Progress 12/01/06 to 11/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Outputs from this project include: Successful plant breeding training and graduation of: 1. Ajay Sandhu, PhD, currently postdoctoral trainee, Pioneer HiBred Intl. 2. Tejinder Kumar, PhD, currently postdoctoral trainee 3. Xuehui Feng, PhD, currently employed at Monsanto Co., St Louis Successful recruitment and current plant breeding training of: 4. Roberto de la Rosa Santamaria, planned graduation Dec. 2011, offered a faculty position in plant breeding in Mexico 5. Luis Posadas, planned graduation, 2012 6. Joseph Jelicka, planned graduation 2013 7. Kyle Kocak, planned graduation 2013 8. Malleswari Gelli, planned graduation 2014 9. Niegel La Borde, planned graduation 2014 PARTICIPANTS: Nine graduate students were recruited and trained in plant breeding technologies during the course of this grant funding. The students who have completed their degrees are pursuing careers in plant breeding, largely with industry and in academia. Their research has provided significant advancement of the science of plant breeding in hybrid seed production and in breeding of the epigenome. We have identified sources of funding to continue the training of students who have not completed their degrees, as we indicated in our original proposal. TARGET AUDIENCES: We plan to seek patent protection on some of the new advancements that emerged from this research, particularly in our exploitation of epigenetic variation in crop plants. We envision future interactions with agricultural companies in implementing novel plant breeding strategies associated with epigenomic breeding. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Thesis-based research has produced results significant to plant breeding: 1. Ajay Sandhu developed a transgenic procedure that permits the induction of cytoplasmic male sterility in crop plants. This trait is valuable for hybrid seed production. He received the ASPB-Pioneer HiBred Outstanding Student Award, 2008. 2.Tejinder Kumar Mall used transgenic manipulation to influence sorghum kernel traits.He was awarded the Hardin Distinguished Fellowship from 2006-2009. 3. Xuehui Feng participated in the induction of new epigenetic variation in sorghum that appears to provide stress tolerance to the plant. 4. Roberto de la Rosa Santamaria appears to have discovered a means of breeding for epigenetic variation in crop plants. He has now introduced these technologies to sorghum, soybean and maize. His work may be of great impact in permitting selection for the plant epigenome for enhanced growth vigor and productivity. He was awarded the Beachell Fellowship in 2010, and his work is that basis for a pending patent and two manuscripts in preparation. 5. Luis Posadas, awarded Othmer graduate fellowship, 2008 6. Joseph Jelicka, awarded Henry Beachell Fellowship, 2010 7. Kyle Kocak, awarded United Soybean Board Fellowship, 2010 (national)
Publications
- Mall, T, Dweikat, I, Sato,S Neresian,N, Xu, K, Ge, Z, Wang, D, Elthon, T, Clemente, T. 2011. Expression of the rice CDPK-7 in sorghum: molecular and phenotypic analyses, Plant Molecular Biology 7:467-479
- Feng, X, Kaul, A, Mackenzie, S and Dweikat, I. 2009. The mitochondrial genome of millet (Pennisetum americanum) undergoes evolutionary transition patterns that may be representative of higher plants. Theor. Appl Genet. 118:1361-70.
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Progress 12/01/08 to 11/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: In the past year, eight students have received support toward their graduate training in molecular plant breeding. In addition, several enhancements have been introduced to graduate training in plant breeding. (1) We have established a Memorandum of Understanding with the CGIAR center ICRISAT to allow us to conduct student internships in India for plant breeding training. (2) We have developed an agreement to permit commercial breeders to participate on student advisory committees and to allow students to conduct a portion of their thesis research with an industry partner. These are future-looking advancements that will allow us to institutionalize stronger plant breeding training into our program. Remaining funds are being used this year to permit students to travel to international meetings. PARTICIPANTS: To date, two graduate students have received the Ph.D. with support from this project. A jay Sandhu was awarded the Pioneer Hibred International Outstanding Student Award (ASPB), presented his research at two professional meetings, and is now employed by Pioneer Hybrid Intl. as a Discovery Postdoctoral Trainee working in the area of Crop Genetics and Stress Biology. Xuehui Feng completed and published her thesis research, and is now employed as a Research Associate at the Danforth Center in St Louis, working in plant molecular genetics, with plans to pursue a career in plant molecular breeding. Two students supported from this grant will complete the Ph.D. requirements in 2010. TARGET AUDIENCES: Two advancements have occurred that will allow us to more effectively improve our activities in crop breeding as it pertains to industrial and international efforts. The first is that we have now entered agreements with commercial and international (CGIAR) partners to enhance student training activities and allow greater input by agricultural industries into the training of future plant breeders. The second is that the University of Nebraska has recognized this effort to be a priority, and has approved the hiring of four new faculty, two in stress physiology and two in crop breeding. This will have tremendous impact in enhancing impact of this program for our constituents. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Several students have made important progress in their training on this grant. (1) Ajay Sandhu has completed the Ph.D., taken a Discovery Postdoctoral Traineeship at Pioneer Hibred Intl, and has published his thesis research. He was awarded the Pioneer Hibred International Outstanding Student Award (ASPB, presented his work at two professional meetings during his training, and has moved into the field of plant stress biology. (2)Xuehui Feng has completed the Ph.D, taken a postdoctoral position at the Danforth Center, and has published her thesis research. (3)Two additional students complete their Ph.D. degrees in 2010, and will receive funding to present their work at a professional meeting before they complete their thesis. The University of Nebraska has approved the hiring of several new faculty members in molecular plant breeding and stress physiology in support of this program. These include Dr. David Holding (molecular plant breeding/maize quality protein maize), Dr. Brian Waters, (Molecular physiologist), a stress physiologist position (offer pending) and one quantitative geneticist position (offer pending). This support by the University provides meaningful momentum to enhancing plant breeding in the area of stress tolerance.
