Plant Geneticist
Plant geneticists conduct research to understand, improve or create new varieties of plants or crops. Looking at a plant’s DNA, they can examine ways to improve shape, size, production level, and pesticide and disease tolerance.
What Responsibilities Will I Have?
- Write research plans and objectives
- Create budgets for research projects and potentially seek funding
- Crossbreed plants to breed new subjects for trials
- Record data on plants in trials and publish reports on conducted research
- Identify genes and DNA that are responsible for certain plant features and functions
- Stay up to date on research and developments within the industry
- Tend to trials grown in greenhouses and fields
- Maintain thorough records of research conducted
- Look for ways to genetically engineer crops productively
- Obtain ideal genetics that meet the needs of customers or companies
- Serve as a liaison and spokesperson for government and industry
- Supervise the work of field and laboratory workers
- Identify, characterize, map and detect chromosomal location of potentially useful genes and DNA
- Prepare, package and label all outgoing seeds for dealer samples, pathology tests and internal and external trials
Recommended High School Courses:
- agricultural education, particularly plant science
- chemistry
- biology
- statistics
- mathematics
Education/Training Required:
A bachelor’s degree in plant science, horticulture, biology, botany or biochemistry is required. Depending on the employer and nature of the job, a master’s degree or doctorate (especially if doing research or teaching) may be required.
