Faculty by Species

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. afbent@wisc.edu

Jacob Brunkard: Functional genomics, regulation of metabolism, TARGET OF RAPAMYCIN (TOR) signaling, developmental genetics.

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

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

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

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

Bean

 

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

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

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

Jacob Brunkard: Functional genomics, regulation of metabolism, TARGET OF RAPAMYCIN (TOR) signaling, developmental genetics.

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

Rebecca Smith: Plant cell wall engineering, cell wall digestibility, dairy sustainability, bioenergy crops for biofuel and bioproduct production rasmith29@wisc.edu 

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

Cranberry

Juan Zalapa: Cranberry genetics and genomics, germplasm enhancement for use by growers, consumers, and researchers.jezalapa@wisc.edu

Jyostna Devi Mura: Determining the physiological and molecular basis of abiotic and biotic factors that influence economic crop production and quality in cranberry, soil plant nutrient dynamics , molecular stress physiology, genetic transformation, plant and microbial genetics, and plant-microbe interactions. jmura@wisc.edu  

Cucumber

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

Hemp

Shelby Ellison: Plant genetics and genomics, plant domestication, germplasm characterization and improvement of alternative crops with an emphasis in hemp. slrepinski@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. jeanmichel.ane@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 Endelman: Potato breeding, genomic selection, genotyping-by-sequencing, computational biology. endelman@wisc.edu

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. afbent@wisc.edu

Turf Grasses

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

Woody Perennials

Al Kovaleski: Physiological and molecular basis of winter survival in woody perennial plants (dormancy and cold hardiness). al.kovaleski@wisc.edu

Forages

Marta Moura Kohmann: Forage management with emphasis on increasing system-level sustainability. mourakohmann@wisc.edu  

Cover Crops

Lisa Kissing Kucek: Breeding cover crops for high biomass, winter survival, early vigor, and emergence, low seed dormancy and pod shatter, and divergent selection for allelopathy and flowering time lisa.kissing.kucek@usda.gov 

Fruit Crops

Amaya Atucha: Physiology and molecular approaches to fruit production with emphasis on ecophysiology, nutrient management, fruit quality, and sustainable production systems. atucha@wisc.edu

Multiple Types

Yi Wang: use of precision agriculture technologies (hyperspectral, multispectral, thermal sensing; machine learning; robotics) in understanding the interactions between genotypes, environment, and management. Working with bean, beet, onion, cucumber, and potato.