Wednesday Nite at the Lab

press release: For the fall semester, WN@TL goes hybrid both with Zoom and with in-person presentations. The zoom registration link is still go.wisc.edu/240r59. Starting September 15, you can also watch a live web stream at biotech.wisc.edu/webcams

On January 5, Jenyne Loarca of the Department of Horticulture will use carrots to help us see more clearly the origins, the genetics, and the roles crops play in our lives and on our lands.  Jenyne’s talk is entitled “Genetic Diversity Matters:  A Field Exploration of 695 Carrot Varieties."  

Description:  In this talk we'll explore humans' connection with preserving plant life. An impressive 70% of the food we eat is derived from plants, and most plants are grown from seeds. As humans, we've had a deep connection with seeds throughout our history. Humans have been saving and cultivating seeds for tens of thousands of years. 

The first large-scale institutionalized practice of seed saving began with the first ‘seed library’ only 125 years ago. The U.S. gene bank carries seed from 695 rainbow carrot varieties, collected from 60 countries all around the world.  We used this diverse collection to study traits that are important to carrot growers and to determine the genetic basis of these traits.

Using carrots as a case-study, we will explore why the genetic diversity in this carrot collection is foundational for vegetable breeders to create new varieties of carrot that are farmer-friendly and fun to eat. 

We will explore the idea of seed as a ‘genetic resource’ and seed-saving as genetic conservation work. We will discuss the importance of seed saving, the role that gardeners and researchers play in preserving genetic diversity, and the importance of genetic diversity to climate resilience and our uncertain future.  

Explore More:  https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.3565