Agricultural Plant Biology

Study Challenges Evolutionary Theory That DNA Mutations Are Random

A simple roadside weed may hold the key to understanding and predicting DNA mutation, according to new research from University of California, Davis, and the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Germany.

The findings, published today in the journal Nature, radically change our understanding of evolution and could one day help researchers breed better crops or even help humans fight cancer.

Gail Taylor

  • Distinguished Professor and John B Orr Endowed Professor in Environmental Plant Sciences and Chair of the Department of Plant Sciences
  • Faculty
  • Department Chair
  • Plant Sciences Executive Committee - Chair
Plant adaptation to a changing climate, genetics and genomics of leafy salad crops, non-food woody biomass crops for bioenergy. Sustainability, ecosystem services, plants and the Sustainable Development Goals.
1210 PES
UC Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis CA 95616

Dina Ann St. Clair

  • Professor Plant Breeding and Genetics
  • Faculty
Plant breeding, genetics and genomics of quantitative traits; quantitative genetics; use of wild species in crop and germplasm improvement; QTL introgression; marker-assisted selection and genomics in breeding.
114 ASMUNDSON
UC Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis CA 95616

David Neale

  • Distinguished Professor
  • Emeriti
UC Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis CA 95616