Genetics
- Dr. Christopher S. Cramer
- Dr. Champa Sengupta-Gopalan
- Dr. Mary O'Connell
- Dr. Ian Ray
- Dr. Jinfa Zhang
Dr. Christopher S. Cramer
Title: Professor
Research area: Breeding, Genetics, Onions, Quantitative Genetics, Crop Production
Office location: N346 Skeen Hall
Email Address: cscramer@nmsu.edu
Office Phone: (575) 646-2657
Office Fax: (575) 646-6041
Education:
- Ph.D. in Horticultural Science. Minor in Genetics and Statistics. Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh. May 1997. Dissertation: "Specific combining ability for fruit yield and shape, yield, and yield components of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) populations improved using recurrent selection.
- M.S. in Horticulture. Department of Plant Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs. May 1994. Master's Thesis: "In vitro and in vivo studies of Mussaenda.
- B.S. in Horticulture. Department of Horticulture, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park. Graduated with honors and distinction. May 1991. University Scholar's Program. Undergraduate Thesis. "Hybridization between diploid and tetraploid Pelargonium xhortorum Bailey."
Research Interests:
Our breeding program develops onion cultivars for growers in New Mexico. Very few commercial onion cultivars are adapted to the growing conditions found in New Mexico. In addition, the onion acreage in New Mexico is too small to warrant specific cultivar development by commercial seed companies. Our program develops high yielding, high quality, disease resistant, and bolting resistant cultivars that allow growers in New Mexico to be competitive with other onion markets in the United States.
Professional Experience:
- Professor of Horticulture.7/08-Present. Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University.
- Associate Professor of Horticulture. 7/03-7/08. Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University.
- Assistant Professor of Horticulture: 9/97-7/03. Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, New Mexico State University.
Courses Taught:
AGRO/HORT 100G (Introductory Plant Science) is an introductory course that exposes freshmen and sophomore students in agriculture related majors to the many disciplines of plant science. Students learn plant systematics, plant anatomy, soil science, plant physiology, plant propagation, plant breeding and genetics, landscape design, crop production, crop physiology, and pest management. Students take field trips to research facilities, library, growers' fields, commercial nurseries, and grocery stores. In the laboratory, students gain practical experience in crop production, transplanting, pruning, dissection, identification, plant propagation, and plant breeding. Students write an essay based upon current issues involving plant science and present their essay before the class. 4 credits hours with a lab.
AGRO/HORT 670 (Biometrical Genetics and Plant Breeding) is an upper level graduate course that examines quantitative genetics and how it can be used in a plant breeding program. Topics covered in the course included single gene inheritance, gene frequency, inbreeding, identity of alleles by descent, covariance of traits, covariance between individuals, epistasis, mating designs, gain from selection, heritability, heterosis and inbreeding depression, genotype by environment interaction, path analysis, and quantitative trait loci. 3 credit hours.
HORT 205 (Introduction to Horticulture) is an introductory course open to all majors in the university. Students learn plant anatomy, soil science, plant physiology, plant propagation, plant breeding and genetics, plant systematics, crop production, crop physiology, greenhouse and nursery management, and pest management. The course offers students flexibility in completing a course without having to come to campus on certain days or at certain times. First entirely web-based, distance education course offered by the department. 3 credit hours.
Dr. Champa Sengupta-Gopalan
Title:Professor
Research area:Biotechnology, Crops
Office location: Skeen Hall N326
Email Address: csgopala@nmsu.edu
Office Phone: (575) 646-5784
Office Fax: (575) 646-6041
Education:
- Ph.D.: Botany (Plant morphogenesis), Ohio State University, Columbus.
- M.S.: Botany (Plant Biochemistry), University of Kalyani, India
- B.S.: Biology, University of Jodhpur, India.
