09/04/08 Creating the Genome Map

Creating the Genome Map. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. Being able to see the complete picture is what is driving WSU Researcher, Amit Dhingra. That picture in this case is the complete genome map of the apple. DHINGRA: So in the future we would be using more efficient means, more targeted breeding. It does not mean it will be more genetically modified but it will be bred by design or it's called precision breeding. Dhingra says for example why some apples are susceptible to powdery mildew and others are not. They can look at the genome map and figure out why. DHINGRA: We want to enable our industry to stay competitive in the future. Of course there are labor issues out there which are threatening our industry and there are other challenges. How do we grow apples or develop apples by design that the program will be different from any other program out there so that our industry is the first beneficiary of this kind of research. Bottom line is that for the future of apples in our state it's making sure they are first rate quality. DHINGRA: When an apple goes out, the Washington brand apple; they know that this is a different designed apple that is probably higher in nutrition, it is higher in vitamin content, it is higher in antioxidant content so the concept that might emerge in the future is targeted nutrition and whatever we do in apple genome sequencing will eventually target or get linked up with the humane genome project. It's an interesting concept to perhaps be able to design the right apple for specific health needs. We'll keep watching. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.