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CapitalPress.com
January 27, 2017
People & Places
A laser look at apple skin cells
Loren Honaas peers
into inner workings
of fruit with unique
laser microscope
Western
Innovator
Capital Press
Powerful tool
In August, the center ac-
quired a $200,000 Zeiss
PALM MicroBeam laser mi-
crodissection
microscope.
Such microscopes are not
common outside major re-
search universities, where
they are mostly used in animal
science and biomedicine.
They are used less in plant
science, partly because plants
have cell walls that make mi-
crodissection more difficult.
“You can immobilize a
piece of plant tissue on a mi-
croscope slide and this instru-
ment can cut out and capture
individual cells. That makes
this unique,” Honaas said.
The microscope will en-
able Honaas to understand
gene activities in specific cells
and how they work together
with other cells.
Established 1928
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Mike Forrester ..........................President
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Sid Freeman .................. Outside director
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Corporate officer
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Chief operating officer
By DAN WHEAT
WENATCHEE, Wash. —
Loren Honaas is excited about
his ground-breaking work as
a molecular biologist at the
USDA’s Agriculture Research
Service Tree Fruit Research
Laboratory.
Soon he will be doing what
he believes will be the world’s
first laser dissection of apple
skin cells to better understand
post-harvest apple disorders.
That knowledge can lead to
better ways of handling the
fruit.
Honaas, 37, was hired at
the center one year ago, after
2 1/2 years of post-doctorate
work at Pennsylvania State
University. He completed his
doctorate in plant biology
there in 2013.
Capital Press
Loren Honaas
Age: 37
Born and raised: Cape
Girardeau, Mo.
Family: Wife, Susan, a mid-
dle school teacher; daughter,
Lola, 2; son, Ivan, 1.
Education: Bachelor’s
degree, biology, Southeast
Missouri State University,
2003; doctorate, plant
biology, Pennsylvania State
University, 2013.
Dan Wheat/Capital Press
Loren Hanaas, a molecular biologist at the Agriculture Research Service Tree Fruit Research
Laboratory in Wenatchee, Wash., will be using this laser microdissection microscope to gain a better
understanding of post-harvest disorders in fruit.
“Single cells or small col-
lections of cells can drive tis-
sue function. In a leaf, some
cells have critical roles in
certain leaf functions. Other
cells may be specialized for
other purposes and can dilute
signals from the ones we’re
interested in studying,” Ho-
naas said.
Biology ‘clicks’
Honaas grew up in Cape
Girardeau, Mo., on the Mis-
sissippi River about 115 miles
southeast of St. Louis. He was
the oldest of three boys and
one girl whose father was an
internal medicine physician
and whose mother was a nurse
and medical office manager.
Their home was a refuge
for outcast animals, but it was
a biology teacher at Jackson
High School who sparked Ho-
naas’ interest in science.
“Mark Goodwin was just
an exceptional teacher and so
biology just seemed to click,”
Honaas said.
Honaas earned his bach-
elor’s degree in biology at
Southeastern Missouri State
University in Cape Girardeau
in 2003. He was a National
Science Foundation Research
Experiences for Undergradu-
ates intern at the Donald Dan-
forth Plant Science Center in
St. Louis. There he focused on
plant science and particularly
plant parasitic nematodes.
The internship led to a re-
search technician job at the
center between college and
graduate school, solidifying
his focus and passion for plant
research.
It was an important ex-
perience, especially for stu-
dents who are not exposed to
research via other routes, he
said.
At Penn State, Honaas
used a laser microdissection
microscope to dissect the ge-
netic activity within the haus-
torium, the connection organ
of parasitic plants.
“We learned a lot. We
found several genes that are
now in follow-up analysis and
published a couple of papers
that describe the broader pat-
Occupation: Research
molecular biologist, USDA
ARS Wenatchee Tree Fruit
Research Laboratory.
terns of gene expression,” Ho-
naas said.