Publications
- Sandhu, A.S., Abdelnoor, R.V. and Mackenzie, S.A. 2007. Transgenic induction of mitochondrial rearrangements for cytoplasmic male sterility in crop plants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 104:1766-70.
- Feng, X., Kaul, A., Dweikat, I. and Mackenzie, S. 2009. The mitochondrial genome of millet (Pennisetum americanum) undergoes evolutionary transition patterns that may be representative of higher plants. Theor. Appl Genet. 118:1361-70.
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Progress 12/01/07 to 11/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: I. Student Recruitment: We have accepted four new students to the Molecular Plant Breeding program, three funded from the grant, and one a Fulbright Scholar. The new students are: 1. Luis Posada: Soybean breeding with Dr. George Graef, Advisor. 2. Roberto de la Rosa Santamaria: Sorghum breeding project, with Sally Mackenzie, Advisor, Ismail Dweikat, coAdvisor. 3. Peibei Sun, Cytoplasmic breeding with Dr. Sally Mackenzie, Advisor. 4. Mauricio Erazo-Barradas, Tomato breeding project with Dr. Sally Mackenzie, Advisor. II. Student Completions: We have recently graduated two plant breeding students who were partially funded from the grant: 1. Ajay Pal Sandhu, Ph.D. December, 2008, Advisor: Sally Mackenzie. Thesis research in the transgenic induction of cytoplasmic male sterility in crop plants. Awards: Shear-Miles Distinguished Fellowship Award 2006; ASPB Pioneer Hibred International Graduate Student Prize 2008. Current employment: Pioneer Hibred International, Johnston, Iowa. Publications: Sandhu, A.S., Abdelnoor, R.V. and Mackenzie, S.A. 2007. Transgenic induction of mitochondrial rearrangements for cytoplasmic male sterility in crop plants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 104:1766-70. Two additional publications in preparation. 2. Xuehui Feng, Ph.D. December, 2008, Advisors Ismail Dweikat and Sally Mackenzie. Thesis research on the molecular basis of reversion to fertility in cytoplasmic male sterile pearl millet, and the transgenic induction of cytoplasmic male sterility in sorghum and millet. Current employment: Danforth Center, St. Louis, MO. Publications: Feng, X. Kaur, AP, Mackenzie SA and Dweikat I. 2008.Substoichiometric shifting in the fertility reversion of cytoplasmic male sterile pearl millet. Theor. Appl Genet., submitted. Two additional manuscripts in preparation. III. Faculty Hiring: Comparative Genomics position: Dr. Jeffrey Mowers. Dr. Mowers will now teach Plant Systematics as a required component of our curriculum. Quantitative Geneticist: Search underway. PARTICIPANTS: Students completing their graduate training (described above): Ajay Pal Sandhu, Ph.D. Xuehui Feng, Ph.D. Students currently in training: 1. Roberto de la Rosa Santamaria (Advisor: Sally Mackenzie and Ismail Dweikat) Cytoplasmic breeding of sorghum. 2. Luis Posadas (Advisor: George Graef) Soybean breeding with emphasis on drought tolerance. 3. Mauricio Erazo-Barradas (Advisor: Sally Mackenzie) Developing a hybrid seed production system using cytoplasmic male sterility in tomato. 4. Tejinder Kaur (Advisors: Ismail Dweikat and Tom Clemente): Cold tolerance in sweet sorghum 5. Aatshwaelwe Lekgari (Advisors: Ismail Dweikat and Jim Specht) : QTL analysis of drought tolerance in sweet sorghum TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
There have been three major impacts of the program at UNL: I. We have been successful in persuading the University to increase faculty hiring in areas that strengthen our plant breeding efforts. These include: 1. Plant Physiological Geneticist: Offer pending 2. Plant Developmental Biologist: Offer pending 3. Maize Protein Biochemist: Dr. David Holding, January, 2009 4. Plant Metabolic Biochemist:Dr. Ed Cahoon, December, 2008 5. Plant Comparative Genomics: Dr. Jeffrey Mower, August, 2008 6. Plant Quantitative Geneticist: Search underway II. We have formally established our graduate recruitment efforts in Molecular Plant Breeding. Web Site: http://www.plantsciences.unl.edu/ To enhance recruitment, we have recently been awarded an NSF REU grant in biofuels research that will assist us to recruit undergraduates to UNL for summer internships that may encourage their participation in the graduate program. III. We have recently established a Memorandum of Agreement with ICRISAT to implement a new component of graduate student training that will involve a 2-month summer internship at ICRISAT to learn about international plant breeding opportunities and challenges as part of our training component.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 12/01/06 to 11/30/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: No Outputs Reported
PARTICIPANTS: No Participants information reported.
TARGET AUDIENCES: No Target Audiences information reported.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
No Outcomes/Impacts reported.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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