Vegetable Breeding, Genetics & Genomics: March 2016

Mar 23, 2016

New Graduate Student - Winnie Gimode

Winnie Gimode joined our group in Spring 2016. Winnie is pursuing her PhD and will be working on gummy stem blight resistance and flowering time in watermelon. Welcome Winnie!

From Left to right: Suzanne Stone (P.hD student); Dr. Yihua Chen (Research technician); Winnie Gimode (P.hD student), Dr. Cecilia McGregor (Principal Investigator), Leigh Ann Fall (M.S. Student), and Reeve Legendre (Ph.D student).

Watermelon Seed Extraction and Storage

Will Hemphill, an Undergraduate student worker in our laboratory made this video abut manual watermelon seed extraction and storage. Good Job Will!

About the Lab

Our research program focuses on developing molecular tools for watermelon and integrating these tools into our breeding program. Thus we strive to bridge the gap between basic genomic research and applied cultivar development.

Our current research projects endeavor to identify loci and genes associated with important fruit, seed, flower and disease resistance traits in watermelon.

Participants in our research group gain experience in field, greenhouse and laboratory research as well as genomic analysis and bioinformatics. The majority of research is carried out by graduate and undergraduate students, as well as high school students through the Young Scholars Internship Program.