LIZ PRENGER grew up in a farming family. She loved being outside, loved working with her hands, and found it hard to leave the farm when it came time to do her post-secondary studies. That difficulty leaving the familiarity of the farming world was what spurred her into the world she inhabits now. After all, if you can’t stay on the farm, why not take the farm with you wherever you go? “It’s an exciting thing to grow up around that sort of experience and that family bond, too. One of the chal- lenging things is leaving. We can’t all stay on the farm. One way for me to stay close to agriculture is to do plant breeding — in a way, that keeps me still connected to the farm.” The 24-year-old master’s student at the University of Georgia now works in soybean breeding, focusing on the genetics and improvement of soybean seed composition. For Prenger, plant breeding offers a chance to pursue her interests in whatever direction they may take. “You have the ability to focus on different projects and different aspects of breeding. These little projects might not have a huge direct impact necessarily in monetary value, but if you add this trait you are study- ing into your soybean lines, it may make them better able to withstand pressures and whatever specific envi- ronment they are growing in — and that contributes to the yield and the performance of the variety in that particular location,” she says. He’s become known not only for his fruit breeding program that’s accomplished innovative things in the world of blackberries, wine grapes, peaches and nectarines, but also for his musical skills which are featured in promotional videos produced by the university to promote new fruit varieties and featured on YouTube. “Plant breeding is a creative process, fundamentally. You really need to be open to what you might find because I tell students, as I tell myself, ‘You never really know what’s down the road.’ This music thing — it’s a little bit of a stretch, but it’s a little bit of a continuation of that creative process,” he says. “I was trying to envision another way to try and to communicate with the public about our varieties. You know in fruit crops, generally you would go to grower meetings and talk and maybe share information about new varieties. Getting the word out is not always easy. Our technol- ogy in communications is entirely different than just catalogues and meetings now.” Above all, Clarke says getting up- close-and-personal with whatever you’re working on is key to long-term success. “There are a few key things I always try to teach. One is to spend time with your plants, follow through, do what you say you are going to do. People will remember that. That will get you where you are going. When you make major decisions, you have to make sure they count. And hope- fully, you make the right one.” GETCREATIVE The result of following the breed- ing path to wherever it leads is the chance to make an impact in places where you may least expect, says John Clarke, fruit breeder at the University of Arkansas and winner of the NAPB’s Impact Award. Borlaug Scholar Liz Prenger. John Clarke, fruit breeder and musician. NOVEMBER 2018 GERMINATION.CA 19