Graduate Students
André Lucas Simões Araujo
M.S., Weed Science
Advisor – Todd Gaines
Research Area
I work on two projects related to weed science: one is associated with a weed resistance survey using three different herbicides and the second is developing non-chemical harvest weed seed control strategies in dryland crops.
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Srishti Gupta
Ph.D., Weed Science
Advisor – Franck Dayan
Research Area
I have worked with absorption and translocation of formulation of glyphosate herbicide in broadleaves and grassweeds. My research involves understanding mechanism of non-target site quizalofop resistance in rice. Genetic mapping has identified that a mutation in the transcription factor zinc finger protein increases the metabolic degradation of herbicides by upregulating the expression of genes involved in herbicide metabolism. The overall goal of my project is to investigate the function of the transcription factor and study its contribution to herbicide resistance.
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Sofía Marques Hill
Ph.D., Weed Science
Advisor – Todd Gaines
Research Area
Weed Molecular Biology. Understanding herbicide resistance to synthetic auxins. Genetic mapping of herbicide resistance to pre-emergents in Lolium rigidum. Building the reference genome of Cirsium arvense and understanding sex determination.
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William Kramer
Ph.D., Weed Science
Advisor – Dr. Todd Gaines
Research Area
My current research focuses on understanding the cause of quizalofop herbicide injury in CoAxium winter wheat using a variety of molecular biology techniques.
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John Lemas
M.S., Weed Science
Advisor – Todd Gaines
Research Area
My research will utilize a genomics approach to better understand abiotic stress resilience in Russian thistle (Salsola tragus).
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Jake Montgomery
Ph.D., Weed Science
Advisor – Todd Gaines
Research Area
I use techniques from molecular biology, microbiology, and plant physiology to understand the genetic and physiological basis of herbicide resistance in weeds and crops. I also use my data sets to address questions around weedy evolution/adaption and genome
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Amber Pelon
M.S., Weed Science
Advisors – Franck Dayan and Todd Gaines
Research Area
Understanding quizalofop metabolism in CoAxium wheat and troubleshooting problems that farmers are seeing in the field with CoAxium wheat.
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Dustin Moreno Serrano
M.S., Weed Science
Advisors – Franck Dayan
Research Area
Studying the mechanisms of resistance to auxinic herbicides (Dicamba) in different populations of Amaranthus palmeri.
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Crystal D. Sparks
Ph.D., Weed Science
Advisor – Todd Gaines
Research Area
Investigating herbicide resistance in weeds and crops using molecular and biochemical approaches. Glyphosate resistance in rapid response giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida).
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Catherine Traxler
Ph.D., Weed Science
Advisors – Franck Dayan and Todd Gaines
Research Area
The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in herbicidal activity by exploring herbicidal modes of action that involve the production of ROS and oxidative damage to gain a better understanding of plant stress and the possibility of utilizing this knowledge in the development of new her
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Alyssa Twitty
M.S., Weed Science
Advisor – Franck Dayan
Research Area
Mode of Action and Novel Natural Herbicides