Professional Experience:
- 1992 - present: Professor, Dept. of Plant & Env. Sciences (former Agron & Horti until Dec. 2005)/Molecular Biology Program
- 1985 - 1992: Associate Professor, Dept. of Agron & Hort/Molecular Biology program
- Jan 1985 - May 1985: Research Scientist, International Plant Research Institute, San Carlos, CA
- 1982 - 1985: Research Scientist, Agrigenetics Advanced Research Division, Madison, WI
- 1980 - 1981: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Pharmacology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford
- 1978 - 1980: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Biology, McGill University, CANADA
Research Interests:
The Legume-Rhizobium symbiosis involves a complex series of events requiring close coordination between host and bacterial functions. My research focuses on four aspects of symbiosis: Isolation and characterization of soybean genes that are specifically expressed in N2- fixing root nodule; Understanding the role of plant flavonoids in nodule initiation; Determining the mechanism by which the host differentiates between a symbiont and a pathogen; Manipulating the expression of genes encoding the key ammonia assimilator enzyme, glutamine synthetase, in roots and nodules of alfalfa. Our ultimate goal is to understand the molecular mechanism of nodulation, N2 fixation and ammonia assimilation in legumes and to devise genetic manipulations in the plant to improve the efficiency of these processes. In addition, my lab is also interested in the seed storage protein genes. While my basic research efforts are focused on the regulation of expression of these genes, my efforts in the applied aspect is in the nutritional improvement of seeds and forage crops. In collaboration with the Plant Genetic Engineering Laboratory, I am also working on engineering crop plants with genes encoding for proteins with nematicidal activity.
In the past five years at New Mexico State University I have taught courses in Plant Genetics (with special emphasis on molecular genetics), Plant Biochemistry and Plant Genetic Engineering. In all my teaching efforts, I place a special emphasis on bridging the gap between transmission genetics. I am closely associated with the Plant Genetic Engineering Lab and am a member of both the Agronomy and Horticulture graduate faculty and the Molecular Biology graduate program faculty.
Dr. Mary O'Connell
Title: Regents Professor
Research Area:Plant Secondary Metabolism, Drought and Disease Resistances
Office location:179 Gerald Thomas Hall
Phone: (575) 646-5172
Fax: (575) 646-6041
O'Connell Lab - Recent publications, descriptions of research projects, and lab personnel
Education:
- Ph.D.: Biochemistry, Cornell University
- B.S.: B.S.: Biology and Chemistry, College of Mt. St. Vincent
Positions and Responsibilities
1975-1980 Research Assistant, Cornell University
1980-1982 Postdoctoral Trainee, Dept. Chemistry, University of California, San Diego,
1982-1985 Research Associate, Dept. Biology, University of Virginia
1985-present Assistant, Associate, Full Professor, Dept. Plant & Environmental Sciences, (former Agronomy & Horticulture, NMSU)
1993-1999 Director, NIH sponsored Minority High School Student Program, NMSU
1996-1998 Outreach Coordinator, National Biotechnology Information Facility, NMSU
2000-present Director, Medicinal Plants of the Southwest Project, NMSU
2001-2005 Steering Committee, NM Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network
2002-2006 Panel Member, NIH NIGMS MBRS sub-committee
Efforts in Minority Student Training
NIH Minority Access to Research Careers, mentor 1986 to present
NIH Minority Biomedical Research Support/RISE program, mentor 1990 to present
NIH Bridges to Native Americans Program, mentor 1992 to present
NIH RISE Medicinal Plants of the Southwest, director 2000 to present
NCI Building Minority Research Capacity Project: NMSU & FHCRC, director, 2003 to present
Honors
1997 Distinguished Research Award, College of Agriculture & Home Economics, NMSU
2004 NACTA Teaching Award of Merit, College of Agriculture & Home Economics, NMSU
2006 Regent's Professor, NMSU
Teaching
Hort 310 Medicinal Herbs
Gene 452 Applied Bioinformatics
Agro/Hort/Biol/Eppws 530 Plant Physiology: Metabolism
Research Interests: Genomic DNA sequencing efforts have been completed on several plants, and extensive genome characterization efforts are proceeding on many other crop plants. Collaborative efforts between plant breeders, biochemists, physiologists and molecular biologists will be required to determine the function or functions of these genes. This project outlines two objectives whose goals are to understand and manipulate genes important in biotic and abiotic responses and important in selected pathways in plant secondary metabolism. The methods proposed to undertake these objectives include plant biochemistry, plant molecular genetics, phytochemistry and bio-informatics, using both crop plants and plants indigenous to arid and semi-arid environments.
