Overview
Background
My research interests centre on using quantitative genetics to drive genetic gain and efficiency in plant and animal breeding programmes.
Previous work in the UK focused on using genomic information prediction to demonstrate and exploit synergies between plant and animal breeding. Stochastic simulations were used to quantify the impact of new genomic breeding strategies in a wide variety of settings; from low to middle-income (LMIC) dairy cattle breeding programs to large, well-funded maize breeding programs.
My work at QAAFI and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature & Agriculture focuses on the development of prediction methods that combine biological, environmental and management information under a unifying framework, to enhance our ability to identify breeding parents, varieties and genotype-by-agronomic management (GxM) solutions that are best suited for future climates.
Availability
- Dr Owen Powell is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Development Biology, University of Edinburgh
- Masters (Research) of Science, University of Edinburgh
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Edinburgh
Research impacts
Dr Powell helps public and private genetic improvement programs to find better ways to predict the outcomes of selective breeding.
His core work focuses on developing, applying and optimising prediction methods to accelerate rates of sustainable genetic improvement.
Dr Powell is involved in the research and HDR student supervision on projects that span plant, animal and aquaculture species.
Works
Search Professor Owen Powell’s works on UQ eSpace
2021
Journal Article
Genomic evaluations using data recorded on smallholder dairy farms in low- to middle-income countries
Owen Powell, Raphael Mrode, R. Chris Gaynor, Martin Johnsson, Gregor Gorjanc and John M.Hickey (2021). Genomic evaluations using data recorded on smallholder dairy farms in low- to middle-income countries. JDS Communications, 2 (6), 366-370. doi: 10.3168/jdsc.2021-0092
2021
Other Outputs
Designing breeding programs in the genomic era
Owen Powell (2021). Designing breeding programs in the genomic era. PhD Thesis, The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh . doi: 10.7488/era/1463
2021
Journal Article
Perspectives on applications of hierarchical gene-to-phenotype (G2P) maps to capture non-stationary effects of alleles in genomic prediction
Powell, Owen M., Voss-Fels, Kai P., Jordan, David R., Hammer, Graeme and Cooper, Mark (2021). Perspectives on applications of hierarchical gene-to-phenotype (G2P) maps to capture non-stationary effects of alleles in genomic prediction. Frontiers in Plant Science, 12 663565, 663565. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.663565
Featured
2021
Journal Article
Modelling selection response in plant breeding programs using crop models as mechanistic gene-to-phenotype (CGM-G2P) multi-trait link functions
Cooper, M., Powell, O., Voss-Fels, K. P., Messina, C. D., Gho, C., Podlich, D. W., Technow, F., Chapman, S. C., Beveridge, C. A., Ortiz-Barrientos, D. and Hammer, G. L. (2021). Modelling selection response in plant breeding programs using crop models as mechanistic gene-to-phenotype (CGM-G2P) multi-trait link functions. in silico Plants, 3 (1) diaa016, 1-21. doi: 10.1093/insilicoplants/diaa016
2020
Journal Article
Spatial modelling improves genetic evaluation in smallholder breeding programs
Selle, Maria L., Steinsland, Ingelin, Powell, Owen, Hickey, John M. and Gorjanc, Gregor (2020). Spatial modelling improves genetic evaluation in smallholder breeding programs. Genetics Selection Evolution, 52 (1) 69. doi: 10.1186/s12711-020-00588-w
2020
Conference Publication
A Two-Part Strategy for using Genomic Selection in Hybrid Crop Breeding Programs
Powell, Owen, Gaynor, Chris R., Gorjanc, Gregor, Werner, Christian and Hickey, John (2020). A Two-Part Strategy for using Genomic Selection in Hybrid Crop Breeding Programs. The 6th International Conference of Quantitative Genetics, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 3-13 November 2020.
