Sustainability Leadership Fellowship Cohort: 2015-2016

Ph.D. Student, Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management

Research Summary: Rice is essential for food security, providing income and food for half of the world’s population. Bacterial diseases are major constraints to rice yield worldwide. Planting resistant varieties is the most effective and sustainable way to control them. My research project is aimed at identifying regions in the rice genome that confer resistance against three devastating bacterial pathogens in Africa and Latin America. The rice varieties studied will facilitate the use of identified resistant sources in breeding programs. My project is a collaboration involving CSU, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).