Carlos Urrea
Professor, Agronomy & Horticulture
Contact
Address: Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center, 4502 Ave I Scottsbluff NE 69361-4939
Phone: 308-632-0556
Email: 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.
Released cultivars/Germplasm Since 2005
- Four multiple-stress tolerant black bean germplasm: TARS-MST1, TARS-MST2, TARS-MST3 and SB-DT1 (2010)
- Chickpea germplasm PHREC-Ca- Comp. #1 with enhanced resistance to Ascochyta blight (2010)
- Great northern cultivar -Coyne' with enhanced disease resistance to common bacterial blight and bean rust (2008)
- Common bacterial blight, rust and bean common mosaic virus resistant great northern bean germplasm ABC-Weihing (2008)
George L. Graef
Professor, Nebraska Soybean Producers Presidential Chair of Soybean BreedingAgronomy & Horticulture
Contact
Address
KEIM 324
Lincoln NE 68583-0915
Phone
Area of Expertise: Plant Breeding and Genetics
Area of Focus: Soybean Breeding and Genetics
EDUCATION
B.S., Environmental Horticulture, University of Connecticut, 1982
M.S., Plant Breeding and Cytogenetics, Iowa State University, 1984
Ph.D. Plant Breeding and Cytogenetics, Minor, Genetics, Iowa State University, 1988
Research Interests
Soybean breeding and genetics; Genetic diversity in breeding populations; mating and selection systems; Soybeans for human food uses; protein and oil content and quality; Identification and characterization of QTLs using DNA markers.
Courses Taught
- Agro 299 - Research Problems and Career Experience;
- Agronomy 421 Introduction to Plant Breeding;
- Agronomy 496 Internship in Plant Breeding and Genetics.
Extension Interests
- Soybean cultivar development;
- Nebraska Crop Improvement Association;
- Soybean producers.
- Develop soybean germplasm and cultivars with increased seed protein content
- Develop soybean germplasm and cultivars with increased oil content
- Coordinate nationwide cooperative evaluation of soybean lines with improved quality traits from state and USDA soybean breeding programs
- Develop soybean cultivars for specific food and end uses
- Identification of resistance genes for Sclerotinia Stem Rot in soybeans
- Use of genetic male sterility in soybean cultivar development and recurrent selection programs
Katherine Frels
Assistant Professor, Agronomy & Horticulture
Contact
Address
PLSH 377H
Lincoln NE 68583-0915
Phone
Website
Area of Expertise: Plant Breeding and Genetics
Area of Focus: Small Grains Breeding and Genetics
EDUCATION
B.S., Iowa State University, 2011
Ph.D., University of Nebraska–Lincoln, 2015
Role: Develop improved varieties for winter wheat, barley, and tricale and investigate genes controlling economically important traits in each crop. Objectives: • Plan, develop, and implement research objectives and budgets for the small grains breeding program. • Collaborate with multi-disciplinary research partners to solve biotic and abiotic stress challenges such as wheat stem sawfly; stem, leaf, and stripe rust; Fusarium head blight; winter hardiness; and drought and heat tolerance. • Conceptualize, write, and supervise peer-reviewed publications for the small grains breeding program. • Supervise and train pennycress breeding team including field technician, graduate students, and undergraduate assistants. • Serve on graduate student oral exam committees. • Develop and manage grant proposals for state, federal, and private funding agencies to fund small grains breeding. • Present research and share educational outreach materials with stakeholders at scientific