South Dakota State University

college of agriculture & biological sciences

Plant Genetics & Microbiology

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The SDSU Plant Science Department website is maintained by Julia Fausti in accordance with SDSU guidelines.

Last updated 3 November 2009

Research Projects & Reports

SDSU University Research

Current Research

· Development of a marker assisted selection program for soybean, including analysis of molecular markers for soybean aphid resistance, soybean cyst nematode (SCN) resistance, Phytophthora resistance, oleic acid content, and other traits. Related work includes analysis of genes/QTLs for aphid resistance and other traits in soybean.

· Genetic control of organogenesis in sunflower, and associated QTLs.

· Development of AFLPs for wheat.

· Developed proposals or conducted/continuing work on the following:

            ◊     Marker assisted selection for drought tolerance and disease resistance for the sunflower breeding program

            ◊     Microarray analysis of differential gene expression associated with weed competition in maize

            ◊     Southern overgo hybridizations for identification of sequences in BAC clones associated with rice dormancy genes.

            ◊     Genetic control of alternative aphid resistance sources in other soybean material

            ◊     Microsatellite chracterization of dispersal of carp species

 

Research Objectives/Action Plan

· Map genes associated with aphid resistance, iron chlorosis, and other traits in soybean, and drought resistance in sunflower.

· Develop capability for development and analysis of additional marker types, e.g., single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, TRAP markers, etc.

· Provide high-throughput analyses of markers for multiple traits for the soybean and sunflower breeders, and other breeders if such collaborations can be arranged; and for population genetic analyses for other projects.

· Identify genes and epigenetic factors associated with plant/environment interactions including weed/maize competition interactions, resistance to insects, drought response in sunflower, and iron chlorosis in soybean, etc.

· Provide rapid and efficient analyses of markers and statistical interpretation of results to support ecological and environmental investigations in diverse species.

· Develop markers for species and populations where genome sequencing and genetic/marker maps are incomplete.

· Complete aphid resistance and morphological characterizations and genotyping of SSR markers in the segregating soybean lines, and in recombinant inbred lines if those are available, and map the associated genes/QTLs for these traits.

· Identify and deploy new marker development and characterization techniques, especially user-friendly marker tools for use in marker assisted selection, and acquire  low-cost adaptations that can be made to existing equipment to enable SNP detection.

· Improve our microarray analysis expertise and statistical interpretation tools for gene expression analysis. Design and develop molecular markers for specific genes/traits in soybean, sunflower, maize.

· Expand use of bioinformatics and statistical methods for population genetics analyses.