Project Title:
How does geography affect or reflect genetic variation in bambara groundnut?
Project Description:
Recent advances in DNA sequencing allows us to rapidly build extensive databases of genetic diversity in a species, amongst its landraces and breeding populations. This PhD is intended to explore and model the links between genetic variation, particularly in underutilised crop species such as bambara groundnut, and the agriecological setting and wider geography of the crops.
The student will use the newly developed Diversity Arrays Technique (DArT) seq method (with DArT Pty Ltd, Canberra, Australia) as an example of high density, sequence-anchored, ‘random sampling’ and will also investigate the development of specific sequenced-based approaches. The latter have the potential to target gene networks known to be of direct relevance to agricultural performance (circadian clock, vernalisation, dwarfing etc) in major species, potentially allowing a meaningful sampling of genetic variation to be made. Such an approach may assist breeders in making informed selection of breeding material, assessing suitability for different agroecological zones and environmental conditions via a translation of gene network information from major to minor species.
This project aims to establish a methodology for correlating genetic diversity measures based on sequenced-based markers with geography/origin and hence to explore links between plant characteristics and selection under breeding pressures. The PhD therefore comprises the fields of plant genetics, geographical information science and statistical analysis.
The funding is for four years of postgraduate study, currently envisaged to cover four years’ PhD work to help the student acquire new skills. It may be possible to arrange an initial year’s Masters by Research training as part of the four years.
The project student will be registered at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) for a PhD from the University of Nottingham. The expectation is that three years of study will be spent in Nottingham with one year spent at the Crops for the Future Research Centre and UNMC.
Level: MRes/PhD
Supervisor names and contact details:
Further information:
Crops for the Future Research Centre (CFFRC) is pleased to announce its support for a wide range of scholarship opportunities for postgraduate projects (PhD and MRes) registered at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. Funded studentships will relate to the research themes and programmes of CFFRC.
Applicants should have a good first degree from an accredited institution in a relevant field. Students who do not speak English as a first language must also meet the relevant English language qualifications as determined by the School of Computer Science.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the first supervisor listed in each instance for further information about the scholarship, including application details and entry requirements.
Please quote I.D. code on all correspondence.
Posted on 1st March 2013