Research seeks to develop new, improved apples.
Scientists at Washington State University and the University of Washington are spearheading a public, international effort to map and unlock the secrets of the apple genome to develop better tree fruit faster.
“The Washington apple is an icon of quality around the globe,” said Dan Bernardo, dean of the WSU College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. “This is a natural home for the advanced science necessary to map the tree fruit genome and actively study how it functions.”
WSU’s Agricultural Research Center is providing seed money for the project as part of its larger investment in basic and applied plant science programs.
Project to attract internationally renowned scientists
“This initiative will establish Washington as the worldwide hub for Rosaceae functional genomics and is attracting internationally renowned scientists, as well as quality graduate and undergraduate students to Rosaceae research at WSU,” said Amit Dhingra, one of three WSU scientists involved with the project.
The Rosaceae family includes Washington’s largest crop—apples—and other tree fruit, as well as cherries, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, roses, and nuts. The aggregate wholesale value of Rosaceae in the United States is more than $8 billion, representing 8.5 percent of total U.S. crop production value in 2006.
Ultimate goal is improved varieties for growers worldwide
The goal of the project is to obtain a draft genome sequence of apple and then augment that information with scientific contributions from international collaborators. The vision is to create a knowledge base in Rosaceae genomics at WSU that will translate to improved and innovative varieties for growers in Washington and worldwide.
WSU’s Agricultural Research Center
WSU Genome Database for Rosaceae
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