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PLANT REPRODUCTION IS AT THE CENTER OF EVERY MAJOR FOOD INDUSTRY AROUND THE WORLD, AND UNDERSTANDING ITS GENETIC UNDERPINNINGS CAN LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT BREAKTHROUGHS. IN THE CASES OF APPLES AND PEARS, WE ARE COLLABORATIVELY USING GENOMICS TO OPTIMIZE WHEN GROWERS SHOULD PICK FRUIT, ULTIMATELY PRODUCING SIGNIFICANTLY LESS FOOD WASTE.
ALEX HARKESS, PHD FACULTY INVESTIGATOR
GROWING BETTER PRODUCE WITH FEWER RESOURCES
Cosmic Crisp apple varieties, both of which are economically significant crops in the United States. These plants were studied through the American Campus Tree Genomes initiative, a grant-funded project where Dr. Harkess’ lab works with universities nationwide to give undergraduate students access to cutting-edge bioinformatics training and research experience. The research conducted on the d’Anjou pear and Cosmic Crisp apple produced high-quality genome assem- blies, offering farmers and breeders valuable insights into breeding strategies. By accessing this information, breeders can optimize crop yields, reduce food waste, and use fewer resources to deliver fresher, higher-quality produce to market.
Dr. Harkess and his lab study plant flowering and repro- duction, key processes responsible for most of the food we eat. By exploring the genetics that drive plant reproduction, Dr. Harkess aims to enhance agricultural productivity, grow crops that yield greater quantities of more nutritious food, and increase our ability to feed a growing global population. Leveraging cutting-edge genome sequencing capabilities at HudsonAlpha, Dr. Harkess’s lab is identifying the genetic factors responsible for key reproductive traits, opening doors to improving crop species through breeding and biotechnol- ogy. The lab applied their expertise to the d’Anjou pear and
THIS IMPORTANT WORK WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT HUDSONALPHA’S KATHY L. CHAN GREENHOUSE, A CUTTING-EDGE WORKING LABORATORY FOR OUR PLANT SCIENTISTS THAT ALLOWS THEM TO GROW, STUDY, AND ANALYZE RESEARCH PLANTS ALL IN THE SAME FACILITY.
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