Greg Vogel

My research aims are to:

• Discover and describe the genetic basis of novel traits that increase productivity, resilience, or consumer appeal.
• Model the successful implementation of technologies such as genomic selection in an applied vegetable breeding program.
• Release high-quality, disease-resistant cultivars.

My breeding program will concentrate on tomato and eggplant improvement and consider the needs of growers and consumers both regionally, in New York and the Northeastern U.S., as well as globally, especially in the case of eggplant. Areas of focus initially will include Verticillium wilt resistance in eggplant, early blight and Septoria leaf spot resistance in tomato, and the characterization and introgression of "heirloom" quality traits into modern tomato varieties.

Extension and outreach

I have a 60% research and 40% extension appointment, and look forward to opportunities to interact with members of the larger community including growers, gardeners, seed industry professionals, and students and educators. I believe extension involves a two-way movement of ideas and information and am excited to both share my knowledge as well as learn from growers so as to better structure my research program. As part of my extension program, I plan to conduct trials of commercially available varieties and disseminate results on productivity, quality, and disease resistance.

Mentorship

I hope to train students not only in genetics and genomics research, but also in the practical science and art of cultivar development. Please reach out to me via email if you are interested in joining our research group.