By Mei Ling Wong, 2022-2025 FFAR Fellow
at Montana State University
The goal of my project as a FFAR Fellow in the wheat breeding program is to verify genetic components that influence the number of grains per wheat head and pinpoint the genes that determine these, potentially increasing grain yield for wheat producers. We are testing two variants of a genetic region (alleles): one associated with high grain number, the other with low grain number. The data collection process requires measuring a wide range of plant characteristics, such as height, leaf area and grain number. These traits are necessary for evaluating the performance of breeding lines and understanding the complex trade-off between different traits in plants, factors important for developing high-yielding varieties. However, measuring numerous traits is labor-intensive and time-consuming, particularly when dealing with a large number of plants.
To be honest, most of the work that we needed help with in the breeding program was not the most groundbreaking or exciting, but was crucially necessary for the project’s success. For example, weeding in fields, cleaning seeds, threshing wheat heads and washing pots. An unexpected but critical challenge for our research became this: If scientific research requires many tedious and repetitive tasks like these, how can we ensure that undergraduate researchers remain engaged and motivated in our lab?