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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Research Project #447395

Research Project: Construction of Graph-based Pangenome for Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus

Location: Crop Genetics and Breeding Research

Project Number: 6048-21000-032-003-N
Project Type: Non-Funded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jan 1, 2025
End Date: May 31, 2026

Objective:
1. Construct pangenome graphs for isolates of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus to visualize variations. 2. Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) using the genetic variants and the phenotypic traits.

Approach:
DNA sequencing of A. flavus and A. parasiticus isolates, genome assembling, and construct pangenome for each species. Genotyping calling for SNPs and SVs for each genome/isolate. The isolates of A. flavus and A. parasiticus will be isolated from peanut seeds and fields across major peanut production areas in the southern Georgia and northern Florida. Seed lots will also be requested from producers in other peanut producing states (Alabama, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia). These collected isolates will be used for fungal diversity studies with genomic-based genotyping.