Jorge Venegas, a plant breeding and genetics doctoral candidate, has been nominated and selected to speak at the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America 2017 International Annual Meetings Oct. 22–25 in Tampa, Florida. Managing Global Resources for a Secure Future is the theme.
Sharing the podium with professors and scientists working in the same research field, Venegas will speak to the Biomedical, Health-Beneficial and Nutritionally Enhanced Plants division of the Crop Science Society of America. This is his second year to be nominated and selected to speak.
Venegas’ presentation title is “Mineral Bioavailability in Low Phytic Acid Wheat” and will focus on the techniques used to analyze the bioavailability of nutrients in the wheat kernel and the results from this analysis.
His research focuses on attempting to biofortify winter wheat germplasm for protein, iron, and zinc. He is trying to increase mineral content and bioavailability of these nutrients in the wheat kernel without reducing grain yield. To accomplish this objective, populations of winter wheat containing a high protein gene and a low phytate trait are generated. The high protein trait helps to increase protein and mineral content in the kernel, and the low phytate trait helps to increase the bioavailability of these nutrients during digestion. The phytate molecule is known as an antinutrient because it reduces absorption of minerals in the gut due to its capacity to trap molecules of divalent elements such as iron and zinc. The germplasm of wheat generated from this research could be used as breeding materials in wheat programs of developing countries where malnutrition is more severe.
Venegas is advised by P. Stephen Baenziger, professor and Wheat Growers Presidential Chair, and Robert Graybosch, USDA-ARS Supervisory Research Geneticist and Research Leader.
Venegas received a Widaman Trust Distinguished Graduate Assistant Award in 2016 and served as the vice-chair of the organizing committee for the 2017 Nebraska Plant Breeding Symposium.
The ASA, CSSA and SSSA 2017 International Annual Meetings bring together more than 4,000 scientific leaders from industry, government agencies and academic institutions. It is the premier opportunity for professionals working in the agronomic, crop, soil, and related sciences to hear about the latest research, meet and learn from their peers, expand their knowledge base, and take advantage of an abundance of networking opportunities to enhance their career.
