NC State University Plant Breeding & Applied Genetics

Professional plant breeders and graduate students are encouraged to register and attend the Computing Skills in Plant Breeding Workshop in person from Dec 9 to Dec 13 on NC State University Centennial campus. Learn to manage large genetic, phenotypic, and environmental datasets and conduct complex statistical analyses for decision-making.

Attendees will learn theoretical concepts, develop practical skills through hands-on experience, and enhance collaboration and teamwork with fellow participants.

REGISTRATION AND DETAILS:
https://bit.ly/46jXwmQ

WORKSHOP MODULES:
- Explore the power of linear mixed models with ASReml
- Analyze multi-environmental trials for predictions of genetic merit
- Quality control, and parentage assignment in plant breeding using DNA markers
- Image analysis for high-throughput phenotyping and AI
- Marker-aided-selection
- Imputation from low-density genotyping panels to medium-density panels
- Genomic selection
- Data management in plant breeding

Computing Skills in Plant Breeding Workshop NC State

Attendees at the 2024 National Association for Plant Breeding conference in Saint Louis heard about reinventing plant breeding to address challenges and leverage new technologies. Notable breakthroughs in this field involve characterizing genes that control specific phenotypes and leveraging innovative genome editing technologies, revolutionizing food cultivation.

Identifying beneficial crop characteristics hinges upon collecting good, accurate data.

“When making critical decisions, you need to ensure that every choice is grounded in 100% factual information. This means not only gathering correct information but also being able to act on it quickly,” says Amanda Hulse-Kemp, a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) computational biologist based in Raleigh-Durham, NC. She spoke at the annual conference as the 2023 Early Career Scientist Award winner.

Hulse-Kemp's current research revolves around developing high-quality genomes, genotyping technologies and tools to integrate into breeding programs to support predictive breeding strategies on nearly 20 crops.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3SwIK6B

Precision and Practicality: On Day 3 of its Conference, the NAPB Seeks to Reinvent Breeding - Seed World Reinventing plant breeding can encompass a variety of innovations and advancements aimed at addressing contemporary challenges and leveraging new

Please join us for the 7th Biennial NC State Plant Breeding Symposium on Thursday, February 1, 2024, from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM at Talley Student Union.

Hosted by the Graduate Student Plant Breeding Club, the symposium is titled “Breeding for Balance: Plant and Human Wellbeing” and includes academic, industry, nonprofit, and five local speakers representing a diversity of species.

- Chris Smith: From Heirloom to Ultracross: Breeding for Biodiversity

- Dr. Massimo Iorizzo: Breeding and Genetics for Improved Health Outcomes: A New Paradigm for Plant Foods

- Dr. Natalie Kaiser: Anticipating the Needs of Vegetable Growers and Consumers through Product Design Breeding

- Dr. Patrick Cumbie: Producing forests for the future

- Dr. Jenny Clement Koebernick: Recognizing opportunities and navigating challenges in breeding for two major row crops.

This event gathers industry representatives, university faculty and administrators, graduate students and undergraduate students, technical staff, and post-doctoral researchers.

Register and learn more:

Plant Breeding Symposiums – Plant Breeding Consortium The NC State University Graduate Student Plant Breeding Club would like to extend an invitation for you and your team to attend our 7th Biennial Plant Breeding Symposium. We are excited to host five speakers from diverse backgrounds in plant breeding, and they are eager to engage with the NC Sta...

https://research.cnr.ncsu.edu/whitehilllab/

Whitehill Lab - Christmas Tree Genetics Program The Whitehill Lab – Christmas Tree Genetics Program in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University is a cutting-edge Forest Health Genomics research lab which utilizes modern genomic technologies and approaches to advance the goals of the Christmas tre...

https://cals.ncsu.edu/crop-and-soil-sciences/news/usda-ars-releases-novel-flood-tolerant-soybean-germplasm/

USDA-ARS Releases Novel Flood-Tolerant Soybean Germplasm | Crop and Soil Sciences | NC State University The USDA-ARS has released the first maturity group (MG) VI flood-tolerant soybean line with commercially competitive yield and elevated seed oil.

Turfgrass breeding students awarded top honors for scientific presentations at ASA/CSSA meetings in St. Louis: Esdras Carbajal, 1st Place Oral; Carolina Weldt, 1st Place Poster; Susmita Gaire, 2nd Place Poster

https://cals.ncsu.edu/crop-and-soil-sciences/news/a-new-leaf-understanding-one-of-our-oldest-crops-impacts-human-health-plant-biology/

A New Leaf How Understanding One of Our Oldest Crops Impacts Human Health & Plant Biology

Nature Plants paper on carrot domestication and improvement from Massimo Iorizzo research program

Population genomics identifies genetic signatures of carrot domestication and improvement and uncovers the origin of high-carotenoid orange carrots - Nature Plants This study demonstrates that orange carrot was selected during the Renaissance period, probably in western Europe, through the selection of three recessive genes that increased the provitamin A carotenoid (α- and β-carotene) content.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02895-w

