Agronomy graduate student to speak at UC Davis Plant Science Symposium

Sunil Kumar Kenchanmane Raju
Sunil Kumar Kenchanmane Raju

Sunil Kumar Kenchanmane Raju, University of Nebraska–Lincoln agronomy doctoral candidate, has been invited to speak at the University of California, Davis Plant Science Symposium on April 24 in Davis, California. Kumar KR’s presentation will be “Breeding for epigenetic variation in soybean and Arabidopsis for yield and stress adaptability.”

Kumar KR received his Master and Bachelor of Biotechnology from Kuvempu University, India. Specializing in plant breeding and genetics at Nebraska, he is advised by Sally Mackenzie, Ralph and Alice Raikes Professor of agronomy and horticulture.

His current research involves utilizing induced epigenetic variation in plant breeding. His work on soybean is providing valuable insights into understanding the potential of using MSH1-derived epigenome changes in developing lines with enhanced yield and yield stability. His work on Arabidopsis, a model plant, is helping to understand the role of abiotic stress in enhancing epigenomic plasticity that can be used in breeding agronomic-important traits.

Kumar KR received the distinguished Henry M. Beachell Fellowship in 2016, recognizing his academic excellence and research potential in the agronomic and horticultural sciences. He served as the chair of the organizing committee for the Nebraska Plant Breeding Symposium in 2016 and 2017, and on April 4 he was honored with the Agronomy and Horticulture Graduate Student Association Outstanding Member award.

The UC Davis Plant Science Symposium brings together researchers in academia, industry and the nonprofit sector to discuss the latest advances in the field of plant sciences. It is affiliated with a broader group of plant breeding symposia spanning multiple universities, facilitated by DuPont Pioneer.

More details at: http://agronomy.unl.edu/news/agronomy-graduate-student-speak-uc-davis-plant-science-symposium