I am an international student from New Zealand and have just completed my 2nd year as Ph.D. student in the Horticulture and Agronomy Graduate Group (GGHA). I am a member of the Brummer Lab and am currently working on developing a genomic selection model for use in the UC Davis alfalfa breeding program.
My interest in agriculture started when I was very young. I grew up on a small sheep and beef farm in the Central North Island of New Zealand which sparked a passion for farming and eventually led me to pursue a Bachelor of AgriScience at Massey University in Palmerston North. While a student, I spent several summers working as a plant breeding assistant at PGG Wrightson Seeds, a forage seed company, which turned into a full-time job upon the completion of my degree in December 2017. During my time at PGG Wrightson Seeds I was able to work with several experienced breeders on a range of forage crops including perennial and Italian ryegrass, red and white clover, plantain, chicory and fodder beet. After a year in this role, I was fortunate to be offered the opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. in the United States. Having one of the best agricultural programs in the world and faculty members who have been involved in New Zealand agricultural research, UC Davis was an easy choice.
My research here at UC Davis is focused on genomic selection in alfalfa, with the goal of increasing its biomass yield. Yield is the most important trait for profitable alfalfa production, yet, somewhat inexplicably, yield improvement in alfalfa has stalled over the last ~25 years. To address this, at the beginning of 2020 we established a field trial at two locations in Davis containing much of the elite germplasm that has been developed by UC Davis in recent years. From this trial we will collect phenotypic measurements for yield and forage quality, as well as DNA, which will be used to develop a genomic prediction model. This model can then be used to reduce the cycle time length of our traditional alfalfa breeding program and increase the rate of genetic gain for a range of traits, most importantly biomass yield.
One of the most important aspects of developing a genomic selection model is high-quality phenotypic data. While working alongside members of another lab, an opportunity came up to collect remote sensing data from tower and drone-based cameras. This has really changed the direction of my intended research and, as a result, I have been able to learn a whole new set of skills that include image processing, programming and learning to pilot a drone.
Upon the completion of my degree at UC Davis I will return to a breeding position at PGG Wrightson Seeds in New Zealand. Pastoral farming in New Zealand is dominated by a mix of ryegrass and white clover; therefore, much of my time will be spent working on these species. As with my research in the US, a significant focus of the breeding program is on yield improvement and forage quality, therefore I will be able to put the skills learned here to good use. There is also an increasing amount of specialty crops being grown, including alfalfa, so I will have the opportunity to work on a range of different species.
My advice to incoming students would be to take full advantage of the courses offered here at UC Davis, particularly international students whose local universities may have no requirement for classes at the graduate level. The faculty here offer knowledge and experience not available anywhere else in the world, and taking their classes provides not only this knowledge but the opportunity to connect with the foremost experts in your designated field!
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