James Schnable
@szintri.bsky.social
Plant biologist and computer geek. Prof. at University of Nebraska.
Some of the Nebraska cousins. "Barren" (no ear) maize plants are relatively common, particularly with smaller or less vigorous plants. Ears without tassels though, that's a much rarer phenotype to observe!
July 11, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Some of the Nebraska cousins. "Barren" (no ear) maize plants are relatively common, particularly with smaller or less vigorous plants. Ears without tassels though, that's a much rarer phenotype to observe!
Remembering and grateful for the teachers and mentors who shaped me. And also thankful for my trainees, past and present, some of whom introduced me to a day set aside honor those same guides. Happy Guru Purnima!
July 11, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Remembering and grateful for the teachers and mentors who shaped me. And also thankful for my trainees, past and present, some of whom introduced me to a day set aside honor those same guides. Happy Guru Purnima!
Check out the impact of the post-pandemic surge in review paper publications. Visualization of the citation histories of seventeen plant science faculty.
June 21, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Check out the impact of the post-pandemic surge in review paper publications. Visualization of the citation histories of seventeen plant science faculty.
Just had one of those great professor moments where I needed to explain something and had the perfect ear of corn to show what I was talking about right at hand.
June 12, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Just had one of those great professor moments where I needed to explain something and had the perfect ear of corn to show what I was talking about right at hand.
The days that make me appreciate living in Lincoln Nebraska.
June 12, 2025 at 1:10 AM
The days that make me appreciate living in Lincoln Nebraska.
It's finally happening! After multiple rainouts and a redesign of our whole planting workflow, our nearly 1,000 line sorghum diversity panel in going into the ground today. Big thank you to Chidu, Kyle, Jon and the UNL Agronomy farm crew.
June 10, 2025 at 4:38 PM
It's finally happening! After multiple rainouts and a redesign of our whole planting workflow, our nearly 1,000 line sorghum diversity panel in going into the ground today. Big thank you to Chidu, Kyle, Jon and the UNL Agronomy farm crew.
Protecting against downside risk doesn’t have to come at the expense of continued increases in the yield potential.
No evidence of a tradeoff between yield stability and maximum yield in an analysis of hybrid performance across 34 environments. New pub led by @jensinadavis.bsky.social
No evidence of a tradeoff between yield stability and maximum yield in an analysis of hybrid performance across 34 environments. New pub led by @jensinadavis.bsky.social
June 2, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Protecting against downside risk doesn’t have to come at the expense of continued increases in the yield potential.
No evidence of a tradeoff between yield stability and maximum yield in an analysis of hybrid performance across 34 environments. New pub led by @jensinadavis.bsky.social
No evidence of a tradeoff between yield stability and maximum yield in an analysis of hybrid performance across 34 environments. New pub led by @jensinadavis.bsky.social
National Science Foundation's forecast for how many fewer scientists, postdocs, and graduate students we'll be able to support in 2026.
June 2, 2025 at 12:52 AM
National Science Foundation's forecast for how many fewer scientists, postdocs, and graduate students we'll be able to support in 2026.
In January of 2023 Waqar Ali arrived in Lincoln with no coding background (and no winter coat). Today he published a paper using GWAS to identify genes linked to variation in how corn photosynthesizes, complete with reverse genetics validation in arabidopsis. doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
May 14, 2025 at 4:46 PM
In January of 2023 Waqar Ali arrived in Lincoln with no coding background (and no winter coat). Today he published a paper using GWAS to identify genes linked to variation in how corn photosynthesizes, complete with reverse genetics validation in arabidopsis. doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
Never got the chance. Hopefully someday.
May 13, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Never got the chance. Hopefully someday.
This seems like a shockingly large effect size unless "professionally edited" is confounded with a bunch of other variables that would have a big impact on paper acceptance rates with or without the editing.
May 10, 2025 at 6:24 PM
This seems like a shockingly large effect size unless "professionally edited" is confounded with a bunch of other variables that would have a big impact on paper acceptance rates with or without the editing.
Still get excited each time I see a Waymo.
May 9, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Still get excited each time I see a Waymo.
I helped launch and run a startup commercializing technology that could identify the fields where more fertilizer wouldn't increase crop productivity and save farmers money. SBIR funding from NSF is how we made the leap from concept to product and acquisition.
May 5, 2025 at 2:49 PM
I helped launch and run a startup commercializing technology that could identify the fields where more fertilizer wouldn't increase crop productivity and save farmers money. SBIR funding from NSF is how we made the leap from concept to product and acquisition.
Grateful to work at a university that has on campus cornfields. Greenhouses and growth chamber are good and all. But sometimes need something more. Our lab will be planting our first proper summer corn nursery since 2021 this year.
April 22, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Grateful to work at a university that has on campus cornfields. Greenhouses and growth chamber are good and all. But sometimes need something more. Our lab will be planting our first proper summer corn nursery since 2021 this year.
I'm two decades late but really entertained by the term "mFruits."
April 20, 2025 at 4:11 PM
I'm two decades late but really entertained by the term "mFruits."
Mapping QTL is domesticated cheese molds.
April 19, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Mapping QTL is domesticated cheese molds.
Generic bitter melon vs Indian bitter melon…
April 18, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Generic bitter melon vs Indian bitter melon…
Spring in Nebraska. Highly recommended.
April 5, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Spring in Nebraska. Highly recommended.
The folks in the lab are calling this one "Christmas Tree sorghum." (Photo by Kyle Linders)
March 28, 2025 at 2:32 PM
The folks in the lab are calling this one "Christmas Tree sorghum." (Photo by Kyle Linders)
Current students and the students of one of my former trainees (Ravi Mural) together at ASPB midwest. If I'm still professor-ing a decade from now perhaps I'll be meeting and working with some of the students trained or scientists mentored by the folks in this photo.
March 23, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Current students and the students of one of my former trainees (Ravi Mural) together at ASPB midwest. If I'm still professor-ing a decade from now perhaps I'll be meeting and working with some of the students trained or scientists mentored by the folks in this photo.
Gorgeous end to a productive snow day.
March 20, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Gorgeous end to a productive snow day.
The biggest impact I'll ever have as a professor is the people I help train. Felt wonderful to see so many current trainees and lab alumni together in one place this past weekend at the 2025 Maize Genetics conference.
March 11, 2025 at 12:28 AM
The biggest impact I'll ever have as a professor is the people I help train. Felt wonderful to see so many current trainees and lab alumni together in one place this past weekend at the 2025 Maize Genetics conference.
Ed Buckler awarded the 2025 McClintock Prize in absentia. Two thirds of the room standing by the end of “if you were trained by Ed, stand up. If you were trained by one of those people, stand up. If Ed’s work has shaped your career, stand up.”
March 8, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Ed Buckler awarded the 2025 McClintock Prize in absentia. Two thirds of the room standing by the end of “if you were trained by Ed, stand up. If you were trained by one of those people, stand up. If Ed’s work has shaped your career, stand up.”
"Don't worry about papers. There will always be more papers." Jianming Yu on 3D reaction norms to understand the functions of individual genes and how crops will perform in future, unobserved environments. Great plenary!
March 4, 2025 at 8:08 PM
"Don't worry about papers. There will always be more papers." Jianming Yu on 3D reaction norms to understand the functions of individual genes and how crops will perform in future, unobserved environments. Great plenary!
Double cross hybrid pedigree and Nebraska farmers visiting the university field trials.
March 2, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Double cross hybrid pedigree and Nebraska farmers visiting the university field trials.