PLANT BREEDING AND GENETICS Department of Horticulture and Crop Science The Ohio State University Home  Programs

PLANT BREEDING AND GENETICS PROGRAM
I. Mission
	The mission of the plant breeding and genetics program in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science is to develop improved cultivars and germplasm, to further the science and art of plant breeding through scholarly endeavor, to provide the highest quality education for future plant breeders and geneticists, and to provide undergraduate students with an understanding of the principles of plant breeding and genetics. Through these efforts, we hope to ensure the stability of agricultural production and enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Ohio and the world. Our approach to this mission combines aspects of biotechnology and classical genetics in order to accomplish our tasks with an efficiency of time and resources.
II. Goals for Research
	Although the study of plants for their own sake is a valid scholarly endeavor, our focus relates to the economic role of plants as sources of feed, food, ornamentation, and industrial materials. Our research is intended to complement the activities of other bodies, including basic researchers and private research programs. Our resident instruction and extension activities are intended to provide up-to-date knowledge of plant breeding and genetics to students or industry representatives who have interests or are specializing in this area of study. Our general research goal is the application of genetic technology to solve problems related to production and utilization of economic plants. Genetic technology has unique advantages in comparison with other agricultural technology. It is compatible with environmental protection. Development costs are low per unit area, and technology transfer is easily accomplished through the seed. We address such problems as production costs, production risks, quality constraints to particular uses of plant material, and environmental quality. We intend to serve crop producers, seed producers, processors, consumers, and the scientific community. Development of cultivars is an important link in the chain between the researcher who develops new genetic technology and the end user. For this reason, development of cultivars for Ohio producers is an important research objective. Although there are many private plant breeding programs in the U.S., few of them are aimed at development of cultivars for Ohio conditions. Ohio is a minor niche, holding low priority or completely ignored, for midwestern companies that have corn and soybean breeding programs. Commercial tomato breeders do not consider many of Ohio's important diseases, because these diseases are not part of the production environment in California and elsewhere. Cultivar development in oats, an important Ohio crop, has been completely neglected by the private sector. Commercialization of the products of genetic research is necessary in order to transfer new technology to producers, to provide producers with competitive cultivars, and to obtain return in the form of royalties that fund our research and education goals. Specific research goals include the following: (1) Development of improved cultivars and germplasm (2) Research on breeding methods (3) Integrating basic and applied results (4) Application of emerging genetic technology (5) Acquiring and publishing basic genetic information on economic plants (6) Education and training of graduate and undergraduate students and postdoctoral scholars (7) Conservation of germplasm (8) Assessment of risks and benefits of genetic technology. Goals for specific crops include improving adaptation to Ohio conditions or overcoming specific production problems. Growers, processors, and consumers all benefit if production risks are minimized and the cost of production is reduced. Ohio's growers are thus enabled to compete in the world market. Breeding and genetics can often provide environmentally friendly solutions. Ohio growers face many distinctive problems that are absent or less serious in other growing regions, such as maize viral and fungal diseases, aluminum toxicity, phytophthora rot, bean leaf beetle, several bacterial and fungal diseases of tomato, drought, excess soil water, and high- and low-temperature stresses. A second goal is the improvement of crop quality for specific uses. Examples include soybeans for tofu manufacture, wheat with superior milling and baking quality, corn grain with enhanced protein or oil content, and tomato cultivars for the whole-pack or diced-product markets. Maintenance and evaluation of plant germplasm are important to society as a whole and to geneticists and breeders in particular. An Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center has been proposed to be located at OSU as part of the National Plant Germplasm System. If established, this center would make OSU a focus for national and international research and education in the area of genetics and breeding of floriculture crops and herbaceous ornamentals. Research resulting in scientific publications serves the scientific community by advancing the state of knowledge related to crop plants and by increasing the efficiency of plant breeding efforts. Release of germplasm with improved characteristics also provides this benefit. In choosing goals, we have recognized the need to avoid duplicating the efforts of research groups in the private sector or other public institutions. Within the constraints imposed by funding sources, we will give attention to research objectives that are high in economic risk or based on assessment of long-term needs. Interdisciplinary cooperation is needed to achieve these goals. This will involve individuals with such research specialties as plant pathology, plant physiology, entomology, biochemistry, molecular biology, agricultural engineering, soil science, and food science. Cooperators will include individuals at OSU-OARDC, at other state, federal, and international institutions, and in the private sector.
