- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
His abstract: "His abstract: "Plant infections by root-knot nematodes and the soil-borne fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum, which causes vascular wilt, either alone or in disease complexes, result in serious crop losses. Our analyses of host resistance in cowpea and cotton genomes has revealed a rich resource of resistance factors to both pathogens, which are being used in breeding programs for crop improvement."
Of his research, Roberts says: "My research focuses on the integrated management of plant parasitic nematodes. A major emphasis is placed on the identification, characterization, and development of host plant resistance to root-knot nematodes for genetic improvement of crops. Current work includes studies of resistance gene inheritance, development of gene markers, genome mapping, and gene transfer."
He organizes his research on the genetic resistance and associated traits in crop plants to root-knot nematodes in the areas of:
- identifying new sources of resistance genes;
- nature, inheritance and molecular characterization of resistance genes;
- introgressing resistance for breeding line and crop improvement for warm/arid environments using classical and novel techniques;
- assessing and implementing resistant and tolerant lines and cultivars in the field in appropriate cropping systems; and
- studying variability of parasitic specificity within and between nematode species
Host is Steve Nadler, professor and chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology. This is the department's last seminar of the fall quarter.