Graduate Program

Major efforts are expended on the breeding, development, and/or testing of improved cultivars and genetic materials of wheat, dry beans, barley, oilseed crops, and corn. Special limitations due to high elevations, short growing seasons, and unpredictable rainfall impose unique demands on crop cultivars in the major growing areas of the state. The Department has a comprehensive crop molecular genetics program involving molecular mapping and characterization of agronomically important traits in wheat, beans, and barley.

Todd Gaines and Elizabeth Castelbaum
working on a gene flow study.

In an interdisciplinary fashion, research programs investigate plant breeding methodologies (commonly involving biotechnologies such as molecular marker mapping, quantitative trait locus analysis, and marker-assisted selection), cytogenetics, quantitative and population genetics, physiological and statistical genetics, disease and insect resistance, and improving the nutritional value of crops. Genetic engineering of crops offers both potential benefits and risks, and both aspects of this technology are being investigated in the department.

For more information:

• Dry Bean Breeding
  Dr. Mark Brick
  
  
• Molecular and Quantitative Genetics in Wheat and Dry Beans
  Dr. Patrick Byrne
  
  
• Oilseeds and Other Crops
  Dr. Jerry Johnson
  
  
• Population Genetics and Genetic Diversity
  Dr. Sarah Ward
  
  
• Wheat and Barley Genomics
  Dr. Nora Lapitan
  
  
• Wheat Breeding - Project Home Page
  Dr. Scott Haley
  
  
• Program in Molecular Plant Biology

Barley In Situ Hybridization

Dry Bean Genetic Diversity

Wheat Breeding Nurseries