Much of the work will be performed in Capsicum. We have extensive experience on the impact of drought and disease on gene expression in Capsicum in leaf and root tissues. The quality of the chile crop in New Mexico is of central importance to agriculture in New Mexico. Continued production of this iconic crop for the state will require attention to production issues like mechanical harvesting, disease resistance, and improvements in irrigation methods. Increases in the harvested value of the chile crop, by development of lines that produce unique secondary metabolites or increased production of important secondary metabolites will also work to maintain the value of this crop for farmers in New Mexico. Ultimately, this research will describe how the secondary product accumulation for carotenoids and capsaicinoids respond to environmental signals during fruit development.
Objective 1: Provide student mentoring and administrative support for extramurally funded research on functional genomics and bioinformatics studies in plants adapted to arid and semi-arid regions
Objective 2: Provide student mentoring and administrative support for extramurally funded research on analyses of chemical compositions and molecular genetics of secondary metabolites in crop plants like Capsicum spp. and native plants with biomedical properties adapted to arid and semi arid regions.
Dr. Ian Ray
Title:Professor
Research area:Application of conventional breeding & selection methodologies to improve drought and salt tolerance in alfalfa.
Application of genomic strategies to manipulate forage yield heterosis and to identify key loci controlling drought and salt tolerance in alfalfa..
Office location: Skeen Hall N342
Email Address: iaray@nmsu.edu
Office Phone: (505) 646-3819
Office Fax: (505) 646-6041
Education:
- B.S., Agriculture, New Mexico State University
- M.S., Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Ph.D., Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Interests:
IMPROVING OSMOTIC STRESS TOLERANCE IN ALFALFA THROUGH MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES AND CONVENTIONAL BREEDING.
We are focusing on three approaches to improve osmotic stress tolerance in alfalfa: 1) metabolic engineering with genes that produce osmoregulatory compounds and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging enzymes, 2) developing genomic strategies to identify key loci controlling drought tolerance, and 3) conventional breeding and selection for improved drought tolerance.
Under salt and drought stress many plants accumulate low molecular weight compounds, such as sugar alcohols, to help cells adjust to low water potentials. Under stress, ROS may damage specific stromal enzymes of the Calvin-cycle. We are evaluating stress tolerance response in alfalfa that has been transformed with multigene cassettes containing enzymes that produce osmoltye compounds and that scavenge ROS.
Genetic characterization of complex crop traits, such as drought tolerance, is now feasible using gene expression profiles based on high density arrays of plant cDNAs. We are initiating a project to rapidly generate a large collection of drought-responsive genes from alfalfa by screening cDNA microarrays that are available in related legume species. Those arrayed cDNAs, from legume species, which hybridize as drought-responsive to control and drought-stressed alfalfa labeled cDNAs will be identified. Our hypothesis is that drought responsive genes are candidate genes for the quantitative trait loci (QTL) influencing drought resistance in alfalfa. Drought-responsive cDNAs will be developed into allele specific markers, mapped, and placed on an AFLP linkage map that we have developed. These markers will subsequently be evaluated for their associations with QTL influencing drought tolerance in tetraploid alfalfa.
We are also actively involved in developing drought tolerant alfalfa cultivars and germplasms and in describing genetic associations between agronomic, morphological, and water-use efficiency traits in alfalfa under irrigated and drought conditions. Our field data indicate that some drought tolerant phenotypes appear to rely on deep rooting mechanisms to escape drought. Others appear to rely on turgor maintenance through osmotic adjustment or stomatal regulation. These different phenotypes provide ideal genetic material for further molecular and physiological characterization of drought tolerance response in alfalfa.
