Norman F. Weeden

RESEARCH INTERESTS

My interests involve the genetic studies in pulse crops, primarily pea and lentil but also including comparisons with chickpea, common bean, cowpea and lupine. I am particularly interested in developing DNA markers and applying marker assisted selection techniques to pea varietal improvement. Genome evolution and linkage conservation within the legumes and evolutionary genetics within the genus Clarkia (Onagraceae) are also subjects under study in my program.

AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY

Research in the genetics of pea and related legumes, including comparative mapping, generation of improved germplasm for Montana, and tagging of commercially important genes; teaching genetics, botany and freshman seminar.

EDUCATION

• B.S.    Chemistry      Stanford University  1969
• M.A.     Biology       Humboldt State University  1973
• Ph.D.   Genetics      University of California, Davis       1981

MEMBERSHIPS IN PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

• American Genetics Association
• Botanical Society of America
• Pisum Genetics Association, Chair 1998-2007
• Sigma Xi
• Society for the Study of Evolution

RECENT PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Editor, Pisum Genetics 1998-2007
• Associate editor, Euphytica 1997-2002

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS

• Treasurer, American Genetics Association, 2003-present
• Species Coordinator (Cool season pulses) for U.S. Legume Crop Genomics Initiative
• Pea Crop Germplasm Committee (1991 to present)

COURSES TAUGHT

• BIOB 377: Practical Genetics
• PSPP 541: Advanced Plant Genetics
• BIOB 375: Principles of Genetics
• BIOO 220: Botany

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Refereed Journals

Armstead, I., I. Donnison, S. Aubry, J. Harper, S. Hortensteiner, C. James, J. Mani, M. Moffet, H. Ougham, L. Roberts, A. Thomas, N. Weeden, H. Thomas and I. King. 2007. Cross-species identification of Mendel’s I locus. Science 315:73.

Borisov, A. Yu., T.N. Danilova, T.A. Koroleva, E.V. Kuznetsova, L. Madsen, M. Moffet, T.S. Naumkina, T.A. Nemankin, E.S. Ovchinnikova, Z.B. Pavlova, N.E. Petrova, A.G. Pinaev, S. Radutoiu, S.M. Rozov, T.S. Rychagova, O. Yu. Shtark, I.I. Solovov, J. Stougaard, I.A. Tikhonovich, A.F. Topunov, V.E. Tsyganov, A.G. Vasil'chikov, V.A. Voroshilova, N.F. Weeden, A.I. Zhernakov, V.A. Zhukov. 2007. Regulatory genes of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) controlling the development of nitrogen-fixing nodules and arbuscular mycorrhiza:  A review of basic and applied aspects. Appl. Biochem. Microbiol.  43:237-243

Coyne, CJ. M.T. McClendon, J.G. Walling, G.M. Timmerman-Vaughan, S. Murray, K. Meksem, D.A Lightfoot, J. Shultz, K.E. Keller, R.R. Martin, D.A. Inglis, P.N. Rajesh, K.E. McPhee, N.F. Weeden, M.A. Grusak, E.W. Storlie.  2007 Construction and characterization of two bacterial artificial chromosome libraries of pea (Pisum sativum L.) for the isolation of economically important genes.  Genome 50:871-875.

Weeden, N.F. 2007. Genetic changes accompanying the domestication of Pisum sativum L.: is there a common genetic basis to the ‘domestication syndrome’ for legumes? Ann. Bot. 100:1017-1025.

Armstead, I., I. Donnison, S. Aubry, J. Harper, S. Hortensteiner, C. James, J. Mani, M. Moffet, H. Ougham, L. Roberts, A. Thomas, N. Weeden, H. Thomas and I. King. 2006. From crop to model to crop: identifying the genetic basis of the staygreen mutation in the Lolium/Festuca forage and amenity grasses. New Phytol. 172:592-597.

DeMason, D.A. and N.F. Weeden. 2006. Two Argonaute1 genes from pea. Pisum Genetics 38:3-9.

