Tags: Black History Month

A new breeding technique using a plant's own DNA could produce crops that are more resistant to drought and disease: A team of University of Georgia researchers has developed a new way to breed plants with better traits. By introducing a human protein into the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana, researchers found that they could selectively activate silenced genes already present within the plant. Using this method to increase diversity…

Faculty members authoring articles and being quoted by the popular media demonstrate the impact of public scholarship and expertise on current discourse surrounding many important issues. A sample of the recognition of and engagement by Franklin College faculty members during February: Four ways that black Catholic sisters rewrote the American story, article by associate professor of history and African-American studies Diane Batts Morrow…

A research team led by professor of biochemistry and molecular biology Debra Mohnen has discovered that manipulation of the same gene in poplar trees and switchgrass produced plants that grow better and are more efficiently converted to biofuels: Due to the composition of plant cell walls, plant material is not efficiently broken down or deconstructed to the basic sugars that are converted to biofuels. In a paper published today…

The University of Georgia and the Franklin College celebrate Black History Month 2018 with a wide variety of programs and activities across campus. Events began on Feb. 1 and Black History Month Kickoff is at noon on Monday Feb. 5 at Tate Plaza. An extraordinary breadth of lectures, performances, screenings and discussions featuring our students as well as guests to campus punctuate the celebrations all month long. The complete listing of…

Distinguished Research Professor Kelly Dawe in the department of genetics is principal investigator on a new project to sequence the genetic diversity of the world's largest cash crop: When the human genome was first sequenced in 2001, the project focused on a single individual. Since that time, several new genomes have been assembled and additional genetic data have been generated for thousands of individuals, producing a more complete picture…

Through the new Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Climate-Resilient Sorghum, UGA and partner researchers will use new genomics tools to address urgent needs for a more drought-resilient food supply, increase rates of sorghum improvement to better meet long-term population growth, and investigate production systems that promote sustainable farming, particularly regarding preservation or restoration of soil resources and water quality.…