III. Goals for Undergraduate and Graduate Education
A. Courses to be offered
	We are committed to offering the following courses in the breeding/genetics specialty (past department and number are used for courses existing prior to restructuring): 1. OSU has not offered a plant breeding course exclusively at the undergraduate level for many years. We have developed a course in plant genetics and biodiversity, "Plant Genetic Resources", HCS 325, to be taught yearly beginning winter of 1997. This course is one of the four core courses in the Crop Science curriculum and will be required of all students graduating with that major. Course topics include past, present, and future issues in plant germplasm conservation, ownership, and use for major food and ornamental crops. 2. Hort 597, Issues in Biotechnology. 3. Both Hort 601 and Agron 625, introductory level plant breeding courses, are listed in the catalog. These will be combined as HCS 625 and taught in alternate years, beginning Winter 1995, by Dr. Campbell. It will be a concepts-oriented course and will discuss both agronomic and horticultural crops. This course will be the initial plant breeding course in the graduate program. 4. Agron/Hort 620, Plant Cell Transformation. 5. Agron 635, The Plant Genome. 6. Agron/Pl Path 694 (temporary number), Genetics of Host Plant Resistance. 7. Hort 715, Applications of Plant Cell, Tissue, and Organ Culture to Horticultural Research. 8. HCS 725, a new summer quarter course to provide "hands-on" experience with methodology. This course will be coordinated by Dr. Scheerens and Dr. Pratt, with participation by other breeding and genetics faculty. The course will include entry-level experiences in molecular techniques but will not substitute for comprehensive training in laboratory skills. 9. A new laboratory course or series of courses at the 700- or 800-level is being considered by several faculty (Drs. Bauer, Lagrimini, Metzger, and Sayre). The focus would be laboratory methodology related to plant molecular biology and biochemistry, including such topics as plant regeneration, enzyme isolation, and genotyping by molecular markers. 10. Agron 825, Advanced Plant Breeding. This course has been modified to include molecular breeding techniques. It will be taught to graduate students in both locations in a distance-learning format, including in-class discussion, internet-based discussion, internet-based course material, and use of genetic databases. It will be offered in alternate years beginning in the spring of 1996. This course is being offered online in an effort to accommodate students both on- and off-campus. This will be the fifth online course offered by the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science. 11. We are considering an additional course on crop product quality and end-use enhancement. 12. The former course Agron 826 will be dropped. The course Agron 830, Current Topics in Plant Molecular Biology, which has not been offered recently, may be revived in a journal-based format of reading and discussion.
B. Undergraduate education
	The breeding and genetics group intends to provide courses in support of (1) undergraduate students in all three of the department's majors, (2) graduate students specializing in breeding and/or genetics, and (3) undergraduates and graduates majoring in related fields. With other groups of faculty in the department, we enthusiastically accept a share of the responsibility for teaching departmental courses which do not specifically concern breeding and genetics but which are fundamental to the curricula of both departmental majors and students outside the department. These courses include HCS 600, Agron 210, 411, 414, and 887 and Hort 210 and 320. We intend to use both undergraduate advising and employment of undergraduate students in our laboratories as opportunities to provide educational experiences in the fields of genetics and breeding. To this end, we will continue to employ students from ATI on internships and look for opportunities for teaching of relevant material at ATI.
C. Graduate education
	The establishment of a unified graduate curriculum, consolidating the former Horticulture and Agronomy curricula, is an essential goal. Our discussions to this end began soon after restructuring occurred. Following is a description of the planned curriculum. Objective of the Graduate Curriculum. The OSU graduate plant breeding and genetics curriculum provides graduate education leading to understanding of the concepts, principles, and methodology of crop improvement. Graduate education is achieved by offering courses in plant breeding concepts and methodology, experimental design, data analysis, and population genetics. Additional core courses in underlying disciplines will contribute to knowledge of genetic and physiological processes and environmental influences that result in the expression of phenotypic variation. Expectations of the Curriculum. Graduates will be expected to engage in critical thinking that draws on basic concepts and to apply selection and experimental procedures to effect successful crop improvement and/or crop improvement research. Graduates will be abreast of emerging technologies. M.S. graduates will be expected to have competence to participate in these activities, and Ph.D. graduates will be expected to be able to lead these activities. Graduates will also be expected to have effective communication and practical skills. The curriculum will strive to incorporate meaningful communication skills activities, e.g., written papers, oral presentations, class discussions, and practical skills development through the offering of practicums, field trips, computer simulations, etc. We have examined our present course offerings and the plans of study of recent graduates in order to ascertain