Research Positions and Employment
- 1985-1989 Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- 1989-1992 Agronomist/Forage Breeder, North Dakota State University, Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, Mandan, ND
- 1992-93 Research Geneticist, USDA-ARS, Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, Mandan, ND.
- 1994-2000 Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy & Horticulture, New Mexico State University.
- 2000-2006 Associate Professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, New Mexico State University.
- 2006-present Professor, Department of Plant & Environmental Science, New Mexico State Univ.
- 1994-present Joint appointment in the Molecular Biology Graduate Program, New Mexico State University.
Current Research Emphasis
Genetic characterization and improvement of drought/salt tolerance in alfalfa through molecular techniques and conventional breeding approaches.
Courses Taught
- AGRO/HORT/BIOL 305L Genetic Techniques
- AGRO/HORT 365 Principles of Crop Production
- AGRO/HORT 365L Principles of Crop Production Lab
- AGRO 483 Sustainable Production of Agronomic Crops
- AGRO/BIOL/HORT/MOLB 486 Intermediate Genetics
- AGRO/HORT 610 Advanced Plant Breeding
Dr. Jinfa Zhang
Title:Associate Professor
Research area:Cotton Breeding, Genetics and Genomics
Office location: Skeen Hall N338
Email Address: jinzhang@nmsu.edu
Office Phone: (575) 646-3438
Office Fax: (575) 646-6041
Education:
- Ph.D.: Plant Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas
- M.S.: Plant Genetics and Breeding, Central China Agricultural University
- B.S.: Central China Agricultural University at Jinzhou
Professional Experience:
- 2007 - now: Associate Professor, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University
- 2002 - 2007: Assistant Professor, Department of Plant and Environmental Science, New Mexico State University
- 2001 - 2002: Cotton Molecular Breeder, Cotton Technology Team, Monsanto Company
- 2000 - 2001: Research Associate, Department of Biology, McGill University
- 1999 - 2000: Research Associate, Department of Agronomy, University of Arkansas
- 1996 - 1999: Senior Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, University of Arkansas
- 1995 - 1996: Visiting Scientist, Department of Agronomy, University of Arkansas
- 1992 - 1998: Associate Professor, Department of Agronomy, Central China Agricultural University
- 1987 - 1992: Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy, Central China Agricultural University
- 1985 - 1987: Instructor, Department of Agronomy, Central China Agricultural University
Research Interests: The Cotton Breeding and Genetics Program at New Mexico State University has a history of 75 years in developing Acala cotton germplasm and varieties with high fiber quality and Verticlillium wilt tolerance. Our research continues in that tradition, with emphasis on developing high fiber quality and high yielding Acala cultivars, and incorporating high levels of resistance to pink bollworm, bollworm, herbicides, Verticillium wilt, and root-knot nematodes in Acala and Pima cotton for New Mexico and the southwest region. We are continuing to work on developing a practical hybrid cotton seed production system based on cytoplasmical male sterility. Tools in quantitative, qualitative and molecular genetics are integrated into our breeding program. A significant portion of our effort involves developing functional molecular markers and identifying genes or quantitative trait loci ( QTLs ) for fiber quality, yield, agronomic traits, male fertility restoration, insect, disease and nematode resistance, and heat and drought tolerance in order to develop efficient marker-assisted selection strategies. Molecular mapping, physical mapping, candidate gene approach, and gene expression profiling are combined to locate and isolate candidate genes or QTLs of agronomic importance.
I teach Molecular Analysis of Complex Traits (Agro/Hort 516), Genetics and Society (Agro 303G), Genetic Techniques Laboratory (GENE 305L), Genetics Seminar (GENE 440), and Sustainable Crop Production (Agro 483). I am a member of both the Plant and Environmental Sciences graduate faculty and Molecular Biology Graduate Program faculty.