Sowing Seeds for Summer

 

Today we sowed watermelon seeds for our summer breeding fields. Watermelon appreciates hot weather, so we  take advantage of the climate and space (at the Hort Farm) that summer provides. This year we have three fields for our breeding program. In the Single Plant Field we will select fruit for various traits, including taste and rind pattern; these selections will then be cloned and brought to our greenhouse to breed. Our Advanced Field is planted with later generations (F7, BC1F5, etc) from our breeding lines, which means they're a little closer to being released to the public. The Diversity Field helps us learn more about the cultivars we use for breeding, such as Crimson Sweet and Charleston Gray.  This year we also planted many other delicious varieties, such as Orangeglo, Sweet Gem, and Hopi Yellow. This field is an end-of-summer reward for everyone's hard work. Can't wait to taste some watermelon in July!

 

IPBGG Retreat

 The Institute for Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics (IPBGG) Annual Retreat was held March 11-14 at The Trilith Guesthouse in Fayetteville, GA, and we had a great time!

Our Research Scientist, Alex Luckew, was awarded first place in the postdoctoral/staff category of the poster competition.

This was our lab assistant Sophie's first time presenting at a conference, and here's what she said about it:

"The IPBGG Retreat was a valuable and insightful experience that facilitated both my professional and personal growth. There were many engaging and informative speakers with interesting research and various social activities, such as the floral arrangement class, that offered a relaxed environment for meaningful networking. Most notably, I pushed myself beyond my comfort zone as I presented my first scientific poster. I performed better than anticipated, and I feel I successfully answered questions that came my way." 

 

We are so proud of Alex and Sophie!