Seth C. Murray#High throughput phenotyping
{{short description|American plant breeder}}
{{Infobox scientist
| honorific_prefix = Prof.
| name = Seth C. Murray
| honorific_suffix = PhD
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| caption = Seth Murray examines a corn plant
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| citizenship = United States
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| fields = Plant Breeding
| workplaces = Texas A&M
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| alma_mater = Michigan State University, Cornell University
| thesis_title = Genetic and phenotypic diversity in sorghum for improvement as a biofuel feedstock
| thesis_url = https://newcatalog.library.cornell.edu/catalog/6397169
| thesis_year = 2008
| doctoral_advisor = Stephen Kresovich
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Seth C. Murray is the Eugene Butler Endowed Chair in Agricultural Biotechnology at Texas A&M University where he directs a corn research program focused on quantitative genetics, phenotyping, and new variety development. In 2018 he was elected a fellow of the Crop Science Society of America.
Education and career
Murray received his bachelor's degree from Michigan State University in 2001.{{Cite web|url=https://soilcrop.tamu.edu/people/murray-seth-c/|title = Murray, Seth C}} He joined the research group of Stephen Kresovich at Cornell University, where he studied the genetics of sorghum varieties being developed for biofuel production. After his graduation in 2008 he was hired as an assistant professor in the department of soil and crop sciences at Texas A&M University, being promoted to associate in 2014, appointed to the Eugene Butler Endowed Chair in Agricultural Biotechnology in 2015, and being promoted to full professor in 2019.
Research
= Quantitative genetics =
Murray was among the first to conduct both linkage mapping and association studies in bioenergy sorghum. These included mapping a gene controlling the average sugar content of sweet sorghum{{cite journal|doi=10.3835/plantgenome2008.10.0011|title=Sweet Sorghum Genetic Diversity and Association Mapping for Brix and Height|year=2009|last1=Murray|first1=Seth C.|last2=Rooney|first2=William L.|last3=Hamblin|first3=Martha T.|last4=Mitchell|first4=Sharon E.|last5=Kresovich|first5=Stephen|journal=The Plant Genome|volume=2|pages=48–62|doi-access=free}} and identifying quantitative trait loci controlling the chemical composition of sorghum leaves and stems.{{cite journal|doi=10.2135/cropsci2008.01.0068|title=Genetic Improvement of Sorghum as a Biofuel Feedstock: II. QTL for Stem and Leaf Structural Carbohydrates|year=2008|last1=Murray|first1=Seth C.|last2=Rooney|first2=William L.|last3=Mitchell|first3=Sharon E.|last4=Sharma|first4=Arun|last5=Klein|first5=Patricia E.|last6=Mullet|first6=John E.|last7=Kresovich|first7=Stephen|journal=Crop Science|volume=48|issue=6|pages=2180–2193}}
= High throughput phenotyping =
Murray's quantitative genetics research lead him to the conclusion that individual genes were not effective at predicting the yield of corn and so he instead began to focus on the "phenome" of corn, using UAVs and image analysis to track how corn develops over time. In 2017, Murray organized the launch of a new journal sponsored by the Crop Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy called The Plant Phenome Journal.{{cite journal|doi=10.2134/csa2017.62.0322|title=CSSA, ASA Launch New Plant Phenome Journal|year=2017|last1=Murray|first1=Seth|journal=CSA News|volume=62|issue=3|pages=18–19}} He currently serves as the lead editor for this journal.{{Cite web|url=https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25782703/editorial-board/editorial-board|title=Editorial Board - The Plant Phenome Journal |website=onlinelibrary.wiley.com}}
= Developing new corn varieties =
Murray's breeding program at Texas A&M is evaluating roughly seven thousand new varieties of corn each year.{{Cite web|url=https://today.tamu.edu/2019/06/14/building-a-better-bourbon/|title=Building a Better Bourbon|date=14 June 2019}} His breeding program is focused on producing corn varieties which are more tolerant of stresses and more resistant to the molds that produce aflatoxin. However, his is also working on developing perennial corn that does not need to be replanted from one year to the next.{{Cite web|url=https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2020/06/17/texas-am-researcher-creating-better-corn-yields-quality-on-less-land/|title=Texas A&M corn breeder named Blavatnik award finalist|date=June 17, 2020|website=AgriLife Today}} He is developing new hybrids using heirloom varieties from the US and Latin America by screening for which varieties produce better tasting varieties of whiskey.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-texas-whiskey-idUSKBN1JD09C|title=Fields of dreams: Texas project seeks new corn strains for whiskey|newspaper=Reuters|date=June 17, 2018|via=www.reuters.com}} He has published that corn with higher levels of benzaldehyde tends to produce better tasting whiskey.{{cite journal|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0220787|title=Assessing the impact of corn variety and Texas terroir on flavor and alcohol yield in new-make bourbon whiskey|year=2019|last1=Arnold|first1=Robert J.|last2=Ochoa|first2=Alejandra|last3=Kerth|first3=Chris R.|last4=Miller|first4=Rhonda K.|last5=Murray|first5=Seth C.|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=14|issue=8|pages=e0220787|pmid=31393929|pmc=6687180|bibcode=2019PLoSO..1420787A|doi-access=free}}
Recognition
- In 2013 he received the National Association of Plant Breeders Early Career Award.{{Cite web|url=https://www.plantbreeding.org/awards|title=Awards | National Association of Plant Breeders (NAPB)|website=www.plantbreeding.org}}
- In 2014 he received the Crop Science Society of America Young Crop Scientist Award.{{cite journal|doi=10.2135/cropsci2015.04.0004ar|title=Awards Presented in Crop Science, 2014|journal=Crop Science|year=2015|volume=55|issue=3|pages=1383–1389}}
- In 2018 he was voted a fellow of the Crop Science Society of America.{{cite journal|doi=10.2134/csa2018.63.0920|title=Awards and Fellows|journal=CSA News|year=2018|volume=63|issue=9|pages=31–38|doi-access=free}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theeagle.com/landandlivestockpost/agrilifetoday/two-texas-a-m-faculty-named-fellows-at-cssa-asa-conference-in-baltimore/article_1a5d5c7f-fe27-54ba-abca-90c8d950d252.html|title=Two Texas A&M faculty named Fellows at CSSA, ASA conference in Baltimore|first=Kay|last=Ledbetter|website=The Eagle}}
External links
- {{google scholar id|o2U40BEAAAAJ}}
References
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Category:21st-century American biologists
Category:Michigan State University alumni
Category:Cornell University alumni