GOBii releases open-source tools for faster plant breeding
The collaboration works with breeding centers around the world to develop tools to make the process of adding a trait into an existing, high-yield crop variety more efficient.
VirusDetect: a new pipeline for virus identification
The Fei lab releases VirusDetect, an automated bioinformatics pipeline that efficiently detects viruses and viroids from large-scale, small RNA datasets.
Citrus-growing regions face different pressures
Citrus growers are uniting to save their groves from citrus greening disease and to fund research into solutions, but growers in California face different challenges than those in Florida, report BTI and USDA researchers.
‘New Visions’ of food security from Cassandra Proctor
“Food security is a mixture of all the different aspects of agriculture. It’s not just growing the food,” said Proctor. “It’s not just planting something in the ground – there is a lot more to it.”
Researchers Identify Genes for “Help Me!” Aromas from Corn
Insect damage triggers volatile compounds that attract caterpillar-killing wasps.
A New Method for Studying Plant-Germ Warfare
Researchers in the Martin lab develop a new technique to study the arms race between plants and the bacteria that infect them.
Frank Schroeder Selected for HHMI Faculty Scholars Program
The five-year grant is given to innovative, early career scientists to support high-risk research with the potential to make significant contributions to the field.
Citrus Greening Pathogen Has Gut-Wrenching Effect on Insect Vector
A new paper from the Cilia lab reports that the Asian citrus psyllid mounts an immune response against the bacterium that causes citrus greening disease – a discovery that may be useful for developing a treatment against the devastating epidemic.
Collaboration to Identify New Sources of Disease Resistance in Tomato
Professor Greg Martin and colleagues received an NSF grant to pursue research into resistance against bacterial speck disease in tomatoes.
SolGenomics Meeting Has Newest Advances in Nightshades
Many BTI researchers will present their latest research at the 13th annual SolGenomics Conference, Sept. 12-16 in Davis, California.
New System in Tomato’s Defense against Bacterial Speck Disease
Researchers at BTI and Virginia Tech find a new bacterial detector in tomatoes that could help other crop plants to be more disease resistant.
More Tomatoes, Faster: Van Eck Accelerates Tomato Engineering
An improved protocol cuts the time it takes to modify a tomato’s genome from 17 weeks to 11, accelerating research into ways to breed more productive crops.
President David Stern: People Behind the Science Interview
Tune in to BTI’s David Stern on People Behind the Science: Growing Our Understanding of Photosynthesis to Improve Plant Metabolism
Researchers Sequence Genome of “Gluttonous” Tobacco Hornworm
BTI’s Gary Blissard and Michael Kanost of Kansas State University led a team of 114 researchers from 50 institutions and 11 countries to sequence the genome of this important insect model.
“Hackathon” Breeds Momentum for Plant Breeding Software
An international group of computer programmers gathered at BTI to create a single interface that will connect databases from breeding programs worldwide
Novel “Repair System” Discovered in Algae May Yield New Tools for Biotechnology
In a new paper in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Stephen Campbell and David Stern show that chloroplast extracts from C. reinhardtii can cut an interrupting insertion from a protein, but only in the light.
Researchers Receive $1.7M NIH Grant for Nematode Behavior Work
When C. elegans larvae face starvation, they clump together in a mass of worms, which increases their lifespan. BTI researchers will explore this fascinating social behavior.
Students Become Gene Detectives to Fight Citrus Greening
A group of students and experts work together through video conferencing to identify the genes in the genome of the newly sequenced Asian citrus psyllid, the insect that spreads the bacterium that causes citrus greening disease.
Jander Lab Members Win ASPB Awards
Postdoctoral researcher Vered Tzin received support to present her work at the American Society for Plant Biology annual meeting in July, and Cairo Archer received an undergraduate research fellowship to support her summer research in the Jander lab
BTI Faculty Honor Former Advisor, Steve Tanksley
Tanksley made invaluable contributions to plant breeding and genetics, laying the foundation for targeted crop improvements to increase food security.
Wild Parents’ Genomes Reveal Complex Genetic Past for Garden Variety Petunias
An international consortium of researchers has sequenced the two wild parent species of the domesticated petunia
The Watermelon’s Past, Present, and Future
Watermelons have changed from a small, bitter fruit that grows wild in Africa to the most popular fruit in the world. What’s next for watermelons?
BTI Intern Picks Up Awards on His Way to Berkeley
Patel is about to graduate from Cornell–and the Martin lab–to return to his native California to continue his career in plant science.
Potato Plants Trigger Aboveground Defenses in Response to Tuber Attacks
Mimicking the effects of a Guatemalan tuber moth infestation in agricultural fields could increase potato yield and reduce pest damage.
BTI Researcher Elected to National Academy of Sciences
Jim Giovannoni, BTI professor, USDA-ARS research molecular biologist and Cornell University adjunct professor, is recognized by the National Academy of Sciences for his significant contributions to plant science.
Klessig’s Research Featured by Parkinson’s Disease Foundation
The Spring 2016 issue of the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation newsletter featured recent work by Dan Klessig. The newsletter highlighted his recent PLOS ONE paper on salicylic acid and human GAPDH.
