Collaborative Projects
In addition to our research emphasis on potato pathology and genomics, we have established collaborative research projects in other areas.
1. The effects of plant species on soil microbial diversity.
This research project is a collaboration with Dr. Linda Kinkel (University of Minnesota Department of Plant Pathology) and Dr. Debby Samac (USDA-ARS and University of Minnesota Department of Plant Pathology). Our research efforts are funded by the USDA through NSF/USDA Microbial Observatories.
We hypothesize that interactions between plant roots and soil microbes alter the composition of soil microbial communities and can impact plant growth and development. Furthermore, we hypothesize that plant roots “favor” microbial communities that improve plant growth. We are studying soil bacteria associated with two long-lived prairie plant species, the grass Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem), and the legume Lespedeza capitata (roundhead bush clover). We have collected soil cores near ten plants of each species growing in the Cedar Creek Natural History Area (CCNHA), a National Science Foundation Long-Term Ecological Research site located in east-central Minnesota. Using a variety of culture-based and molecular approaches, we are describing the composition of the bacterial communities found in each sample. We are also studying the interaction between bacterial isolates and the effects single and paired isolates have on seedling development for both plant species. Our findings will be applied to related crop plants such as the grasses maize and wheat and the legume soybean.
2. What makes the ‘Honeycrisp’ apple so crispy? The genetics of fruit texture in apple.
This research project is a collaboration with Dr. James Luby (University of Minnesota Department of Horticultural Science).
The ‘Honeycrisp’ apple, developed at the University of Minnesota, provides the consumer with a unique “explosive” texture. We are studying the genetics responsible for this fruit texture trait. We have generated several mapping populations, each with ‘Honeycrisp’ as a parent. Fruit texture for each progeny tree has been measured using sensory evaluation panels, mechanical instrumentation, and even digitized audio files! We are now generating a detailed linkage map for the ‘Honeycrisp’ apple consisting of DArT (Diversity Arrays Technology) and SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) markers that will allow us to map the gene or genes responsible for fruit texture. We will also develop markers that will be useful for marker-aided selection to capture this unique texture in the offspring of ‘Honeycrisp’.
3. Regulation of anthocyanin accumulation in the ‘Honeycrisp’ apple.
This research project is a collaboration with Dr. Emily Hoover (University of Minnesota Department of Horticultural Science).
The ‘Honeycrisp’ apple, developed at the University of Minnesota, has two different epidermal pigmentation patterns: a “blushed” pattern in which anthocyanin is distributed throughout all epidermal cells and a “striped” pattern in which anthocyanin accumulates in distinct cell files, giving a striped appearance to the peel. These two phenotypes are not genetically stable and both blushed and striped fruit can be found on a single tree. A single spur might even produce striped fruit one year and blushed fruit the next. Our observations suggest that anthocyanin accumulation in ‘Honeycrisp’ might be under epigenetic control. We are characterizing Myb transcription factors expressed in the ‘Honeycrisp’ peel as candidates for regulators of anthocyanin. Our efforts include discovery of Myb diversity, development of RT-PCR strategies specific to particular Myb copies, and quantification of Myb expression throughout fruit development in relation to pigmentation phenotype. |
