GenNext Researchers: James Olmstead
October 3, 2015 As the next generation of growers become leaders and decision makers in their own operations, they won’t have to make those decisions on their own. There’s also a whole new generation of experts focused on the research needed to combat today’s (and tomorrow’s) challenges in the field and the orchard.
We talked with some of these researchers about the problems they’re attempting to solve, the new tools they’re using, and how they hope their work will help you do your job better.
 
James Olmstead
Associate Professor |
Primary area of research:
Blueberry breeding and genetics
What specific projects are you working on now?
Aside from new blueberry variety development, I do research that is focused on identifying and utilizing new traits in blueberry and related species that would benefit growers. Similarly, I also work to develop more efficient breeding methods.
Are you bringing any new technology, tools, or approaches to your research that might be new to these types of programs?
I am working towards applying genomic selection strategies to blueberry breeding. In genomic selection, we use whole-genome sequencing technologies to identify more than 30,000 molecular markers covering the blueberry genome. We then pair this information with the typical trait measurements that are made to evaluate breeding selections to develop a genomic prediction model that will hopefully identify superior selections at very early stages in the breeding program.
Unfortunately we have to overcome some genetic barriers to be able to implement genomic selection in blueberry and other crops with a similar polyploid (multiple copies of each chromosome) genetic system. To meet this challenge, I’ve partnered with an alfalfa breeder, Dr. Patricio Munoz at the University of Florida, and a potato breeder, Dr. Jeff Endelman at the University of Wisconsin on a USDA-funded project to implement genomic selection in all three crops.
As the next generation of growers become leaders on their farms, what will they need to do differently to continue to be successful? How do you see your research work helping them accomplish that?
As margins get smaller, I think the next generation of growers will need to diversify their operations and try to identify marketing niches that will allow them to differentiate their product. I hope that the varieties I develop will give growers new options to diversify and allow their products to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
How long have you been doing research in support of fruit growers?
I’ve been at the University of Florida since July 2009 working to develop new blueberry varieties. Before that I was a Yakima County (Washington) Extension agent from 2007-2009 and managed the Washington State University sweet cherry breeding program in 2006-2007.
What made you want to get into ag research as a profession?
Four generations of my family have produced fruit in eastern Washington State, so fruit production and research was always a way of life. When I was growing up, my father participated in on-farm evaluations of new sweet cherry selections, and was always looking for new varieties of stone fruit and apples. Being exposed to all of the breeding activities early on was what made me want to pursue plant breeding as a career.
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