Crops Studied

View our Released Germplasm

Alfalfa

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

Arabidopsis

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

Michael R. Sussman: Genetics of Arabidopsis thaliana. Isolation and cloning of genes responsible for nutrient uptake and hormone action. msussman@wisc.edu

Richard Vierstra: Protein turnover in plant cell regulation, ubiquitin, 26S proteasome, autophagy, photmorphogenisis, phytochromosomes. vierstra@wisc.edu

Barley

Heidi Kaeppler: Cereal monocot breeding and genetics, focusing on wheat, maize, oat and barley. Monocot tissue culture and genetic engineering, epigenetic research related to transgene integration and expression. hfkaeppl@wisc.edu

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

Oilseed Brassica

Vegetable Brassica

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

Clover

Field Corn

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 John Doebley: Evolution of maize and its wild relatives, the teosintes. Genetic basis of changes in morphology that occurred during maize domestication; examining forces that have shaped the structure and evolution of the maize genome. jdoebley@facstaff.wisc.edu

Heidi Kaeppler: Cereal monocot breeding and genetics, focusing on wheat, maize, oat and barley. Monocot tissue culture and genetic engineering, epigenetic research related to transgene integration and expression. 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

Michael R. Sussman: Genetics of Arabidopsis thaliana. Isolation and cloning of genes responsible for nutrient uptake and hormone action. msussman@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

Sweet Corn

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 John Doebley: Evolution of maize and its wild relatives, the teosintes. Genetic basis of changes in morphology that occurred during maize domestication; examining forces that have shaped the structure and evolution of the maize genome. jdoebley@facstaff.wisc.edu

Heidi Kaeppler: Cereal monocot breeding and genetics, focusing on wheat, maize, oat and barley. Monocot tissue culture and genetic engineering, epigenetic research related to transgene integration and expression. 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

Michael R. Sussman: Genetics of Arabidopsis thaliana. Isolation and cloning of genes responsible for nutrient uptake and hormone action. msussman@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

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

Elm

Forage 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

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

Garlic

Leek

Medicago

Jean-Michel Ane: Plant microbe symbiotic associations; nodulation and mycorrhization; symbiotic nitrogen fixation and phosphate transport; development of Medicago truncatula as a model legume. jane@wisc.eduMichael R. Sussman: Genetics of Arabidopsis thaliana. Isolation and cloning of genes responsible for nutrient uptake and hormone action. msussman@wisc.edu

Melon

Oat

Heidi Kaeppler: Cereal monocot breeding and genetics, focusing on wheat, maize, oat and barley. Monocot tissue culture and genetic engineering, epigenetic research related to transgene integration and expression. hfkaeppl@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.eduMichael 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

Ornamentals

Dennis Stimart: Genetics and physiology of ornamental plants. dstimart@wisc.edu

Peppers

Molly Jahn: Genetics, genomics and breeding of vegetable species with particular focus on disease resistance and quality traits; Capsicum germplasm and diversity; capsaicinoid biosynthesis (also listed under Genetics section). mjahn@cals.wisc.edu

Potato

John B. Bamberg: Genetics of wild and cultivated Solanum species as related to germplasm maintenance and utilization. john.bamberg@ars.usda.govDennis Halterman: Molecular analysis of disease resistance in potato and related species. dah@plantpath.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

Jiming Jiang: Plant molecular cytogenetics, chromosome structure, potato breeding and genetics. jjiang1@wisc.edu

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

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

Rice

Jiming Jiang: Plant molecular cytogenetics, chromosome structure, potato breeding and genetics. jjiang1@wisc.eduSally A. Leong: Molecular basis of host and cultivar specificity. Evolution of cultivar specificity genes in the blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea and reciprocal resistance genes in graminaceous hosts. sal@plantpath.wisc.edu

Small Grains

Snapdragons

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

Craig R. Grau: Breeding for disease resistance in forages and soybeans. Evaluation of forage and soybean germplasm for disease resistance. cg6@plantpath.wisc.edu

Swiss Chard

Trees

Raymond Guries: Genetics of woody plants and forest trees, especially genetic structure and mating systems in wild populations; management and conservation of forest genetic resources; selection and breeding of forest trees; disease resistance breeding of elms. rpguries@facstaff.wisc.edu

Wheat

Heidi Kaeppler: Cereal monocot breeding and genetics, focusing on wheat, maize, oat and barley. Monocot tissue culture and genetic engineering, epigenetic research related to transgene integration and expression. hfkaeppl@wisc.edu