High-throughput CRISPR Vector Construction Using Tomato Hairy Roots
In a JOVE publication, postdoctoral researcher Thomas Jacobs uses tomato hairy roots to demonstrate how multiple CRISPR vectors can be constructed in parallel in a single cloning reaction.
Discovery Shows Parallels between Plant and Human Immune Systems
Research from the Klessig lab shows that HMGB3 signals to the plant immune system when tissues are damaged and makes plants more resistant to certain infections.
BTI Hosts Visit from My Brother’s Keeper Group
The group from Team I.M.P.A.C.T. of Rochester, NY, exposed young men to potential careers in the plant sciences.
Threatened Plant Gets Boost from BTI Biotech Lab
Woodland agrimony is so rare in New York that there weren’t enough plants to study why it is in decline. The Van Eck lab used tissue culture techniques to multiply the plant.
Jonathan Gomes Selman Recognized as Distinguished Youth
Tompkins County has awarded Gomes Selman, a 2015 high school intern at BTI, its Distinguished Youth award for his numerous academic and volunteer commitments.
BTI Faculty Listed in World’s “Most Influential Scientific Minds”
Giovannoni and Kochian both ranked in the top 1 percent of researchers publishing in plant and animal science.
The Herbivores Dilemma
Jander lab members investigate the chemical defenses that young corn plants use to fight off simultaneous attacks from hungry insects.
And the Winners Are…
BTI announces the winning proposals submitted to the Triad Foundation’s Plants and Human Health grant program.
Researchers Uncover Core Set of Genes for Plant-Fungal Symbiosis
BTI researchers used a genome comparison approach to identify genes necessary for beneficial plant-fungal relationships, which may lead to better crop plants that require less fertilizer input.
BTI Scientists Flock to Annual Plant and Animal Genome Conference
BTI researchers will present current research on the Sol Genomics Network, using CRISPR to edit genomes, the whitefly genome and others.
Aphids Balance Their Diets by Rebuilding Plant Amino Acids
Aphids thrive on a high-sugar diet, thanks to bacterial partners that help them breakdown plant sap and build essential amino acids from scratch.
Harrison Receives Grant for Phosphate Biosensor Research
Fluorescent proteins will allow researchers to track phosphate movement through cells in real time.
Alliance for Science launches hunger conversation at UN
The Alliance for Science converged on the United Nations Nov. 17 to launch a global conversation about ending world hunger. As the Manhattan skyline twinkled in the background, the Alliance’s 25 newly graduated global leadership fellows mingled with diplomats,...
Aspirin Targets Key Protein in Neurodegenerative Diseases
The active ingredient in aspirin blocks an enzyme that triggers cell death in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases, offering hope for novel treatments.
“Good” and “Bad” Bacteria in the Fight against Citrus Greening Disease
The bacterium believed to cause citrus greening disease creates multiple changes in both the Asian citrus psyllid that carries it and the beneficial bacteria that live within the insect.
BTI Scientists Envision the “Future of Food”
What will your dinner plate look like in 2050? With discoveries from the Boyce Thompson Institute, future crops may have more nutrients and greater resistance to insects, drought and disease.
GOBii Workshop Seeks Solutions to Big Data Problem
The GOBII project gathered researchers from breeding centers around the world to make a plan to develop the architecture for a genomics database for five staple crops.
The “Speck”-ter Haunting New York Tomato Fields
The BTI tomato field experienced a damaging outbreak of bacterial speck disease this summer, but BTI’s Greg Martin has identified genetic regions in a wild tomato species that may make future varieties immune to these devastating bacterial strains.
Why Teachers Spend Their Vacation Days at BTI
Ongoing relationships with teachers enable Education and Outreach to host valuable professional development workshops on plant and insect science for dedicated teachers.
A-plus Potatoes May Lead to More Nutritious Cassava Crops
A technique to enhance beta-carotene levels in potatoes and cassava may one day help alleviate vitamin A deficiency in developing countries.
BTI Receives Grant to Support Development of Cold-Tolerant Corn
Researchers in the Stern laboratory will investigate potential benefits of “high-Rubisco” corn plants, under a new USDA-funded project.
Better Biofuels: Harrison Collaborates on Sorghum Project
Maria Harrison will participate in a $13.5 million, multi-institution systems biology project with Daniel Schachtman of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to develop sorghum that is more drought resistant and uses nitrogen more efficiently.
$6.5 Million Grant May Lead to Disease-Resistant Cucurbits
A consortium of 20 researchers is using advanced genomic techniques to accelerate the development of disease-resistant varieties of cucurbit crops. BTI Associate Professor Zhangjun Fei will lead the bioinformatics and genomics part of the initiative.
Van Eck Gives Insight into Genetic Engineering to Cornell Students
Students in Cornell University’s course, The GMO Debate: Science and Society, visited a genetic engineering laboratory at Boyce Thompson Institute, courtesy of Assistant Professor Joyce Van Eck and postdoctoral researcher Alex Amaro, Stern Lab.