Research goal
“The goal of my research
is identifying genes import-
ant for certain traits or pro-
cesses. So if I’m working on
a post-harvest disorder, I can
use my skill set to identify
genes important to that dis-
order,” he said. “That’s the
first step to functional ge-
nomics, finding a collection
of genes and trying to under-
stand how they are used in a
tissue.”
There are some 60,000
genes in an apple, so com-
putational biology enters into
determining which genes are
most important, he said.
Honaas is still setting up
and testing his processes. He
has run tissues through a work
flow. To his knowledge, no
one has ever done laser mi-
crodissection of apple skin or
flesh. It’s been done with to-
matoes, but he plans to work
on apples, pears and other ro-
saceous fruits.
Capital Press Managers
John Perry ................................Publisher
Joe Beach ..................................... Editor
Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director
Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor
Barbara Nipp ......... Production Manager
Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager
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“A tricky thing in working
with post-harvest disorders,
I’m learning, is they are pretty
complex. There can be a lot
of factors determining if fruit
gets it or not,” he said.
Superficial scald, which is
a browning of the apple’s skin
induced by chilling stress,
sunscald and bitter pit are
just some post-harvest apple
disorders Honaas plans to
explore. Solutions might not
necessarily be new tools but
just using existing technology
or crop protectants more effi-
ciently.
“I’m continuing work
that’s been done here at the
lab for a long time, good
experimental biology. I’m
adding a dimension which is
functional genomics,” Honaas
said. “Some of these problems
will take many years to figure
out. It’s a career-long task and
I’m excited to play a role in
delivering good fruit.”
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video clips and interactive exercis-
es to help families who own farm,
forest or other rural land learn more
about planning for an orderly transi-
tion to the next generation.
and lunch. owalsh@uidaho.edu,
208-722-6701
Cost: $35. www.uidaho.edu/ex-
tension/forestry
Through Saturday
Jan. 28
Tuesday, Feb. 7
2017 Women’s Conference.
Chico Hot Springs, 163 Chico
Road, Pray, Mont. Women’s lead-
ership, communication and other
agriculture-related topics will be
discussed. Sponsored by the Mon-
tana Farmers Union. montanafarm-
ersunion.com
Center and CH2M Hill Alumni Cen-
ter, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis, Ore.
A day-long event geared toward
farmers, agricultural professionals,
food policy advocates, students
and managers of farmers’ markets.
Twenty-seven educational sessions
are offered on a variety of topics
relevant to the Oregon small farm-
ers and include a track in Spanish.
Cost: $50 by Jan. 25, $75 by Feb.
10, $150 at the door. http://small-
farms.oregonstate.edu/sfc
Tuesday-Thursday
Feb. 14-16
Monday-Tuesday
Feb. 20-21
76th annual Red Bluff Bull and
Gelding Sale. Tehama District Fair-
grounds, 650 Antelope Blvd., Red
Bluff, Calif. Final day of the sale.
www.redbluffbullsale.com
Pesticide Short Course-IPM. 8
a.m.-4:10 p.m. Lane Community
College, Center for Meeting and
Learning, Bldg. 19, 4000 E. 30th
Ave., Eugene, Ore. $85 if registered
by Jan. 23; $95 after. http://exten-
sion.oregonstae.edu/lane/farms
American Sheep industry Asso-
ciation Convention. Denver Marriott
City Center, 1701 California St.,
Denver, Colo. www.sheepusa.org/
About_Events_Convention
Alfalfa U. Canyon Crest Dining
and Event Center, 330 Canyon
Crest Drive, Twin Falls, Idaho.
Learn how alfalfa can contribute to
a farm’s profitability. alfalfaU.com
EcoFarm Conference. Asilomar
Conference Grounds, 800 Asilo-
mar Ave., Pacific Grove, Calif. The
theme of this year’s meeting is “Cul-
tivating Diversity.” https://eco-farm.
org/conference
Wednesday, Feb. 1
California Prune Industry Sum-
mit. Orchard Creek Lodge, Lincoln,
Calif. www.californiadriedplums.org
Thursday-Friday
Feb. 2-3
Farm Size and Productivity:
A Global Look. 8:30 a.m.-4:30
p.m. First Floor Auditorium of Pa-
triot’s Plaza III, 355 E. Street SW,
Washington, D.C. A collaboration
of USDA’s Economic Research
Service and the Farm Foundation.
