Highlights of 2015-2016
- Jennifer Kling joined the PNWTIRC as a Research Scientist. Jennifer is also a member of the Crop and Soil Science Department at OSU. She has applied and research experience in crop breeding (e.g., meadowfoam, barley, oats, corn); and teaching a graduate course (on-campus or Ecampus) in biological data analysis (CROP 590: Experimental Design in Agriculture) for the past 15 years.
- We analyzed the Axiom SNP chip for Douglas-fir using a three-generation breeding population. This work was done in collaboration with Keith Jayawickrama and Terrance Ye, and the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA).
- We began genomic selection analyses in Douglas-fir. This work was done in collaboration with Keith Jayawickrama and Terrance Ye, and the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA).
- Lauren Magalska evaluated the effects of climate change on the growth of Douglas-fir plantations.
- Erda Celer obtained field results from the drought hardiness study in collaboration with Keith Jayawickrama, BLM, Plum Creek, Silver Butte. Erda Celer is being supported by a scholarship from the Turkish government.
- Scott Kolpak completed transcriptome sequencing in WWP to facilitate SNP discovery in the three regional WWP breeding programs in the western US.
- Oguz Urhan continued to develop breeding strategies for WWP in collaboration with Marc Rust, Richard Sniezko, and others. Oguz Urhan is being supported by a scholarship from the Turkish government.
- We completed a draft of the PNWTIRC Five-year Plan that will help guide future research and extension activities of the cooperative. The five-year plan includes: an overview of the PNWTIRC organization and membership, proposed research projects (core, other, future), and potential technology transfer (e.g., workshops).
- The Seedlot Selection Tool (SST) has been redesigned and launched with the collaboration of Dominique Bachelet and staff at the Conservation Biology Institute.