Level of Education of Students Involved
Undergraduate
Faculty Sponsor
Jane Kenney-Hunt
College
College of Arts & Sciences (CAS)
Discipline(s)
Biology, Genetics, Environmental Science
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Symposium Date
Spring 4-24-2025
Abstract
Seasonal precipitation patterns in the Great Lakes region of the Midwest are becoming increasingly unpredictable, with spring floods and extreme summer heat creating challenges to terrestrial plant life. Disruptions in climatic conditions can impact environmental conservation efforts and agriculture within the region. As a major exporter of corn and soybeans, the unprecedented effects faced in the Midwest will have a large influence on agricultural production and food availability. We simulated the effects of these extremes in precipitation on 100 Arabidopsis thaliana recombinant inbred lines (RIL) to investigate gene-by-environment interactions on five growth and development phenotypes (days to germinate, bolt, leaf, seed maturity, and flower). We also performed a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis to identify regions of the genome that have effects on these traits. Through this QTL analysis, we were able to identify two QTL for time-to-flower and three QTL for time-to-bolt. The long-term goal of the project is to identify genes with an effect on plant survival and fitness in 21st century Indiana.
Recommended Citation
Swierc, Ashlee; Boyle, Abby; and Kenney-Hunt, Jane, "The Effect of Midwest Precipitation Extremes on Growth Phenotypes in Arabidopsis thaliana: A Quantitative Genetics Perspective" (2025). Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 1385.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/cus/1385
