Publications

Genomic heritability estimates in sweet cherry reveal non-additive genetic variance is relevant for industry-prioritized traits.

Sweet cherry is consumed widely across the world and provides substantial economic benefits in regions where it is grown. While cherry breeding has been conducted in the Pacific Northwest for over half a century, little is known about the genetic …

Near-infrared calibration of soluble stem carbohydrates for predicting drought tolerance in spring wheat

Soluble stem carbohydrates are a component of drought response in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and other grasses. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) can rapidly assay for soluble carbohydrates indirectly, but this requires a statistical model for …

Prediction of Genetic Value for Sweet Cherry Fruit Maturity among Environments Using a 6K SNP Array.

The timing of fruit maturity is an important trait in sweet cherry production and breeding. Phenotypic variation for phenology of fruit maturity in sweet cherry appears to be under strong genetic control, but that control might be complicated by …

Quantitative Trait Loci for Cold Tolerance in Chickpea.

Fall-sown chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) yields are often double those of spring-sown chickpea in regions with Mediterranean climates that have mild winters. However, winter kill can limit the productivity of fall-sown chickpea. Developing …

Crossing the finish line: how to develop diagnostic DNA tests as breeding tools after QTL discovery

DNA-informed breeding, the integration of DNA-based genetic information into plant breeding programs, can enhance efficiency, accuracy, creativity, and pace of new cultivar development. Most genetic knowledge on key traits for plant breeding has been …

Perennial wheat lines have highly admixed population structure and elevated rates of outcrossing

Perennial wheat has been proposed to alleviate long standing issues with soil erosion in annual cropping systems, while supporting rural communities and providing grain farmers with a marketable climate-resilient crop. The Washington State University …

Building supportive networks among agricultural innovators through a symposium on dryland organic farming

Extension can play a valuable role by bringing together those who are pioneering innovative practices. We planned, built, and evaluated an Extension symposium on dryland organic agriculture. Post-symposium evaluations indicated that this process …