Humulus lupulus, also known as hops, is a plant species that is widely cultivated for its use in brewing beer. Recent advances in genomic sequencing technologies have allowed for new insights into the domestication history of commercial hops and the identification of genetic markers for unknown strains. In this presentation, we will discuss the use of genotyping by sequencing to isolate genetic markers and determine the phylogenetic placement of global hop variants. We will also discuss the genome-wide annotation of functional variants and the use of statistical methods to estimate the recent evolutionary history of hops in the United States. Additionally, we will explore the impact of soil nutrient availability and plant growth on hops production and investigate optimal fertilization strategies that maximize production while minimizing over-fertilization. We will also conduct surveys of potential arthropod predators and assess their efficacy as biocontrol agents. Finally, we will examine hops-virus interactions by assessing the epidemiology of viral infection, identifying viral strains through genome sequencing, quantifying viral loads per plant or plant tissue, and assessing the population genetics of hop viral pathogens/isolates. In summary, this meta-genomics research study of Humulus lupulus aimed to gain new insights into the domestication history of commercial hops, the identification of genetic markers for unknown strains and investigate the impact of soil nutrient availability, plant nutrient concentrations, plant growth, arthropod predators and hop-virus interactions on hop cultivation and brewing.
