Department of Plant Breeding SLU
Department of Plant Breeding performs research and education addressing global challenges affecting our livelihoods and the environment. The Plant breeding division works on putting traits into usable forms by understanding their diversity and genetics with the aid of advanced breeding tools. We apply this knowledge for the genetic betterment of cultivars of economically important crops. This 2-year position is funded by grants from Formas –a government research council for sustainable development– and SLU.
Duties: You will assist on ongoing Svensk potatisförädling research (which include field trials, plus laboratory and greenhouse work), record field data using advanced phenotyping methods, analyze genotypic and phenotypic datasets and apply biometric approaches to study genotype by environment interactions for tuber (yield and quality) and host plant resistance traits in potato grown in Sweden (Skane and Umea), develop genomic selection models for the traits and cross-validate them. The genetic material to be used in the project include EU cultivars (including some Nordic germplasm) and breeding material from Svensk potatisförädling. You will thus have the unique opportunity to be involved in a project in close collaboration with other potato breeders and thus gain first-hand experience of benefits and limitations of genomic selection in a real-world case study. You will have the possibility to develop new connections with many researchers and stakeholders through various seminars and events organized by SLU.