About Us

To support the development of future plant breeders by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln(UNL) through the identity preserved production and processing of finished distinct, uniform and stable varieties, hybrids and germplasm released by UNL’s plant breeding programs and collaboratively commercialize and market with NUtech Ventures, UNL’s licensing entity, to support the Land Grant Mission by improving the life of the people and stakeholders of Nebraska

Husker Genetics utilizes land located at the University of Nebraska Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead, Nebraska to produce breeder and foundation class certified seed as well as quality assurance identity preserved seed.
The processing plant was constructed in 1970 in the existing building utilized when the facility was the Nebraska Ordnance Plant. There is a 2,500 square foot cold storage unit used to store breeder seed for extended periods. Contract production for multiple species is coordinated to maximize the unit’s effectiveness and efficiency.
All Agricultural Research Division Intellectual Property related to germplasm, varieties and hybrids is managed and maintained by the unit. Plant Variety Protection Applications are submitted by Husker Genetics.
Support is also provided to USDA-ARS Scientists located at UNL for wheat, sorghum and warm & cool season grasses.
For more information, contact Hector Santiago or Lisa Moravec - (402)624-8020 or huskergenetics@unl.edu

Personnel

Hector L. Santiago-Anadon, Director

The Director of Husker Genetics is also the Director of The University of Nebraska Foundation Seed Division.
The Director has primary responsibility for marketing, sales, distribution, promotion, public relations, contractual agreements, foundation seed and breeders seed processing, seed storage and long-range planning/strategy development.
Works with the University of Nebraska plant breeders to evaluate breeders’ seed increases of multiple cultivars of small grains (wheat, triticale, barley), dry-edible beans and soybeans grown in Nebraska.
Works closely with the Executive Director of NU Horizon Genetics in marketing, sales and distribution of varieties marketed under the Husker Genetics brand.
Serves as part of the Agricultural Research Division Administrative Team.
Serves as a member of the Small Grains Developmental and Release Committee.
Email: hsantiago@unl.edu
Office Phone: 402-472-7129
Mobile: 787-538-9579

Carlos Urrea

Professor, Agronomy & Horticulture

Contact

Address: Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center, 4502 Ave I Scottsbluff NE 69361-4939Phone: 308-632-0556Email: currea2@unl.edu

Area of Expertise: Plant Breeding and Genetics

Area of Focus: Dry Edible Bean Breeding Specialist

EDUCATION

B.S. Agronomy, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 1984
M.S. Agronomy, University of Puerto Rico, 1996
Ph.D. in plant breeding and genetics, with a minor in statistics, North Dakota State University, 2000

Research & Extension Interests

Breeding of dry bean varieties to select plants that are resistant to rust, white mold, common bacteria blight, and root rots; that have desirable qualities related to water efficiency and minimum tillage systems; and that have a more upright architecture, allowing direct harvesting.

At North Dakota State University he worked as a graduate research fellowship in the six-row barley breeding project. While pursuing his master's degree at the University of Puerto Rico, he identified a marker that has been used extensively to introgress BGYMV resistance in dry and snap beans. He also worked on markers for tagging resistance to Macrophomina and common bacterial blight, and collaborated on a research project to develop an RAPD linkage map of disease resistance alleles and QTL in dry bean. Prior to that, as a research assistant in the breeding and genetics program at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture at Cali, Colombia, his work resulted in the release of six small and medium-seeded common dry bean cultivars possessing multiple-disease resistance in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Mexico. He received a bachelor of science degree from Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Prior to joining the staff at the Panhandle Research and Extension Center in April 2005, Carlos spent nearly two years in Nepal, leading a project to develop high-quality varieties of maize that will grow on hillsides, to help alleviate malnutrition in that country. Prior to Nepal, he worked as a research associate scientist at the International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT) in Mexico, where he developed new subtropical varieties and hybrids of corn.