Genetic modification can improve crop yields — but stop overselling it With a changing climate and a growing population, the world increasingly needs more-productive and resilient crops. But improving them requires a knowledge of what actually works in the field.

https://www.farmprogress.com/peanut/new-peanut-variety-nc-20-commercially-available-next-year-?NL=SEFP-01&Issue=SEFP-01_20230919_SEFP-01_70&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1_b&utm_rid=CPG02000000731553&utm_campaign=79361&utm_medium=email&elq2=05e5276f55c64f0a8990c442e1191e84&sp_eh=b4666846e5df100c744bcab79a250bca9dcd5dffb5c38a69751f61dbaeed7d3b

New peanut variety extends harvest window in North Carolina NC 20 and NC 21 are later-maturing peanut varieties, which will allow peanut farmers to harvest them later and extend their harvest window.

https://plantbreeding.ncsu.edu/international-seminar-series/

International Plant Breeding Seminar Series – Plant Breeding Consortium The fall series will consist of six seminars over the course of consecutive weeks beginning October 5 – November 9, 2023, on Thursdays from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm EST.

https://news.ncsu.edu/2023/09/no-pollen-no-seeds/

No Pollen, No Seeds: Genome Editing Technique Yields Useful Traits Tweaks to the mitochondrial genome hold the potential for better hybrid seed production or to introduce seedless fruits.

https://plantbreeding.ncsu.edu/2023/09/05/ty-seely-speedy-peanut-breeding/

Ty Seely: Speedy Peanut Breeding – Plant Breeding Consortium September 5, 2023 | NC State Ty Seely: Speedy Peanut Breeding By Brandon Hopper Ty Seely is a master’s student studying peanut breeding under the direction of Assistant Professor Jeff Dunne in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at North Carolina State University. Seely recently attended the ...

https://cals.ncsu.edu/crop-and-soil-sciences/news/gage-secures-1-9m-nih-grant-to-study-gene-environment-interactions/

Gage Secures $1.9M NIH Grant to Study Gene-Environment Interactions | Crop and Soil Sciences | NC State University Gage Secures $1.9M NIH Grant to Study Gene-Environment Interactions September 5, 2023  |  Sam Jones Dotted across the Midwest and Eastern United States are a couple dozen two-acre plots of land, each seeded in neat rows with the same several hundred corn hybrids. The plots are subjects of a new re...

Recently Issued Patent for New Hydrangea (NCPH1) Issued to Dr. Tom Ranney et al. (US PP35,316 P2)
https://www.freepatentsonline.com/PP35316.html

A New Era in NCSU Peanut Breeding

A New Era In Peanut Breeding - Peanut Grower Using modern techniques, the NCSU program will bring cultivars with improved genetics to the market more quickly and efficiently. ⋅ BY AMANDA HUBER ⋅ Four years ago, Jeff Dunne took […]

Congratulations to Dr. Amanda Hulse-Kemp for receiving the Early Career award at the NAPB meeting this year!

https://vsni.co.uk/blogs/Understanding-Heritability

Understanding Heritability Understanding Heritability

https://plantbreeding.ncsu.edu/international-seminar-series/

International Plant Breeding Seminar Series – Plant Breeding Consortium The spring series will consist of six seminars over the course of consecutive weeks beginning March 30 – May 4, 2023, on Thursdays from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm EST.

https://cals.ncsu.edu/crop-and-soil-sciences/news/sungrains-collective-sets-the-model-for-collaborative-plant-breeding/

SunGrains Collective Sets The Model For Collaborative Plant Breeding SunGrains is a multi-university small grains breeding program in the southeast that has become the model for larger producing regions and even other crops.

https://cals.ncsu.edu/crop-and-soil-sciences/news/breeding-peanut-3-0/

Could a Wild Child Strengthen the Peanut’s Achilles’ Heel? NC State Crop and Soil Sciences peanut breeders identified a species line with two additional gene blocks that may improve Late Leaf Spot resistance.

Congratulations to Craig Yencho and Ken Pecota for being named NCSU Innovators of the Year!
https://mailchi.mp/0c8b77e6d196/apply-now-for-nc-states-software-app-challenge-15047997?e=e340dc851f

https://www.farmprogress.com/peanuts/new-later-maturing-peanut-lines-coming

New later-maturing peanut lines coming Jeff Dunne expects the new variety NC 20 to be released in 2024 and the variety NC 21 to be released in 2025.

https://plantbreeding.ncsu.edu/international-seminar-series/

International Plant Breeding Seminar Series – Plant Breeding Consortium The fall series will consist of six seminars over the course of consecutive weeks beginning October 6 through November 10, 2022 on Thursdays from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm EST.

https://cals.ncsu.edu/crop-and-soil-sciences/news/nc-state-university-releases-sola-the-newest-st-augustinegrass/

NC State introduces Sola St. Augustine The Wolfpack's second turfgrass release in two years