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2 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 Board of directors Mike Forrester ..........................President Steve Forrester Kathryn Brown Sid Freeman .................. Outside director Mike Omeg .................... Outside director Corporate officer John Perry 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 Entire contents copyright © 2017 EO Media Group dba Capital Press An independent newspaper published every Friday. Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is published weekly by EO Media Group, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem OR 97301. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048. To Reach Us “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.” Toll free ............................. 800-882-6789 Main line ........................... 503-364-4431 Fax ................................... 503-370-4383 Advertising Fax ................ 503-364-2692 News Staff N. 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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. drawal from bank or credit card account) 1 year U.S. ...................................$49.99 2 years U.S. .................................$89.99 1 year Canada .................................$275 1 year other countries ......... call for quote 1 year Internet only .......................$49.99 1 year 4-H, FFA students and teachers ....$30 9 months 4-H, FFA students & teachers .....$25 Visa and Mastercard accepted To get information published Mailing address: Capital Press P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048 News: Contact the main office or news staff member closest to you, send the in- formation to newsroom@capitalpress.com or mail it to “Newsroom,” c/o Capital Press. Include a contact telephone number. Letters to the Editor: Send your comments on agriculture-related public issues to opinions@capitalpress.com, or mail your letter to “Opinion,” c/o Capital Press. Letters should be limited to 300 words. Deadline: Noon Monday. Capital Press ag media www.capitalpress.com www.FarmSeller.com www.AgDirectoryWest.com marketplace.capitalpress.com www.facebook.com/capitalpress www.facebook.com/farmseller www.facebook.com/onlyAGdotcom twitter.com/capitalpress www.youtube.com/capitalpressvideo www.blogriculture.com Index California ...............................11 Idaho .................................... 10 Markets ............................... 13 Opinion .................................. 6 Oregon .................................. 8 Organics ................................ 4 Washington ........................... 9 Correction policy Accuracy is important to Capital Press staff and to our readers. If you see a misstatement, omission or factual error in a headline, story or photo caption, please call the Capital Press news department at 503-364-4431, or send email to newsroom@capitalpress.com. We want to publish corrections to set the record straight.