if we are accomplishing our objectives and how we might better accomplish them. We have adopted a core and allied courses concept (as detailed below). The courses are intended to ensure that all graduates have a satisfactory level of rigor in the graduate program while still ensuring flexibility and recognizing that final assurance for appropriateness and rigor of the graduate program rests with the student and the student's advisory committee. Following are the core and allied courses for students pursuing graduate degrees in the breeding and genetics areas of the Horticulture and Crop Science graduate program: Required Core Courses M.S. Program Genetics and Mol Biol Mol Gen 500 Intro to Biochemistry Biochem 511 Field Crop Breeding HCS 625 Plant Breeding Methods HCS 725 Data Analysis I and II Stat 528 and 529 or Analysis Interp Biol Data Mol Gen 650 Ph.D. Program The above courses plus the following: Adv Pl Brdg Agron 825 Pl Genet and Mol Biol Mol Gen 622 Systems of Gen Analysis Mol Gen 700 or DNA Transactions Mol Gen 701 or Genetics of Animal Pop An Sci 721 Tech. of Exper Design Agron 887 -------------------------------------------------------------- Masters Program students will also be required to take two electives from Allied (1), and Ph.D. students will also be required to take at least three electives from Allied (1) and at least one additional Allied Course listed under Allied (1) or Allied (2). (Note: These lists are subject to modification.) Allied (1) An Sci 721 Genet of Anim Pop (if not taken as core) An Sci 722 Genet of Anim Pop Agron 620 Pl Cell Transf Agron 635 Pl Genome Agron 825 Adv Pl Brdg (optional for M.S. students only) Agron 887 Techn Exp Design (optional for M.S. students only) Agron/Pl Path 694 Gen Host Pl Res Hort 715 Appl Pl Cell Tiss Org Cult Mol Gen 601 Euk Mol Gen Lab Mol Gen 622 Pl Gen and Mol Biol (optional for M.S. students only, highly recommended) Mol Gen 700 Syst of Gen Analysis (if not taken as core) Mol Gen 701 Mol Gen: DNA Trans (if not taken as core) Pl Biol 630 Pl Physiol Pl Biol 631 Pl Physiol Pl Biol 735 Pl Biochem Pl Biol 736 Pl Biochem Stat 641 Design Analysis Exper Stat 645 Appl Regr Analysis Stat 655 Multivar Data Analysis Stat 656 Appl Multivar Data Analysis Stat 661 Appl Nonpara Stat Allied (2) Agron 630 Seed Sci Agron 636 Mineral Nutr Pl Entom 664 Host Pl Res Pl Biol 835 Adv Pl Repro Devel Pl Path 601 Fungal Path Pl Path 615 Fld Crop Dis Pl Path 685 Fld Pl Path Pl Path 702 Epidemiology Pl Path 838 Pl Virology
IV. Goals for Extension
	Extension activities in the breeding and genetics area are not formally recognized in faculty appointments, but many of us play significant extension roles, taking the form of publications, appearances at field days, and extension meetings. Our interaction with clientele includes both producers and processors of agricultural products. Interaction with clientele serves a dual purpose: new research information is disseminated, and we are made aware of new problem areas for research. This interaction will continue and probably increase as we depend to a greater extent on private funding sources.
V. Strengths
	Our group's greatest strength lies in its personnel and their working relationships. Most faculty and staff are young and up-to-date with respect to education and training. We have effective, long-term relationships with plant pathologists and entomologists. A substantial proportion of the graduate student theses and refereed publications of the breeding group have derived from the interaction with plant pathology and entomology. Other effective interactions occur between the small grains program and the USDA/ARS Soft Wheat Quality Laboratory and between the soybean program and the Department of Food Science and Technology. Many of the interdisciplinary teams needed to achieve our goals already exist. Specific strengths of our program include: Cooperation within the breeding/genetics group is excellent, and the recent restructuring enhances prospects for increased interaction. We have established long-term collaborations with plant pathologists, entomologists, food scientists, and industry clientele. As a group we have established common foci: disease resistance, tolerance to environmental stress, and end-product quality. We have a tradition of releasing excellent germplasm that meets the needs and interests of seed producers, growers, and processors. The past record of external grant support to our members and interdisciplinary and teams has been good. Land and greenhouse facilities are generally adequate for the needs of our programs. Facilities in Gourley Hall and Williams Hall are being consolidated to ensure efficient use of equipment and space. Harvesting equipment is shared between the small grains and soybean programs to ensure efficient use of field equipment. Sharing of lab space and equipment is a common practice among researchers in Williams Hall. End-product quality evaluation for both research and extension purposes is accomplished through shared facilities in the grain quality lab and the small-fruit quality lab. Wooster-based graduate students are provided the opportunity to gain experience in labs in Columbus, thus strengthening the ties between programs.
VI. Personnel
	Kimberly Campbell, small grains Richard Cooper, soybean John Finer, tissue culture and transformation Ronald Fioritto, soybean David Francis, tomato Robert Gooding, small grains Pablo Jourdan, tissue culture Mark Lagrimini, molecular biology and biochemistry David Lohnes, soybean Jim Metzger, floriculture Ray Miller, plant biochemistry Richard Pratt, maize Steven St. Martin, soybean Richard Sayre, molecular biology and biochemistry Joe Scheerens, small fruit Patricia Sweeney, turfgrass Tara VanToai, genetics of plant stress

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