Scientists used technology developed for cattle to assemble genome of 3 most dangerous weeds

Amaranth tuberculosis, Hybrid beetle, and Palmer's amaranth top the list of the most damaging agricultural weeds affecting crop production systems in the United States and elsewhere. Scientists at the University of Illinois have been able to collect and publish the most comprehensive genome information to date for all three species, ushering in a new era of scientific discovery “Genomic assemblies like these will go a long way toward further research into these complex weed species, including a better understanding of the ways in which they avoid herbicide damage, ”says Pat Tranel, professor and assistant professor in the Department of Plant Science at the University of Illinois, who is on the biology and evolution of the genome. All three genomes were assembled using extended long read sequencing, which maintains the integrity and continuity of the genome, much like big puzzle pieces give a clearer picture of the whole than small pieces. For amaranth Palmer, an additional ...