Weeden, N.F. 2006. Fs and U appear to be alleles of a locus near the end of linkage group V. Pisum Genetics 38:35-38.

Bai, F. J. Watson, J. Walling, N. Weeden, A.A. Santner and D.A. DeMason. 2005. Molecular characteristic and expression of PsPK2, and PINOID-like gene from pea (Pisum sativum).  Plant Sci. 168:1281-1291.

Gepts, P., W.D. Beavis, E. C. Brummer, R.C. Shoemaker, H.T. Stalker, N.F. Weeden and N.D. Young.  2005. Legumes as a model plant family: genomics for food and feed. Report of the Cross-legume Advances through Genomics (ACTG) conference.  Plant Physiol. 137:1228-1235.

Moffet, M.D. and N.F. Weeden. 2005. Pheophorbide a monooxygenase (Pao) is located on LG VII near Amy in pea and lentil. Pisum Genetics 37:24-29.

Hance, S.T., W. Grey and N.F. Weeden 2004. Identification of tolerance to Fusarium solani in Pisum sativum ssp. elatius. Pisum Genetics 36:9-13.

Grusak, MN.A., C.-M. Li, M. Moffet and N.F. Weeden.  2004. Map position of the FRO1 locus in Pisum sativum. Pisum Genetics. 36:6-8.

Hemmat, M., N.F. Weeden, and S.K. Brown.  2003.  Mapping and evaluation of Malus X domestica microsatellites in apple and pear. .  J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci 128:515-520

Brauner, S., R.L. Murphy, J.G. Walling, J. Przyborowski and N.F. Weeden.  2002.  STS markers for comparative mapping in legumes.  J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 127:616-622.

Hemmat, M., S.K. Brown and N.F. Weeden.  2002.  Tagging and mapping scab resistance genes from R12740-7A apple.  J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 127:365-370.

Weeden, N.F., S. Brauner and J.A. Przyborowski.  2002.  Genetic analysis of pod dehiscence in pea (Pisum sativum L.).  Cellular & Molecular Biol. Lett. 7:657-663.

Weeden, N.F. and M. Moffet. 2002.  Identification of genes affecting root mass and root/shoot ratio in a JI1794 x Slow RIL population. Pisum Genetics 34:28-31

Technical articles

Blair, M.W., C. Cardona, R. Garza, N. Weeden and S.P. Singh. 2005. Development of a SCAR marker for common bean resistance to the bean pod weevil (Apion godmani Wagner).  Bean Improvement Cooperative 48:

Weeden, N.F. 2004. A more precise location for the bronze mutation on LG IV. Pisum Genetics 36:24.

Weeden, N.F. and M.J. Ambrose. 2004. Ser appears to be the serrate leaflet locus mapped on linkage group III. Pisum Genetics 36:25-26.

Books and book chapters

Weeden, N.F. and F.J. Muehlbauer. 2004. Genomics and genetic improvement in the cool season pulse crops pea, lentil and chickpea. In: Legume Crop Genomics, R.F. Wilson, H.T. Stalker and E.C. Brummer (eds.)  AOCS Press, Champaign, IL pp. 83-96.

Weeden, N.F. 2001. Pisum sativum (Garden Pea) In: Encyclopedia of Genetics.  Academic Press, London. Pp1470-1471.

Weeden, N.F. 1999. A Sierra Nevada Flora.  Wilderness Press 259 pp.

CURRENT PROGRAMS

Educational

1. Assess and develop curricula in plant biology and genetics at Montana State University
2. Help coordinate undergraduate curricula in the department

Research

1. Develop pea germplasm suitable for Montana’s agricultural needs
2. Compare gene arrangement on linkage maps of pea, lentil, and common bean
3. Develop new DNA markers in pea and lentil for genomic studies and breeding programs
4. Understand the genetic changes occurring during speciation in the genus Clarkia (Onagraceae)

Teaching

Practical Genetics (PSPP 305)
Principles of Genetics (BIOL 301)
Advanced Plant Genetics (PSPP 541)
Botany (BIOL 251)
Freshman Seminar (CLS 101)