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Mazourek, Michael

Cornell Faculty Member

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Positions

• Assistant Professor, Plant Breeding and Genetics (PB&G), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)

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Affiliations

member of graduate field

• Plant Breeding

Research

research overview

• The overall theme of my program is innovation of vegetables for adaptation for production in the Northeastern US and to be of improved quality and nutrition for consumers. I conduct much of this selection in Organic systems that represent a more natural environment. By working in a natural environment, I am better able to draw parallels between the artificial selection that takes place in plant breeding with the natural selection that has taken place during the evolution of crop progenitors. This process allows me to create new varieties that are contain otherwise cryptic factors that allow for crop production with fewer synthetic inputs and identify testable hypotheses regarding the genetic nature of these factors. My focus is on the chemistry that underlies and mediates plant adaptation to the biotic environment with the consideration that humans are a part of this biotic environment that has co-evolved with plants. These studies take place with pepper, squash, cucumber, melon, watermelon, and snap peas with whichever tool is appropriate to the question be it genomics, genetics, molecular biology, field trials or analytical chemistry. The resulting germplasm and knowledge is shared with global partners that are dealing with the same issues in their diverse regions.

principal investigator on

• CHARACTERIZATION OF PEPPER MILD MOTTLE VIRUS ERADICATED CAPSICUM BACCATUM ACCESSIONS  awarded by USDA ARS SAA 2011 - 2012
• ENHANCING EDUCATION AND RESEARCH BREEDING FOR PLANT DISEASE RESISTANCE  awarded by NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE-USDA 2010 - 2014
• HIGH THROUGH-PUT SNP GENOTYPING OF THE PEA CORE COLLECTION  awarded by AGRICULTURE RESEARCH SERVICE USDA (USDA-ARS) 2012 - 2013
• NORTHERN ORGANIC VEGETABLE IMPROVEMENT COLLABORATIVE  awarded by COOP STATE RES, ED & EXT SERV, USDA 2009 - 2012
• SQUASH IMPROVEMENT  awarded by SENECA FOODS INC. 2010 - 2015
• THE NEXT STEP IN CAPSICUM GERMPLASM RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT: VIRUS FREE C. FRUTESCENS ACCESSIONS AND CAPSAICINOID ANALYSIS OF C. BACCATUM STOCKS  awarded by AGRICULTURE RESEARCH SERVICE USDA (USDA-ARS) 2012 - 2013

co-principal investigator on

• PHD FELLOWSHIPS TO TRAIN PLANT BREEDERS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY  awarded by NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE-USDA 2012 - 2017
• REDUCING THE IMPACT OF PHYTOPHTHORA BLIGHT ON VEGETABLES IN NEW YORK  awarded by AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERV, USDA 2009 - 2012
• TESTING THE POTENTIAL OF "WILD" PEPPER LINES AS FALL CUTS  awarded by ASSOCIATION OF SPECIALTY CUT FLOWER GROWERS RESEARCH FOUNDATION 2012

keywords

• biochemical genetics
• cucumber
• melon
• peas
• pepper
• squash
• watermelon

Publications

individual publications

• academic article

  • Development and application of a suite of non-pungency markers for the Pun1 gene in pepper (Capsicum spp.).  Molecular Breeding.  30:1525-1529. 2012
  • ‘Salt and Pepper’: A Disease-resistant Cucumber Inbred.  HortScience.  47:427-428. 2012
  • 'Peacework': A Cucumber mosaic virus-resistant Early Red Bell Pepper for Organic Systems.  HortScience.  44:1464-1467. 2009
  • A COSII genetic map of the pepper genome provides a detailed picture of synteny with tomato and new insights into recent chromosome evolution in the genus Capsicum.  Theoretical and Applied Genetics.  118:1279-1293. 2009
  • A dynamic interface for capsaicinoid systems biology.  Plant Physiology.  150. 2009
  • Contrasting modes for loss of pungency between cultivated and wild species of Capsicum.  Heredity.  104:460-471. 2009
  • The Fractionated Orthology of Bs2 and Rx/Gpa2 Supports Shared Synteny of Disease Resistance in the Solanaceae.  Genetics.  182:1351-1364. 2009
  • Activator (Ac) mutagenesis of the pink scutellum1 locus of maize.  The Plant Cell.  15:874-884. 2003

• report

  • Report of the vegetable breeding programs 2010

featured in archived article

• Cornell receives nearly $850,000 to improve specialty crops

Teaching

teaching overview

• I am charged with preparing students for the post-genomic era of plant genetics. It is a foregone conclusion that this generation will be able to access any genotypic information about the plants in their world. It is my role then to help them understand the genetic basis of phenotype, inheritance, diversity, and natural versus synthetic changes of plant DNA in terms that will benefit them in the future as scientists, growers, retailers or consumers.

teaching activities

• PLBR-2250: Plant Genetics - Spring 2013
• PLBR-4091: Molecular Basis of Phenotype in Plant Breeding and Genetics - Spring 2013
• PLBR-7900: Graduate-Level Dissertation - Spring 2013
• PLBR-9900: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research - Spring 2013
• PLBR-7900: Graduate-Level Dissertation - Fall 2012
• PLBR-8900: Master's Level Thesis Research - Fall 2012
• PLBR-9900: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research - Fall 2012
• PLBR-2250: Plant Genetics - Spring 2012
• PLBR-7900: Graduate-Level Dissertation - Spring 2012
• PLBR-7900: Graduate-Level Dissertation - Fall 2011
• PLBR-8900: Master's-Level Thesis Research - Fall 2011
• PLBR-9900: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research - Fall 2011

Service

service to the profession

• Vegetable Breeding Working Group of the American Society for Horticultural Science Officer, Secretary 2011 -
• Vegetable Breeding Institute Member 2009 -

Background

education and training

• Ph.D. in Plant Molecular Biology, Cornell University 2008

Other

college

• CALS

research keyword

• biochemical genetics
• cucumber
• melon
• peas
• pepper
• squash
• watermelon