Two sustainable agricultural projects led by UC Davis plant scientists have received 2011 U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary's Honor Awards, the most prestigious awards given by the USDA secretary.

The award is designed to recognize exceptional leadership in science, public policy and management, which are vital to guiding the nation’s rapidly evolving food and agricultural system. It will be presented Sept. 14 in Washington, D.C.

Professor David Neale, together with members of his Conifer Translational Genomics Network Coordinated Agricultural Project team, and Professor Jorge Dubcovsky, with members of the Barley, Wheat, Potato and Tomato Coordinated Agricultural Project team, were selected to receive the awards in the category “Helping America promote sustainable agricultural production and biotechnology exports as America works to increase food security.”

The conifer project is an integrated research, education and extension project aimed at maintaining or restoring healthy forests and ecosystems in the U.S. through genomic-assisted plant breeding. It is a multistate, multi-institution project, funded by the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture and the USDA Forest Service. The project involves virtually all conifer genomics scientists and tree breeders in the U.S.

The barley, wheat, potato and tomato project is a group of researchers and educators from land-grant universities, government agencies and industry who have banded together to identify genetic variations in these crops, including genes that can enhance the ability of the plants to resist disease, make efficient use of water and nitrogen, and optimize crop yield and quality. The wheat project is led by Dubcovsky. The potato/tomato project is led by UC Davis alumnus David Douches of Michigan State University and includes UC Davis researchers Allen Van Deynze and Roget Chetelat. The barley project is led by Gary Muehlbauer of the University of Minnesota.

Discoveries emanating from the projects are already helping plant breeders develop varieties that will thrive and be productive despite anticipated climate variability.