Auburn University’s collaboration with the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville will be the focus of the latest episode of Alabama Public Television’s “Spotlight on Agriculture” Sunday, Feb. 21 at 2 p.m.

Auburn and HudsonAlpha merged their strengths in 2019 to improve crops for Alabama farmers. APT will highlight how their collaborative efforts are using plant breeding and genomics methods to expand the diversity of Alabama crops while making current crops more profitable for farmers.

“Alabama is one of the nation’s top-ranked states for biodiversity and climate diversity, yet we grow a small number of crops,” said Paul Patterson, dean of Auburn’s College of Agriculture. “Scientists at both Auburn and HudsonAlpha are working to capitalize on the diversity we enjoy.

“At Auburn, we have a world-renowned plant-breeding program, and HudsonAlpha is a leader in plant genomics. Together, our scientists are breeding and developing new crop varieties that can thrive on Alabama farms.”

Scientists at the Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology are working with the Auburn University College of Agriculture to genetically improve the quality of cotton and other Alabama crops. (HudsonAlpha)

APT visited farms, industries and research labs throughout the state to explore the potential of several new crops and the impact they could make. One of those crops, winter-grown barley, would complement the state’s emerging craft-brew industry, which uses grains grown outside Alabama.

APT also explored several traditional crops – such as peanuts, cotton and soybeans – and how, through specialized breeding, new varieties are more disease-resistant and drought-tolerant.

APT’s “Spotlight on Agriculture” is a quarterly series that was introduced in 2018 to highlight agricultural programs at Auburn and their impact on the state.

This story originally appeared on Auburn University’s website.