Ashley Yow
Former Gradaute
- Email: agyow@ncsu.edu
- Degree Program: Ph.D., Horticultural Science
- Previous Degrees: M.S. in Horticultural Science; B.S. in Plant Biology with minor in Biotechnology
- Advisor: Dr. Massimo Iorizzo
- Completion Date: Dec. 2021
Research
I am currently working on genomics of pineapple flowering. Natural differentiated flowering (NDF) in pineapple is non-synchronous and induced by both environmental and biological factors. Currently, producing pineapple requires controlling flowering times through exogenous hormonal applications. My project involves using comparative approaches to study genomic differences between cultivars that are more susceptible and more tolerant of natural flowering. My project also involves divulging how floral growth induction in pineapple is regulated by small RNA and epigenetic modifications, and how different hormonal pathways interact to regulate each other during this process. This work will contribute to the understanding of the molecular processes that must occur in order to induce flowering in pineapple. The results we find can be used in modern genomic breeding programs to create tolerant and commercially desirable pineapple varieties.
