Prof.

Seth C. Murray

PhD
Seth Murray examines a corn plant
Born1980[1]
CitizenshipUnited States
Alma materMichigan State University, Cornell University
Scientific career
FieldsPlant Breeding
InstitutionsTexas A&M
ThesisGenetic and phenotypic diversity in sorghum for improvement as a biofuel feedstock (2008)
Doctoral advisorStephen Kresovich

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.[2] In 2018 he was elected a fellow of the Crop Science Society of America.[2]

Education and career

Murray received his bachelor's degree from Michigan State University in 2001.[3] He joined the research group of Stephen Kresovich at Cornell University, where he studied the genetics of sorghum varieties being developed for biofuel production.[1] 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.[3]

Research

Quantitative genetics

Murray was among the first to conduct both linkage mapping and association studies in bioenergy sorghum.[2] These included mapping a gene controlling the average sugar content of sweet sorghum[4] and identifying quantitative trait loci controlling the chemical composition of sorghum leaves and stems.[5]

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.[6] 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.[7] He currently serves as the lead editor for this journal.[8]

Developing new corn varieties

Murray's breeding program at Texas A&M is evaluating roughly seven thousand new varieties of corn each year.[9] 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.[6] 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.[10] He has published that corn with higher levels of benzaldehyde tends to produce better tasting whiskey.[11]

Recognition

  • In 2013 he received the National Association of Plant Breeders Early Career Award.[12]
  • In 2014 he received the Crop Science Society of America Young Crop Scientist Award.[13]
  • In 2018 he was voted a fellow of the Crop Science Society of America.[14][2]

References

  1. 1 2 Murray, Seth Calder (August 2008). Genetic and phenotypic diversity in sorghum for improvement as a biofuel feedstock (PhD thesis). Cornell University. hdl:1813/11052.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Ledbetter, Kay. "Two Texas A&M faculty named Fellows at CSSA, ASA conference in Baltimore". The Eagle.
  3. 1 2 "Murray, Seth C".
  4. ↑ Murray, Seth C.; Rooney, William L.; Hamblin, Martha T.; Mitchell, Sharon E.; Kresovich, Stephen (2009). "Sweet Sorghum Genetic Diversity and Association Mapping for Brix and Height". The Plant Genome. 2: 48–62. doi:10.3835/plantgenome2008.10.0011.
  5. ↑ Murray, Seth C.; Rooney, William L.; Mitchell, Sharon E.; Sharma, Arun; Klein, Patricia E.; Mullet, John E.; Kresovich, Stephen (2008). "Genetic Improvement of Sorghum as a Biofuel Feedstock: II. QTL for Stem and Leaf Structural Carbohydrates". Crop Science. 48 (6): 2180–2193. doi:10.2135/cropsci2008.01.0068.
  6. 1 2 "Texas A&M corn breeder named Blavatnik award finalist". AgriLife Today. June 17, 2020.
  7. ↑ Murray, Seth (2017). "CSSA, ASA Launch New Plant Phenome Journal". CSA News. 62 (3): 18–19. doi:10.2134/csa2017.62.0322.
  8. ↑ "Editorial Board - The Plant Phenome Journal". onlinelibrary.wiley.com.
  9. ↑ "Building a Better Bourbon". 14 June 2019.
  10. ↑ "Fields of dreams: Texas project seeks new corn strains for whiskey". Reuters. June 17, 2018 – via www.reuters.com.
  11. ↑ Arnold, Robert J.; Ochoa, Alejandra; Kerth, Chris R.; Miller, Rhonda K.; Murray, Seth C. (2019). "Assessing the impact of corn variety and Texas terroir on flavor and alcohol yield in new-make bourbon whiskey". PLOS ONE. 14 (8): e0220787. Bibcode:2019PLoSO..1420787A. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0220787. PMC 6687180. PMID 31393929.
  12. ↑ "Awards | National Association of Plant Breeders (NAPB)". www.plantbreeding.org.
  13. ↑ "Awards Presented in Crop Science, 2014". Crop Science. 55 (3): 1383–1389. 2015. doi:10.2135/cropsci2015.04.0004ar.
  14. ↑ "Awards and Fellows". CSA News. 63 (9): 31–38. 2018. doi:10.2134/csa2018.63.0920.
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