Location: Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research
Project Number: 6054-43440-052-016-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2022
End Date: Sep 14, 2025
Objective:
The objective of this grant proposal is to identify a wide range of genetic markers for desirable pecan traits including climate adapted pecan trees, reduced vivipary, cold-resistance, salinity and drought tolerance, improved resistance to fungal and insect pests, reduced allergen content, and optimized tree architecture that can be used in rational breeding strategies.
Approach:
Whole genome sequencing, transcriptome and QTL analysis of native and improved pecan cultivars, and genetically defined breeding pairs will be compared to identify genetic and molecular markers linked to desirable traits. Proteomic analysis will be used to identify/confirm proteins associated with genetic and molecular markers linked to desirable traits. When possible, gene networks will be disrupted using experiments to ‘silence’ or ’over-express’ target genes to enable a more mechanistic understanding of the regulatory networks underlying desirable traits.
