Conserving and Using Plant Genetic Diversity (SPUR)
OSHR 8064S
Plant breeding depends on sources of genetic diversity to respond to challenges like climate change and evolving pathogen and pest populations. Unbeknownst to many Coloradans, the nation’s largest repository of crop genetic diversity is housed in USDA’s seed bank on the CSU campus in Fort Collins. Researchers in USDA’s National Plant Germplasm System acquire, characterize, conserve, and distribute seeds and other propagules from this collection of over 600,000 samples. This two-session course will cover the domestication of crops from their wild ancestors; methods for collecting and conserving plant genetic resources; and techniques for evaluating and using those resources to develop new cultivars. The course will include a virtual tour of the Fort Collins seed bank and a sensory evaluation of a fruit or vegetable crop to sample the variation of flavor and texture characteristics.
Patrick Byrne is an emeritus professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Colorado State University. His research has focused on the genetics of drought tolerance, disease resistance, and agronomic traits in wheat, maize, and dry beans. He currently co-coordinates a project to develop learning materials on the conservation and use of plant genetic resources.
Gayle Volk is a Research Plant Physiologist at the National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation in Fort Collins. She focuses on improving the management of vegetatively propagated collections in the USDA National Plant Germplasm System, using apple as a model system. She co-coordinates the effort to build and release public training materials on plant genetic resources.
Patrick Byrne is an emeritus professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Colorado State University. His research has focused on the genetics of drought tolerance, disease resistance, and agronomic traits in wheat, maize, and dry beans. He currently co-coordinates a project to develop learning materials on the conservation and use of plant genetic resources.
Gayle Volk is a Research Plant Physiologist at the National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation in Fort Collins. She focuses on improving the management of vegetatively propagated collections in the USDA National Plant Germplasm System, using apple as a model system. She co-coordinates the effort to build and release public training materials on plant genetic resources.
Notes
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