My research efforts center around plant resistance to insects, especially the quantification of sorghum tolerance to greenbug feeding damage
Most of our recent work has been in close collaboration with Ken Kofoid, a sorghum geneticist at the KSU Agricultural Research Center at Hays and Mitch Tunstra in the Department of Agronomy. One of our more interesting techniques is the use of the SPAD chlorophyll meter for assessing chlorophyll loss due to greenbug feeding damage. We have recently identified a number of selections that lose far less chlorophyll than the susceptible checks. We are in the process of releasing a number of tolerant lines.
Area of Specialization: Aphid salivary enzymes in insect-plant interactions, functionality of genes in aphid salivary glands, plant resistance to aphids, plant tolerance to aphid feeding damage
