Shakil Hosain Defends Plant Sciences Master’s Thesis
Shakil Hosain successfully defended his plant sciences master’s thesis, “Genome-wide Association Study and Genomic Prediction for Pod Shatter Resistance in Brassica napus L.”, on June 23, 2022, at North Dakota State University (NDSU). His advisor is Md Mukhlesur Rahman, associate professor and leader of the oilseed (canola and flax) crops breeding program.
Hosain conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in the field and greenhouse using a diverse panel of Brassica napus germplasm, which identified genomic regions and candidate genes that are responsible for pod shattering in canola. He also evaluated the effectiveness of different genomic prediction (GP) models for pod shattering in canola and the results suggested that genomic selection has the potential to select pod shatter resistance genotypes at an early stage for the NDSU oilseed crops breeding program.
Hosain is from Chandpur, Bangladesh, and has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh. He chose NDSU for his master’s degree, “because of its outstanding faculties, research environment, and interdisciplinary approach to the plant sciences,” he says.
He recommends the NDSU Department of Plant Sciences to individuals considering pursuing a graduate degree, saying, “This program will provide an appropriate atmosphere and help to develop a strong foundation in research in the area of plant sciences.”
During his time at NDSU, Hosain received the Charles and Linda Moses Presidential Graduate Fellowship two years in a row from the College of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources. He was inducted into the NDSU Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the Honor Society of Agriculture, in 2021. He also is a member of the Agronomy Society of America and the Crop Science Society of America.
His future plans include pursuing a doctorate in a related field.
Hosain’s graduate committee members were Rahman, David Horvath, Luis Del Rio Mendoza, and Edward Deckard.
Author: Kamie Beeson
Editor: Karen Hertsgaard
