By Andi Anderson
A team of researchers at Iowa State University has been awarded a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to probe existing data for previously unseen links between the genetic instructions carried by plants and animals (genomes) and their physiological characteristics (phenomes).
The research team, led by Patrick Schnable, Baker Professor in Agronomy and Iowa Corn Promotion Board Endowed Chair in Genetics, will use advanced statistical analysis to mine the expanding volumes of data collected by crop and livestock breeders. This will help them identify genes that are associated with complex traits, such as disease resistance and drought tolerance.
“There are enormous challenges facing the world in terms of food supply. Agriculture was invented in a world different than the one we’ll be facing in the coming decades,” Schnable said. “Developing crops and livestock that are more resilient to diseases and changing weather conditions is complex and urgent.”
The team’s work will focus on two areas:
- Crop breeding: The researchers will analyze data from corn plants that were knocked down by a derecho in 2020. This will help them identify genes that are associated with root lodging, which is when a corn plant’s stalk breaks or its roots fail to keep it upright.
- Livestock breeding: The researchers will analyze data from 4,500 feeder pigs who went through a disease challenge. This will help them identify genes that are associated with disease resistance and growth rates.
The researchers hope that their work will help to develop new crop and livestock varieties that are more productive and more resistant to diseases and environmental stresses.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-r-j-seymour
Categories: Iowa, Crops, Corn, Livestock, Hogs