Harpreet Kaur

I am currently working on comparative genomics in alfalfa. It involves developing the pipelines for linkage mapping and pan-genome development in a highly heterozygous and outcrossing forage legume species with an autotetraploid genome. The goal of the project is to conduct whole genome sequencing of 10 different U.S. alfalfa accessions with varying fall dormancy levels and disease resistance which later on will be used to for comparative analyses at genomic scale. My past experiences including identifying genomic regions, and evaluating genomic prediction models, associated with forage yield and quality in an elite alfalfa population grown under deficit irrigation management. I have also worked on alfalfa diseases such as Phytophthora seedling root rot, and Anthracnose. I have utilized wide hybridization and tissue culture techniques in cotton to develop backcross derivatives and charactrize Gossypium species hybrid. I am skilled in computational genomic analyses, plant breeding, genetics and basic biotechnology techniques.