Researchers and economists from
Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and
the U.S. will discuss new research
findings on agricultural develop-
ment. http://bit.ly/2jkc0eH
Thursday-Saturday
Feb. 2-4
Organicology 2017. Hilton Port-
land and Executive Tower, 921 SW
Sixth Ave., Portland, Ore. Topics
range from FDA down on the farm
to farmworker shortages, regulatory
updates and seed selection. www.
organicology.org
Friday, Feb. 3
Washington Swine Information
Day. 9 a.m.-5:15 p.m. Pillar Rock
Grill, 1373 Road F .2 NE, Moses
Lake, Wash.
Saturday, Feb. 4
Ties to the Land workshop. 9
a.m.-5 p.m. Bayview Community
Center, 20298 E. Perimeter Road,
Bayview, Idaho. This award-win-
ning workshop uses presentations,
Tuesday-Thursday
Feb. 7-9
Spokane Ag Expo and Pacific
Northwest Farm Forum. Spokane
Convention Center, 334 W. Spo-
kane Falls Blvd., Spokane, Wash.
Spokane Ag Expo is the largest
farm machinery show in the Inland
Northwest. https://greaterspokane.
org/ag-expo/
Washington Association of Wine
Grape Growers 2017 Convention. 8
a.m.-5 p.m. Three Rivers Conven-
tion Center, 7016 Grandridge Blvd.,
Kennewick, Wash. This annual
event includes the second largest
industry trade show in the nation
and a welcome breakfast. wawgg.
org
Wednesday-Feb. 8
Oregon Clover Growers Annual
Meeting. Noon-1 p.m. Holiday Inn,
Wilsonville. www.oregonclover.org
Wednesday-Thursday
Feb. 8-9
The 8th Annual Organic Farm-
ing Conference. Canyon Crest
Event Center, 330 Canyon Crest
Drive, Twin Falls, Idaho. The event
is organized by the Northwest Cen-
ter for Alternatives to Pesticides.
www.pesticide.org events
Friday, Feb. 10
University of Idaho Cropping
School. 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Best
Western Plus Caldwell Inn & Suites,
908 Specht Ave., Caldwell, Idaho.
This event will have presentations
on fertilizer and irrigation water
management, crop diseases, falling
numbers, soil health, precision ag,
unmanned aerial systems and a
drone flight demonstration (weather
permitting). CEUs available. The
cost is $20 and includes breakfast
Friday-Sunday
Feb. 10-12
World Ag Expo. Internation-
al Agri-Center, 4500 Laspina St.,
Tulare, Calif. The nation’s largest
agricultural exhibition celebrates its
50th year. www.worldagexpo.com
Larry Branen Idaho Ag Summit.
Red Lion Downtowner Hotel, 1800
W Fairview Ave., Boise, Idaho.
www.idahoagsummit.org
Practical Food Safety & HAC-
CP. The Riverside Hotel, 2900
Chinden Blvd., Boise, Idaho. HAC-
CP, or Hazard Analysis Critical Con-
trol Points, is a preventive system
for the control of health-threatening
food hazards during food process-
ing. The comprehensive three-day
workshop is designed for individ-
uals responsible for implementing
and managing a HACCP system
in a food processing facility. Par-
ticipants who pass a final test will
receive a certificate of completion.
http://bit.ly/2f2iJ9Q
Oregon Ryegrass Commission
meeting. 6-8 p.m. Cascade Grill
restaurant, 110 Opal St. NE, Alba-
ny, Ore. www.ryegrass.com
Thursday, Feb. 16
Keeping Your Family Business
Communication on Track. 7:30 to
9 a.m. Hayden’s Lakefront Grill,
8187 SW Tualatin-Sherwood Road,
Tualatin, Ore. This session will
provide tools and techniques that
attendees can use right away to cul-
tivate better communication among
family members, employees, and
shareholders. Presented by: Mark
Wickman, Family Business Coun-
sel. $40 per person. 800-859-7609,
http://bit.ly/2fPK987.
