Seed Biotechnology Center 

The Plant Breeding Academy Begins
The Plant Breeding Academy (PBA) is a new program created by the Seed Biotechnology Center (SBC) at the University of California, Davis (UCD).  Participants meet for one week, three times per year, over the course of two years.  The PBA held its first week-long meeting in mid-September and it was a great success.  The fifteen students traveled from as far away as Hong Kong, Canada, Florida, Minnesota, Iowa and Idaho and various locations in California. The students attended six intense days of lectures and workshops led by three leading professors: Dr. Doug Shaw and Dr. Larry Teuber from UCD and Dr. Todd Wehner from North Carolina State University.  SBC's Dr. Allen Van Deynze and Dr. Kent Bradford were key organizers throughout the week. Plant reproductive biology, germplasm sources, statistics, and genetics were discussed.  The next session will be on February 12-17, 2007.  For more information go to: PBA.

"This course is invaluable to me in that I am able to maintain my full time, great job and gain this knowledge without becoming a full time student."

            -- Peter Martini, Driscoll Associates

Specialty Crops Regulatory Initiative Team Recognized
The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) selected the Specialty Crops Regulatory Initiative (SCRI) team for special recognition on October 12, 2006, in Washington, D.C., at the agency's annual Day of Appreciation.  Members of the SCRI team were invited to participate and receive a Certificate of Merit and a keepsake award at a ceremony. The SCRI team is making a recommendation for the establishment of a program to assist public researchers and small companies with meeting the regulatory requirements for commercializing crops developed using biotechnology. Modeled in part after the successful IR-4 program that assists in extending registrations for agricultural chemicals to smaller market crops, the SCRI would help in clarifying and standardizing data requirements, serve as a liaison with APHIS, FDA, EPA and other governmental organizations, identify crop/trait combinations of high value and priority for commercialization, assist in collecting the required data, such as compositional analyses or feeding studies, and maintain a database of information that could be utilized for subsequent petitions. It could also support research that would provide data relevant to changes in the regulatory procedures or requirements. Kent Bradford, Director of the SBC, is a member of this committee and was recognized at the awards ceremony.  For more information on the SCRI, contact the project consultant, Kellye Eversole.

SBC Seed Advisory Council Member Honored
On Friday, October 13, 2006, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES) recognized Gary Hudson with an Award of Distinction at its 18th annual College Celebration. The Award of Distinction is the highest recognition presented by the college to individuals whose contributions and achievements enrich the college and enhance its ability to provide public service. Mr. Hudson is the Founder and President of Hudson & Associates, Inc.  He serves on the CA&ES Dean's Advisory Council and has been instrumental in developing the new University of California, Davis California Center for Urban Horticulture.  He has served on the Seed Biotechnology Center Advisory Council since its inception and continues to play a leading role in growing the SBC.  For more information go to: CA&ES Celebration.

Seed Biology, Production & Quality Course
On February 21 & 22, 2007 the Seed Biotechnology Center and UC Davis Extension will offer this unique two-day course for professionals in the seed industry, crop consultants and growers to expand and update their knowledge.  Participants will learn the fundamentals and the most current research information on seed development, production, harvesting, conditioning, storage, enhancement, and quality assessment.  Instructors include: Dr. Derek Bewley, University of Guelph, Dr. Hiro Nonogaki, Oregon State University and University of California, Davis' Dr. Kent Bradford, Dr. Robert Gilbertson and Dr. Allen Van Deynze.  For more information and to register online, go to the SBC.

Van Deynze and Stoffel Publish High-throughput DNA Extraction from Seeds
The SBC worked with seed industry partners to develop and verify high-throughput protocols for DNA extraction from seeds of a wide range of crops and seed types. The SBC developed an efficient system to grind and extract DNA from vegetable seeds. Protocols were developed to extract high-quality DNA from 11 seed types in a high-throughput format. The DNA can be used for variety identification, hybridity screening, marker-assisted selection, or other purposes. This project was funded jointly by eight seed company sponsors. The article is available to International Seed Testing Association members.  For more information, go to the SBC or to Seed Science & Technology.