The group found that two barley varieties could differ in the number of genes and the arrangement and orien- tation of large parts of individual chromosomes, called structural variants. Knowing the locations of structural variants allows breeders to choose the appropriate barley varieties to cross to achieve desired traits in the offspring. Although the team still needs to sequence several hundred more barley varieties, including wild barley, this pan- genome brings them one step closer to understanding the complete picture of the barley genome and its diversity. PacBio HiFi sequencing is helping bring the team closer to their goal of a barley pangenome. In a 2021 study 2 , the team released the first ever published HiFi- based plant genomes. The HiFi technology allows re- searchers to rapidly produce whole genomes of large, complex genomes like the 5GB barley reference gnomes. The technology allowed the HGSC team to scale up to hundreds of genomes annually. COLLABORATIVE PIPELINE TO EXPAND BARLEY’S GROWING ZONE Agriculture has long played a vital role in southern states’ economies and livelihoods. However, the number of thriving crops and genetic diversity of plants available for southern growers is limited. Although barley was histor- ically grown in the south, most of the barley in the U.S. today is grown in Montana, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, and California. In the Midwest, bar- ley is harvested from late July to the end of September. Because the south has a mild winter climate, it is possible barley could be grown in states like Alabama over winter, between farmers’ other crop rotations. Leaning into their past experiences with barley, members of Hud- sonAlpha’s Plant Center, along with expert collaborators at Auburn University and Alabama A&M University, are developing a pipeline to bring Alabama farmers new crops like barley, chosen specifically for Alabama’s climate and soil conditions. The quest to create barley tailored to grow in Alabama began in 2021 when the team was awarded a grant from the state of Alabama Department of Economic and Com- munity Affairs. In early November of that year, fifty-three varieties of barley acquired from collaborators at North Dakota State University were planted at field stations* across Alabama. The plants were phenotyped throughout their growing season and harvested during the summer of 2022. The team identified barley plants with the best yield averages and disease resistance. The best varieties
HudsonAlpha is developing a pipeline to bring Alabama farmers new crops, like barley, chosen specifically for Alabama’s climate and soil conditions
HUDSONALPHA INSTITUTE FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY
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