Lab News
The latest from the group, newest first
Congratulations Gargi Dutta: MSc thesis defended with grade A
Gargi Dutta successfully defended her MSc thesis “Rooting for resistance: optimizing cut-dip-budding delivery and construct design for targeting susceptibility genes in Solanum tuberosum” and received the top grade A. The work is part of the GE-Sustain project. Congratulations, Gargi!
New publication: genomic selection in timothy
Our paper “Genomic selection in timothy (Phleum pratense L.): a comprehensive evaluation of prediction models, multi-trait strategies, and forward validation across Norwegian environments” is published in Theoretical and Applied Genetics. Read the paper →
Talk at the IPK nitrogen symposium
Mallikarjuna Rao Kovi gave a selected talk on our nitrogen use efficiency research in forage grasses at the nitrogen symposium at IPK Gatersleben, Germany. See the post on LinkedIn →
Ås Avis: gene editing for future food security
Our CRISPR-Cas9 research in the NitroGenEdit and GE-Sustain projects was featured in Ås Avis: “Sikrer framtidens matforsyning: Noen vil påstå at man prøver å leke gud.” Read the article (in Norwegian) →
Ås Avis: more protein from Norwegian grass
The ProteinSense project was featured in Ås Avis: “Forskere ved NMBU satser på å «proteinmaxxe» norsk gress.” The story was later picked up by Norsk Landbruk and Nationen. Read the article (in Norwegian) →
New publication: winter stress responses in timothy
Our paper “Allele frequency and gene expression differences under key winter stresses in temporal populations of two timothy cultivars” is published in Theoretical and Applied Genetics. Read the paper →
New publication: surviving under ice
Our paper “Surviving under ice: gene expression changes during ice encasement in timothy (Phleum pratense L.) overlap with freezing and hypoxia stress responses” is published in Plant Stress. Read the paper →
Our Research & Norway’s 20-Point Plan for Bærekraftig Fôr
How our research aligns with Norway’s 20-point plan for sustainable feed (Bærekraftig Fôr), from genomics and phenomics to AI-driven breeding for forage grasses. Read the full article →
Welcome Akhil Reddy Pashapu: PostDoc
Akhil Reddy Pashapu started his PostDoc with our group in the TWIN-NUE project, developing digital twin models for Nitrogen Use Efficiency in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and oats. Welcome to the team, Akhil!
New Master Students Join the Lab
We are excited to welcome six new master students to the lab: Axel Heintz Larsen, Emma Tomine Morvik Kragholm, Gargi Dutta, John Michael Alcantara, Martin Theodor Steinkopf, and Sandra Elise Havnen. They will be working on diverse projects spanning genomics, phenomics, and machine learning applications in plant breeding. Welcome aboard!
ProteinSense Project Funded!
ProteinSense: More protein from forage grass and less concentrates has been funded. We will be developing prediction models for tracking protein content in grass, supporting farmers in optimising forage quality and reducing reliance on imported concentrates.
Ås Avis: meet the robot dog Raptus
Our DLT-Farming project and the robot dog “Raptus” were featured in Ås Avis: “Hils på robothunden Raptus: Han kan bli bondens beste venn.” See the post on LinkedIn →
Presentations at EUCARPIA
Our group presented 4 talks at the EUCARPIA Fodder Crops and Amenity Grasses Section meeting, covering our ongoing projects: DLT-Farming, NitroGenEdit, Timothy Genomic Selection, and Machine Learning models to predict the best timothy genotypes for future climates in Norway.
Beat Boller Award at EUCARPIA
Group leader Mallikarjuna Rao Kovi (Mallik) received the prestigious “Beat Boller Award” from the EUCARPIA Fodder Crops and Amenity Grasses Section at the 36th EUCARPIA FCAG conference in Aberystwyth, Wales, UK, in recognition of his achievements in forage and turf breeding.
LinkedIn Updates
Follow our latest updates on LinkedIn