During her PhD studies, Cathrine Kiel Skovbjerg studied quantitative genetics in legumes. Legumes are of great agricultural interest as they provide climate-friendly sources of protein that can be used for both human consumption and animal feed.

Despite their multiple advantages, legume production in Europe is still low. For this reason, it becomes crucial to optimize legumes by using advanced breeding approaches that integrate genetic information. Cathrine Kiel Skovbjerg investigated the genetic diversity and genetic basis of complex agronomic traits in three legume species: faba bean (Vicia faba), white clover (Trifolium Repens), and Lotus japonicus.

The new research findings contribute to a better understanding of the genetic basis of key agronomic traits in legumes and provide promising results for genomics-based breeding. 

The PhD study was completed at Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Tuesday, 6 September 2022 at 12:30
Place: Building 1870, room 816, Lecture Theatre Faculty club, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Universitetsbyen 81, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of PhD thesis: Sustainable Protein Production: Optimizing Legumes by Exploring Diversity and Dissecting the Genetic Architecture of Complex Traits

Contact information: Cathrine Kiel Skovbjerg, e-mail: cathrinesk@hotmail.com, tel.: +45 51495330

Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Morten Lillemo, Department of Plant Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway
Professor Erik Dahl Kjær, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Professor Finn Skou Pedersen (chair), Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark

Main supervisor:
Associate Professor Stig Uggerhøj Andersen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark

Co-supervisor:
Professor Luc Janss, Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, Denmark

Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences/GSNS, Jens Baggesens Vej 53, building 5221, 8200 Aarhus N.