Working area:

Application and development of tools and methods provided by genome analysis (especially DNA markers) to understand composition of complex traits and phenomena, to determine and exploit genetic diversity in elite and exotic germplasm, and apply this knowledge to plant breeding. The crop focus is on maize and perennial grasses; the trait focus on bioenergy (yield and quality traits); hybrid and haploid induction mechanisms, nitrogen use efficiency, resistance, and climate change. Current activities revolve around “functional” markers and their implementation in plant breeding, as well as on breeding bioenergy crops.

Contact:

Iowa State University
Agronomy Department, 1204 Agronomy, Ames, IA, 50011
(515)294-5356
thomasl@iastate.edu