2020
Conference Publication
The impact of physiological non-additivity on variance components for complex traits
Voss-Fels, Kai, Powell, Owen, Jordan, David, Hammer, Graeme, Barbier, Francois, Werner, Christian, Hayes, Ben, Beveridge, Christine and Cooper, Mark (2020). The impact of physiological non-additivity on variance components for complex traits. The 6th International Conference on Quantitative Genetics, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 3-13 November 2020.
2020
Other Outputs
Breeding with an eye on genes for paddocks
Powell, Owen and Cooper, Mark (2020, 10 02). Breeding with an eye on genes for paddocks Groundcover
2020
Journal Article
A two-part strategy using genomic selection in hybrid crop breeding programs
Powell, Owen, Gaynor, R. Chris, Gorjanc, Gregor, Werner, Christian and Hickey, John (2020). A two-part strategy using genomic selection in hybrid crop breeding programs.
2020
Journal Article
In silico simulation of future hybrid performance to evaluate heterotic pool formation in a self-pollinating crop
Cowling, Wallace A., Gaynor, R. Chris, Antolin, Roberto, Gorjanc, Gregor, Edwards, Stefan M., Powell, Owen and Hickey, John M. (2020). In silico simulation of future hybrid performance to evaluate heterotic pool formation in a self-pollinating crop. Scientific Reports, 10 (1) 4037. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-61031-0
2019
Conference Publication
Can genomic data enable genetic evaluation with phenotypes recorded on smallholder farms?
Powell, Owen, Jenko, Janez, Gorjanc, Gregor, Mrode, Raphael and Hickey, John M. (2019). Can genomic data enable genetic evaluation with phenotypes recorded on smallholder farms?. Interbull Bulletin, Auckland, New Zealand, 7-11 February 2018. Uppsala, Sweden: International Bull Evaluation Service.
2018
Conference Publication
Can Genomics Enable Genetic Evaluations with Phenotypes Recorded on Smallholder Dairy Farms?
Powell, Owen, Jenko, Janez, Gaynor, Chris R., Banos, Georgios, Gorjanc, Gregor and Hickey, John (2018). Can Genomics Enable Genetic Evaluations with Phenotypes Recorded on Smallholder Dairy Farms?. Keystone Symposium, Kampala, Uganda, 25-29 November 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Can genomics enable genetic evaluations with phenotypes recorded on smallholder dairy farms?
Powell, Owen, Jenko, Janez, Gaynor, Chris R., Banos, Georgios, Gorjanc, Gregor and Hickey, John (2018). Can genomics enable genetic evaluations with phenotypes recorded on smallholder dairy farms?. Big Data In Agriculture: DuPont Pioneer Symposia Series, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, 14-15 May 2018.
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Owen Powell is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Predicting Plant Success For Future Generations
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Cooper
-
Doctor Philosophy
Optimising training populations for enhanced prediction
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Cooper
-
Doctor Philosophy
Genomic selection for finfish Breeding Programs
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ben Hayes
-
Doctor Philosophy
Experimental investigation in Arabidopsis thaliana of realised selection trajectories for complex branching and flowering traits under the control of gene networks following application of genomic prediction methods.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Christine Beveridge, Professor Mark Cooper
-
Doctor Philosophy
APSIM-WGP for yield stability in soybean I
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Cooper, Dr Melanie Wilkinson
Completed supervision
-
2026
Doctor Philosophy
Genomic Prediction Performance of Ensembles of Parametric and Machine Learning Models
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr James Lefevre, Dr Melanie Wilkinson, Professor Mark Cooper
-
2026
Doctor Philosophy
Machine learning strategies to optimize genomic prediction in polyploid sugarcane
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Eric Dinglasan, Associate Professor Elizabeth Ross, Professor Ben Hayes
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Optimising Genomic Selection for Sugarcane
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lee Hickey, Honorary Professor Kai Voss-Fels, Associate Professor Elizabeth Ross, Professor Ben Hayes
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Owen Powell directly for media enquiries about:
- Computational Biology
- Computer Simulations
- Data Science
- Genetics
- Plant Breeding
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