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

Patents

• Marks, Michael David & Ratan Chopra. Plants having increased oil quality. US Patent 11,408,008 B2, filed March 26, 2020, and issued August 9, 2022
  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, filed January 26, 2018, and issued July 26, 2022. https://patents.justia.com/patent/11396657
• Marks, Michael David & Kevin Dorn. Early flowering plants. US Patent 11,337,391 B2, filed August 17, 2018, and issued May 24, 2022. 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, filed June 5, 2020, and issued January 18, 2022. 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, filed January 18, 2019, and issued March 25, 2021. https://patents.justia.com/search?q=Low+Glucosinolate+Pennycress+Meal+and+Methods+of+Making

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

Leadership

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

Collaborators & Graduate Students

• Jim Anderson, Univ. of Minnesota
• Carol Kiam Assato, Illinois State Univ. (Grad. Student)
• Kevin Cook (CoverCress, Inc.)
• Anthony Brusa, University of Minnesota
• Ratan Chopra, CoverCress, Inc.
• Liza Gautam, Illinois State Univ. (Grad. Student)
• Brett Heim, University of Minnesota
• Nikhil Jaikumar, Illinois State Univ. (PostDoc)
• Aaron Lorenz, Univ. of Minnesota (LEAD – Northern SELECT)
• Danny Marchiafava, Illinois State Univ. (Grad. Student)
• David Marks, Univ. of Minnesota
• Mark Messmer, CoverCress, Inc.
• Mary Phippen, Western Illinois Univ. (Seed Oil Analysis)
• Win Phippen, Western Illinois Univ.
• Krishan Mohan Rai, CoverCress, Inc.
• Lucas Roberts, Univ. of Minnesota (Grad. Student)
• Tad Wesley, Western Illinois Univ.
• Jeffrey Wilson, CoverCress, Inc.
• Julia Zhang, Univ. of Minnesota

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

• Clair Biel, 2020 & 2021 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Univ. of Minnesota
• Joseph Brandhorst, 2022 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Kent State University
• Jamisen Cendana, 2023 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Washington Univ.
• Serena Gjesvold, 2020 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Univ. of Minnesota
• Juan Gonzalez, 2021 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Virginia Tech
• Alex Hafner, 2021 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Illinois State Univ.
• Terryn Hutchings, 2021 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, UC Davis
• Devon Jonaus, 2023 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Macalester Univ.
• Tori Jones, 2022 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Auburn University
• Justin Larkin, 2020 IPS-URE Undergrad. Research Fellow, Univ. of Minnesota
• Nicholas Lee, 2023 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Brown Univ.
• Ella Lyon, 2022 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Colorado School of Mines
• Marshah Menos, 2021 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Univ. of Florida
• Nadia Renae Phillips, 2023 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Univ. of MN – Twin Cities
• Mitchell Polk, IPS-URE Intern, Univ. of Minnesota
• Hayley Reuter, 2022 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Univ. of Minnesota
• Joe Rickman, 2020 IPS-URE Intern, Univ. of Minnesota

Alumni

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