03/31/08 Mapping the Genome

Mapping the Genome. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. We've been talking with Jim McFerson about the conference on the Rosacea Genome he recently attended in Chile. He explained that many fruits and nuts including apples, cherries and others are actually part of the rose family and there has been a great deal of work done at the gene level to understand and ultimately improve the quality of these fruits. He talks about a very exciting project that is currently underway. MCFERSON: Another very exciting thing and you may have heard a little bit about it when we talk about the genome and sequencing is that the apple genome is being sequenced right now and it's a joint effort between UW and WSU. Scientists from both universities are collaborating in the lab right now as we speak to determine the sequence of the apple genome. Technically speaking now the term DNA sequencing encompasses biochemical methods for determining the order of the nucleotide bases. In layman's terms that is determining what and how the building blocks of something like the apple or even the human being is put together. And it's not just the apple that is being worked on. MCFERSON: We're working on cherries. We know a couple of genes that affect the size of cherries which is dollars in your pocket and now we are able to utilize this information  not just for a new variety but to know physiologically what's happening with that tree in the field. When should we irrigate, when not. So these kinds of insights are going to be applied very soon and are being applied in research programs and in the commercial field. And then downstream of course a heck of a lot more is going to be happening. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.