(L-R) Ryan Lepicier, DeMarquiné Houston, and Greg Baltz
In late March, National Peanut Board leaders Greg Baltz (Arkansas board member and former board chair), Ryan Lepicier (chief executive officer), and DeMarquiné Houston (director/research administrator) represented U.S. peanut interests at the biennial Advances in Arachis Through Genomics and Biotechnology (AAGB) conference in Goa, India.
The AAGB conference is a premier global event that brings together top researchers, scientists and industry leaders to share innovations, expand networks and discuss the latest trends shaping the peanut community worldwide. As conference organizers emphasized, it serves as a vital platform for collaboration across borders and disciplines.
This year’s gathering highlighted the promising work of young scientists who are building on decades of meticulous, peer-reviewed research to address both longstanding and emerging challenges. Their presentations reflected a fresh, forward-thinking approach, using cutting-edge tools to drive solutions in peanut genomics and biotechnology.
During a panel discussion, Lepicier noted the importance of these global collaborations: “Peanuts are an important crop in so many parts of the world, so it’s important for us to come together as a worldwide peanut community to discuss both common challenges and opportunities. Yes, we worked together to map the peanut genome. The question now is how we can work together to utilize that knowledge to solve problems.”
By attending AAGB, the National Peanut Board reinforced its commitment to global innovation and ensured U.S. peanut producers stay connected to the latest research and technologies. The insights gathered from international partners will help drive meaningful advancements for growers, manufacturers and consumers alike.
Stay tuned as the National Peanut Board continues to collaborate with leading scientists worldwide to harness genomic breakthroughs and address key issues impacting the peanut industry. In the meantime, check out the U.S. production research NPB has supported on our Production Research Database.