Over 100 international scientists and stakeholders attended the 7th International Conference on Advances in Arachis though Genomics and Biotechnology (AAGB) last week, November 11-14, in Savannah, Georgia USA—including a large contingent of collaborators from the Peanut & Mycotoxin Innovation Lab.
The AAGB conference, first held in Guangzhou, China in 2006, brings together a diverse group of scientists researching and using modern genomics with the goal of developing more productive peanut varieties.
This year’s conference featured presentations on the latest achievements to develop the first draft genome sequences of progenitor species’ of cultivated peanut. Others discussed advances to use the newly generated sequences and associated molecular markers to identify genes that mediate resistance to diseases, pests and water stress, and improved nutritional quality. A special session was held on interactive web-based software that makes genomic information useful to breeders.