Crops Studied

Arabidopsis

Richard Amasino: Regulation of plant development; specifically, floral induction and plant senescence. amasino@biochem.wisc.edu

Sebastian Y. Bednarek: Plant cell biology; intracellular protein trafficking, membrane biogenesis. bednarek@biochem.wisc.edu

Andrew F. Bent:Molecular basis of plant disease resistance. Gene discovery and structure function analysis of defense induction/signal transduction pathways of Arabidopsis; soybean disease resistance; Arabidopsis and soybean transformation. afb@plantpath.wisc.edu

Patrick Krysan: Functional genomics using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system. Development of novel technologies for understanding gene function at the genomic level. fpat@biotech.wisc.edu

Hiroshi Maeda: Specializes in plant biochemistry. His current research addresses the biochemical pathways that make amino acids and the pathways that split off from these, such as those that make lignin in cell walls. maeda2@wisc.edu

Patrick H. Masson: Molecular Genetics of Root Gravitropism and Thigmotropism, response of plant and yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) to mechanical and osmotic stimuli. pamasson@macc.wisc.edu

Sara Patterson: Developmental genetics of cell separation and cell adhesion using floral organ abscission in Arabidopsis as a model system. spatters@wisc.edu

Edgar Spalding: Measuring phenotypes by computational image analysis; seedling growth and development; transport physiology. spalding@wisc.edu

Xuehua Zhong: Epigenetic regulation, gene silencing, chromatin dynamics, RNA-regulated gene regulation. xzhong28@wisc.edu

Barley

Lucia Gutierrez: Breeding cereals for more sustainable agricultural systems by working on the study of complex quantitative traits and the development, comparison, and deployment of new methodologies for quantitative genetics data analysis for plant breeding. gutierrezcha@wisc.edu

Ramamurthy (Mali) Mahalingam : Abiotic stress tolerance in barley includes germplasm screening, physiological and molecular basis for tolerance to heat and drought stress; Genomics; Improving barley malting quality; Reactive Oxygen Species signaling in stress and development.mali.mahalingam@ars.usda.gov

Bean

James Nienhuis: Breeding and genetics of self-pollinated vegetable crops with special emphasis on snapbeans. nienhuis@wisc.edu

Beet

Irwin L. Goldman: DNA marker-based investigation of vegetable crop genetics. Genetic analysis of phytopharmaceuticals. Germplasm enhancement and line development in carrot, onion, and beet. ilgoldma@wisc.edu

Brassicas

Richard Amasino: Regulation of plant development; specifically, floral induction and plant senescence. amasino@biochem.wisc.edu

Carrot

Philipp Simon: Genetics, breeding and biotechnology of carrot, onion, garlic and cucumber. philipp.simon@ars.usda.gov

Cranberry

Juan Zalapa: Cranberry genetics and genomics, germplasm enhancement for use by growers, consumers, and researchers.juan.zalapa@ars.usda.gov

Cucumber

Michael J. Havey: Molecular and classical genetics of vegetables, including the unique organellar genetics of Cucumis, anticarcinogenic compounds in the Alliums, and mechanisms of virus resistance. Genetic improvement and inbred development of cucumber and onion. michael.havey@ars.usda.gov

Yiqun Weng: Cucumber genetics and breeding: germplasm characterization and enhancement; genetics and genomics of important traits in cucumber, phylogenetics and genomic resources. yiqun.weng@ars.usda.gov

Garlic

Philipp Simon: Genetics, breeding and biotechnology of carrot, onion, garlic and cucumber. philipp.simon@ars.usda.gov

Maize

Natalia de Leon: Plant breeding and quantitative genetics. Population enhancement for biomass increase and cell wall composition. Interface of plant breeding and quantitative and molecular genetics. Combination of different sources of genetic information such as phenotypic, genotypic and expression data. Genetic analysis of developmental traits in maize. ndeleongatti@wisc.edu

Heidi Kaeppler: crop genomics, tissue culture, genetic engineering and genome editing. hfkaeppl@wisc.edu

Shawn Kaeppler: Molecular marker mapping theory and application, genetic analysis of disease resistance and yield components in maize, characterization of genome variability in maize tissue culture and field-grown plants, and elucidation of epigenetic mechanisms. smkaeppl@wisc.edu

Edgar Spalding: Measuring phenotypes by computational image analysis; seedling growth and development; transport physiology. spalding@wisc.edu

William F. TracyGenetics, physiology, and breeding of sweet corn for quality and biological efficiency. Application of breeding to superior lines and hybrids. wftracy@wisc.edu

Medicago

Jean-Michel Ane: Plant microbe symbiotic associations; nodulation and mycorrhization; symbiotic nitrogen fixation and phosphate transport; genomics, phosphoproteomics and metabolomics; development of Medicago truncatula as a model legume. jane@wisc.edu

Oat

Lucia Gutierrez: Breeding cereals for more sustainable agricultural systems by working on the study of complex quantitative traits and the development, comparison, and deployment of new methodologies for quantitative genetics data analysis for plant breeding. gutierrezcha@wisc.edu

Onion

Irwin L. Goldman: DNA marker-based investigation of vegetable crop genetics. Genetic analysis of phytopharmaceuticals. Germplasm enhancement and line development in carrot, onion, and beet. ilgoldma@wisc.edu

Michael J. Havey: Molecular and classical genetics of vegetables, including the unique organellar genetics of Cucumis, anticarcinogenic compounds in the Alliums, and mechanisms of virus resistance. Genetic improvement and inbred development of cucumber and onion. michael.havey@ars.usda.gov

Potato

John B. Bamberg: Genetics of wild and cultivated Solanum species as related to germplasm maintenance and utilization. john.bamberg@ars.usda.gov

Paul Bethke: Potato Physiology. Focus is on the post-harvest physiology of potato tubers. Areas of emphasis include tuber water relations, carbohydrate metabolism, & physiological age. Paul.bethke@ars.usda.gov

Jeffrey EndelmanPotato breeding, genomic selection, genotyping-by-sequencing, computational biology.  endelman@wisc.edu

Shelley Jansky: Potato breeding and genetics; Utilization of wild Solanum species; Ploidy manipulation; Breeding for disease resistance; Reproductive biology. shelley.jansky@ars.usda.gov

Jiwan Palta: Potato breeding and genetics: Acclimatization and cold tolerance, storage and nutritional quality of potatoes, use of lipids in fruit ripening. jppalta@wisc.edu

David M. Spooner: Evolution and systematics of potatoes and their wild relatives. david.spooner@ars.usda.gov

Rice

Lucia Gutierrez: Breeding cereals for more sustainable agricultural systems by working on the study of complex quantitative traits and the development, comparison, and deployment of new methodologies for quantitative genetics data analysis for plant breeding. gutierrezcha@wisc.edu

Soybean

Andrew F. Bent: Molecular basis of plant disease resistance. Gene discovery and structure function analysis of defense induction/signal transduction pathways of Arabidopsis; soybean disease resistance; Arabidopsis and soybean transformation. afb@plantpath.wisc.edu

Turf Grasses

Michael D. Casler: Perennial cool-season forage grass breeding: breeding methodology, quantitative genetics, forage quality and ruminant nutrition, developmental genetics of plant cell walls, heterosis and heterozygosity in polyploids. mdcasler@wisc.edu

Wheat

Lucia Gutierrez: Breeding cereals for more sustainable agricultural systems by working on the study of complex quantitative traits and the development, comparison, and deployment of new methodologies for quantitative genetics data analysis for plant breeding. gutierrezcha@wisc.edu