Dr. Daryl Somers – Research Director, Applied Genomics

Dr. Daryl Somers received his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 1992 and held post doctoral positions with the USDA in Columbia Missouri and Pullman Washington.Dr. Somers has worked in the area of plant genetics, and molecular biology since 1993.

Prior to joining Vineland, Dr. Somers worked with AAFC for 13 years focused on molecular breeding of canola in Saskatoon and wheat in Winnipeg. Most recently, he has managed the primary lab in AAFC for wheat molecular mapping with an emphasis on diseases such as Fusarium Head Blight, but also extensive research on cereal quality and yield.  He is regarded as a world leader in cereal genetic mapping and the application of genomics and genotyping to crop improvement.

Dr. Somers is Vineland's Research Director, Applied Genomics.  He will provide the link between the genome sciences and plant breeding by translating whole genome sequence into markers useful for selection of traits controlling consumer preference, disease resistance and yield in a wide range of horticulture crops.

Applied Genomics

The study of Applied Genomics at Vineland will contribute to a number of Vineland's research goals including both input production traits and output consumer traits.  Genomics can lead to understanding how genes function and control crop architecture, environmental stress resistance and disease resistance.  Studies such as water and nutrient use, energy consumption in greenhouse crops, enhanced yield, crop pest resistant, cold adaptation, drought tolerance, and salt tolerance can be pursued.