Friday, Feb. 17
Rural Farmers’ Market Work-
shops. 1-3:45 p.m. Adair Club-
house, 6097 NE Ebony Lane,
Corvallis, Ore. This interactive se-
ries of workshops and small group
discussions will focus on topics
particularly relevant to rural, small
scale or resource limited farmers’
markets. Travel scholarships avail-
able. Sponsored by the Oregon
Farmers Markets Association. Free,
RSVP required. Website: http://bit.
ly/2iatQ6Q
Saturday, Feb. 18
Oregon State University Exten-
sion Service Small Farms Program.
9 a.m.-5:15 p.m. LaSells Stewart
Wednesday, Feb. 22
Wednesday-Friday
Feb. 22-24
2017 Family Farm Alliance
Annual Meeting and Conference.
Monte Carlo Resort and Casino,
3770 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Ve-
gas, Nevada. www.familyfarmalli-
ance.org
Saturday-Sunday
Feb. 25-26
Second Annual Mid-Valley
Winter Ag Fest. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat-
urday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Polk
County Fairgrounds and Event
Center, 520 S Pacific Highway W,
Rickreall, Ore. This event will pro-
mote all aspects of local ag com-
merce and provide a family friendly
event that is fun and educational
for kids. Proceeds will benefit Polk
County 4-H and FFA. www.mvwag-
fest.com
Thursday-Friday
March 2-3
Idaho Hay and Forage Con-
ference. Best Western Inn, 800
N. Overland Ave., Burley, Idaho.
Speakers will include Dan Under-
stander, a University of Wisconsin
forage specialist; Steve Orloff, a
University of California Extension
adviser; and Doug Robison, senior
vice president of Northwest Farm
Credit Services. www.idahohay.
com
Wednesday, March 8
Taxes and Succession Plan-
ning. Noon-1 p.m. Join us for a
free online webinar and an intro-
duction to how planning ahead for
estate and gift taxes can help ad-
1-800-765-9055
dress family and business needs
and meet retirement goals for the
current generation. Presented by:
Carol Wachter and Heather Tom-
sick, Deloitte Tax LLP, and the
Austin Family Business Program,
Oregon State University. 800-859-
7609, http://bit.ly/2gW7Kjq
Thursday, March 16
Building Family Business Val-
ue from the Inside Out. 7:30 to 9
a.m. BridgePort BrewPub, 1313
NW Marshall St., Portland. Much
can be done to build the value of
the business from inside the en-
terprise, and the earlier the pro-
cess begins, the more sustainable
the results will be. In addition to
building value, most businesses
become more efficient and prof-
itable along the way. Presented
by Francis Brown, Key Private
Bank and the Austin Family Busi-
ness Program, Oregon State Uni-
versity. 800-859-7609, http://bit.
ly/2gR3KC0
Tuesday, April 11
Do Your Kids Want the Busi-
ness? Planning for Yes or No.
7:30 to 9 a.m. Hayden’s Lakefront
Grill, 8187 SW Tualatin-Sherwood
Road, Tualatin, Ore. This session
will deliver practical advice for
family business owners regarding
next generation succession. Pre-
sented by Steve Bennett, Farleigh
Wada Witt and the Austin Family
Business Program, Oregon State
University. 800-859-7609, http://
bit.ly/2h3k8Ck
Thursday, May 18
Family Business Charters. 7:30
to 9 a.m. BridgePort BrewPub,
1313 NW Marshall St., Portland.
A family business charter sets
forth the essential rules, obliga-
tions, and responsibilities relating
to ownership and management of
the business, as well as the family
values that will help sustain the
business for future generations.
Presented by A. Jeffery Bird, Lane
Powell PC and the Austin Family
Business Program, Oregon State
University. $40 per person. 800-
859-7609, http://bit.ly/2gPuLYY
Correction
A headline on Page 4 of last
week’s Capital Press was
incorrect. It should have read,
“Ecology issues much-anticipated
revised CAFO permit.”
The Capital Press regrets the
error.
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