BRANFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new research study planned at CRAG, Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics in Barcelona, Spain, is focusing on the de novo sequencing of the musk melon (Cucumis melo). CRAG recently bought a Genome Sequencer FLX from 454 Life Sciences, a centre of excellence of Roche Applied Science, for use in this project and in support of other ongoing research projects. The institute is a consortium between CSIC (Spanish National Research Council), IRTA (Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology) and UAB (Autonomous University of Barcelona); several major agricultural seed companies are acting as sponsors. The institute will start work with 50 scientists and a total of 200 people working in plant and farm animal genomics and their applications in breeding. CRAG will be ready for full operation by mid 2009 in a new building under construction in the campus of UAB in Bellaterra, near Barcelona.
