of plants, facilitate applications of plant biology to improve the environment, meet our growing food and energy needs, advance clean industrial processes, and contribute to overall economic growth. CSREES in one of the agencies participating in the NPGI since 1998 and continues to support plant genome research through the National Research Initiative competitive grants program based on the NPGI five-year plan as appropriate to the agency’s mission. The April 25, 2008 issue of the journal Science highlights major impacts, issues, and grand challenges facing the future directions of plant genomics. Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Home Page [IN FOCUS] CSREES NRI Plant Genome-funded projects develop new methods to assign function to tens of thousands of rice genes. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:36:25 -0600 CSREES Funding Leads to Development of New Genetic Tools for Rice Rice is the staple food for more than half of the world’s population. Thus, improvements in rice production to stabilize and enhance the crop are critical for global food security. The CSREES National Research Initiative Plant Genome Program has funded many projects to develop tools that are now available to examine and validate the function of the estimated 41,000 genes hypothesized to be present in wheat. These tools are employed by many projects worldwide including the CSREES Rice Coordinated Agricultural Project. A publication in the journal Nature Reviews Genetics by Pam Ronald and colleagues at the University of California-Davis presents a comprehensive review of new genomic methods including rice whole-genome microarrays, genome tiling arrays, genome-wide gene-indexed mutant collections, gene-silencing tools, transient assay systems, integration of gene-expression profiling, insertional mutant analyses, and phylogenomics. These tools and approaches have broad practical knowledge for developing a thorough understanding of how rice genes function and the impact they have on important complex traits. Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Home Page [IN FOCUS] CSREES NRI-funded project may lead to improved wheat production by identifying genes responsible for temperature tolerance. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:36:25 -0600
Solicitation Date (Opening)	July 14, 2008
Letter of Intent Due Date	None
Due Date (Closing)	August 14, 2008
Anticipated Award Date	None
Estimated Total Program Funding	$28,400,000.00
Range of Awards	$0.00 to $6,000,000.00
Percent of Applications Funded Last Fiscal Year	0%
Cost Sharing Requirements	100 %

Researchers Identify Genes Responsible for Temperature Tolerance in Wheat In the midst of a worldwide grain crisis, scientists in California report in the March 2008 issue of the journal Plant Molecular Biology the identification of genes in wheat responsible for tolerance to freezing temperatures. Wheat breeders recognized the need to produce cultivars with greater resistance to freezing temperatures but have had limited success. This may be due in part to the complexity of temperature tolerance by multiple genes. With funding from the NRI Plant Genome program, scientists from University of California, Davis and European institutions identified the genes that regulate temperature tolerance in wheat in order to identify frost-susceptible varieties. In this study, the team demonstrated that two of these genes are turned on earlier in the frost tolerant variety than in the frost susceptible varieties when the plants are exposed to decreasing temperatures. This early response may provide a longer acclimation period and consequently allow a better response to subsequent freezing temperatures. Research is underway to utilize genetic markers for frost tolerance in wheat breeding programs. Results of this research should help enhance production by improving efforts to reduce the risk of winter injury in wheat. Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Home Page

CSREES Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics Program

[EVENT] CSREES and NSF Funds International Opportunity for Early Career Scientists in Rice Functional Genomics and Breeding

[EVENT] American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America (ASA-CSSA-SSSA) International Annual Meetings, "Footprints in the Landscape - Sustainability through Plant and Soil Sciences," Nov 1-5, 2009, Pittsburgh, PA.

[IMPACT] Determining Rice Gene Function: Unlocking the Secrets of the World's Most Important Food

Determining Rice Gene Function: Unlocking the Secrets of the World's Most Important Food

[EVENT] International Conference on Heterosis in Plants: Genetics and molecular causes and optimal exploitation in breeding. September 7 to 9, 2009. University of Hohenheim. Stuttgart, Germany.

[IMPACT] Wheat CAP update: Wheat Gene for resistance to stripe rust cloned and deployed

Wheat CAP update: Wheat Gene for resistance to stripe rust cloned and deployed

[IN FOCUS] Researchers Identify Gene to Improve Wheat Frost Tolerance

Researchers Identify Gene to Improve Wheat Frost Tolerance

[EVENT] Bovine Genome Consortium Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY from May 9-11, 2009

[SELECTED RESULT] Science Explains Why the Tomato Grew Big

[IMPACT]Plant Phys Stockinger Dubcovsky onlinre first.pdf

[IMPACT] CSREES NRI Plant Genome-funded researchers map genes for pasta quality in durum wheat

CSREES NRI Plant Genome-funded researchers map genes for pasta quality in durum wheat.

[IMPACT] Disease Resistance in Alfalfa

Disease Resistance in Alfalfa

[IMPACT] SNP Marker Development

SNP Marker Development

[Impact] Genomics-assisted Crop Improvement

Genomics-assisted Crop Improvement

[IMPACT] CSREES NRI-funded plant genome researchers convert information from the analog world of a living Medicago plant to the digital realm of DNA microarrays.

Medicago Gene Expression Atlas

[SELECTED RESULT] CSREES NRI-funded rice project publishes a book on organic farming, genetics, and the future of food.

CSREES-funded Researcher Co-Authors Book on Organic Farming

[SELECTED RESULT] CSREES-funded researchers develop new methods to sequence the large and complex onion genome.

Onion Genome

[FUNDING OPPORTUNITY] Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)

Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)

[IN FOCUS] CSREES and the National Plant Genome Initiative advance plant biology through plant genomics research.

National Plant Genome Initiative

[IN FOCUS] CSREES NRI Plant Genome-funded projects develop new methods to assign function to tens of thousands of rice genes.

CSREES Funding Leads to Development of New Genetic Tools for Rice

[IN FOCUS] CSREES NRI-funded project may lead to improved wheat production by identifying genes responsible for temperature tolerance.

[IN FOCUS] CSREES NRI Plant Genome-funded researchers discover mechanism for gene expansion in barley.

Barley Gene Expression Research

[IN FOCUS] CSREES NRI Plant Genome program funded research identified a gene responsible for Fusarium head blight resistance in wheat.

Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in Wheat

[EVENT] International Conference on Sorghum for Biofuel, Houston, TX, August 19-22, 2008.

[IN FOCUS] The Wheat Coordinated Agricultural Project is impacting the next generation of crop scientists and breeders.

Wheat CAP Educational Impact

[IN FOCUS] CSREES NRI Funded Genomics Project Reveals Insights in Seed Development

CSREES NRI Funded Genomics Project Reveals Insights in Seed Development