Our research teams have generated high-yielding pennycress breeding lines through multi-state testing and identified/validated trait-improving mutations and natural variants. Throughout the project, we will:

• Utilize marker-assisted selection and CRISPR gene editing to complete introgression of these traits into elite breeding lines.
• Extend our replicated yield testing program to a cooperative regional program and rapidly identify the best lines for each Midwest location (IL, MN, OH, WI) in conjunction with a commercial launch.
• Perform field evaluations and seed increases of lines with commercial potential.
• Develop additional genetic/genomic resources for long-term breeding program success

As IPREFER was funded by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture – Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant program (Grant No. 2019-69012-29851), any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in these articles are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Our work involves the combined efforts of breeders, bioinformaticists, agronomists, geneticists, biochemists, and farmers affiliated with four pennycress breeding programs: Illinois State University, University of Minnesota, Western Illinois University, and CoverCress, Inc. We are joining forces to rapidly develop elite pennycress varieties with superior traits best adapted for each region where pennycress will be grown commercially.

• Development of Adapted Breeding Lines
• Development of Domestication Traits
• Introgression of Domestication Traits into Adapted Breeding Lines
• Multi-State Yield Evaluations and Seed Increases
• Development of Additional Genetic and Genomic Resources

• Marks, Michael David & Ratan Chopra. Plants having increased oil quality. (US Patent 11,408,008 B2). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patents.justia.com/patent/11408008#history
• Michael David Marks, John C. Sedbrook Donald L. Wyse & Kevin Dorn. Plants having increased oil quality. (US Patent 11,396,657 B2). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patents.justia.com/patent/11396657
• Marks, Michael David & Kevin Dorn. Early flowering plants. (US Patent 11,337,391 B2). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patents.justia.com/patent/11337391
• Ulmasov, Tim, Gary Hartnell, John C. Sedbrook, Michael David Marks, Ratan Chopra & Maliheh Esfahanian. Low Fiber Pennycress Meal and Methods of Making. (US Patent 11,224,237 B2 U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patents.justia.com/patent/11224237#history
• Ulmasov, Tim, John C. Sedbrook, Michael David Marks, Michaela G. McGinn, Cristine Handel, Ratan Chopra & Brice Allen Jarvis. Low Glucosinolate Pennycress Meal and Methods of Making. (US Patent 0084936 A1). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patents.justia.com/search?q=Low+Glucosinolate+Pennycress+Meal+and+Methods+of+Making

Leadership

• John C. Sedbrook, Co-Project Director & LEAD Southern Genetics, Illinois State University
• Julia Zhang, LEAD – MN Genomics Efforts, University of Minnesota

Collaborators & Graduate Students

• Jim Anderson, University of Minnesota
• Carol Kiam Assato, Illinois State University (Graduate Student)
• Ratan Chopra, CoverCress, Inc.
• Kevin Cook (CoverCress, Inc.)
• Liza Gautam, Illinois State University (Graduate Student)
• Brett Heim, University of Minnesota
• Nikhil Jaikumar, Illinois State University (PostDoc)
• Aaron Lorenz, University of Minnesota
• M.David Marks, University of Minnesota
• Mark Messmer, CoverCress, Inc.
• Mary Phippen, Western Illinois University
• Win Phippen, Western Illinois University
• Krishan Mohan Rai, CoverCress, Inc.
• Lucas Roberts, University of Minnesota (Graduate Student)
• Tad Wesley, Western Illinois University
• Jeffrey Wilson, CoverCress, Inc.

2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience

• Clair Biel (2021) University of Minnesota
• Joseph Brandhorst (2022), Kent State University
• Jamisen Cendana (2023), Washington University
• Serena Gjesvold (2020), University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
• Juan Gonzalez (2021), Virginia Tech University
• William Gregory (2024), University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
• Alex Hafner (2021), Illinois State University
• Terryn Hutchings (2021), University of California, Davis
• Devon Jonaus (2023), Macalester University
• Tori Jones (2022), Auburn University
• Gabrielle Kwiecien (2024) Trinity College, Dublin
• Justin Larkin (2020), University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
• Nicholas Lee (2023), Brown University
• Ella Lyon (2022), Colorado School of Mines
• Marshah Menos (2021), University of Florida
• Nadia Renae Phillips (2023), Universityof Minnesota – Twin Cities
• Mitchell Polk (2020), University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
• Hayley Reuter (2022), University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
• Joe Rickman (2020), University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
• Kayla Vittore (2020), University of Illinois, Urbana – Champaign)
• Rachel Weber (2024), University of Missouri, Columbia

Alumni

• Heba Hamdy Abouseada, Illinois State University (Fulbright Scholar, 2021)
• Anthony Brusa, University of Minnesota
• Maliheh Esfahanian Illinois State University (Graduate Student, 2019-2020)
• Katherine Frels, Collaborator (2019-2020)
• Brice Jarvis, Illinois State University (Graduate Student, 2019-2021)
• Michaela McGinn, Genetic & Regulatory Consultant (2019-2021)
• Shahriar Mahmud, Illinois State University (Graduate Student)
• Danny Marchiafava, Illinois State University (Graduate Student)
• Deepika Mishra, Collaborator, CoverCress, Inc. (2019-2020)
• Matthew A. Ott, University of Minnesota (Graduate Student, 2019-2022)
• Zenith Tandukar, University of Minnesota (Graduate Student, 2019-2022)
• Tim Ulmasov, CoverCress, Inc. (2019-2022)
• Dalton Williams, Illinois State University, (Graduate Student, 2019-2021)