UF - Sweet Corn and Potato Lab

Principle Investigator: Sweet Corn and Potato Breeding and Genetics

Biochemistry, starch synthesis, molecular biology

My goal is to develop new potato varieties that are more adaptable to Florida's weather and agronomic conditions. By breeding clones resistant to heat, humidity, diseases, and enhancing flavor and nutrition, I aim to increase sustainability and improve the livelihoods of both farmers and consumers.

Sweet Corn Breeding and Genetics

I oversee the operation the single-kernel near-infrared (skNIR) spectroscopy sorter. I focus on improving the phenotypic predictive capabilities of the skNIR through model tuning and wet chemistry validation.

I assist in conducting potato research and variety trials. I also manage the greenhouse operations at Hastings Farm, where I grow new minitubers from true potato seed for future trials, contributing to the development of innovative potato varieties.

​I am a quantitative geneticist specializing in statistical genetics, genomic tools, breeding efficiency, and developing R-based algorithms for genomic prediction.

I am a soil fertility and plant nutrient researcher. My background is in applied precision agriculture using multi-spectral and hyperspectral sensing UAVs and proximal sensors. Currently, I am developing an AI-driven pipeline for high-throughput phenotypic selection in potato.  

My present research is centered on multi-omic approaches to understand the basis of sweetcorn resistance to Cornsilk Fly, and accelerating breeding for resistance into elite inbreds. My background is in cultivar development and has focused on genomic, phenomic, and transcriptomic tools.

​My research focuses on advancing potato breeding by developing genomic prediction models for key traits and leveraging crop model insights to understand GxE interactions, ultimately combining these methods to accelerate breeding efforts and optimize selection strategies.

My research explores the application of genomic and phenomic selection using single-kernel near-infrared spectroscopy, with a focus on predicting future unobserved complex traits. I aim to validate these models and assess their potential to optimize the breeding programs.

My research focuses on utilization of genomic and quantitative genetics tools to decipher resistance genes and fast-track breeding for resistance against sweet corn diseases such as Northern Corn Leaf Blight.

My focus is on investigating the genetic diversity within the sweet corn diversity panel, searching for links between structural variants and phenotypic traits, and evaluating their potential for trait prediction.

I'm working towards potato variety development through genomics and selective breeding.

I am working on developing genetic coefficients for sweet corn genotypes utilizing the DSSAT crop growth modeling software.

My role is to support the Sweet CAP grant through a combination of administrative, research, and technical assistance.