Do you want to take your on-farm plant breeding skills to the next level? Join us for a crash course in organic plant breeding ahead of our 9th Organic Seed Growers Conference on February 15, 2018.
Participants will learn basic skills for starting or advancing their own organic plant breeding projects, including strategies for breeding vegetable and grain crops of self- and cross-pollinated species. Organic plant breeders will share advice on how to source germplasm, build breeding populations, manage crosses, and apply more advanced techniques to select for key traits under environmental challenges. The course will involve both classroom and hands-on activities to demonstrate various breeding tools. Presenters will also touch on the basics of lab-based breeding techniques that comply with organic methods, including marker-assisted selection. The day includes a field trip and lab component at Oregon State University’s vegetable and grain breeding programs. This course is intended for farmers and agricultural students. Prior knowledge of basic seed biology is recommended.
Instructors include Patrick Hayes, Brigid Meints, and Jim Myers of Oregon State University; Julie Dawson of University of Wisconsin – Madison; and Jared Zystro of Organic Seed Alliance and University of Wisconsin – Madison.
The cost of the course is $150 (includes breakfast and lunch). Space is limited so register soon!
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