Research focuses on the development and introgression of new and novel traits of interest to the food industry. This includes the development and release of new varieties, developing foods to supply changing food systems and food products such as natural colors. New vegetable genotypes and generated with resistance to biotic and abiotic pests, and with new consumer quality traits including color and shape.
The research focuses on breeding for important traits in vegetable crops. These goals include the selection of new crops with consumer desirable traits, and crops adapted to regional, national and international growing conditions. The research includes the adaptation of crops to the Great Lakes Region and tropical/sub-tropical environments, including Sub-Saharan Africa. The research involves multi-state, multi-disciplinary and international collaborations with supporting laboratory techniques including molecular breeding and diagnostics, cellular techniques including flow cytometry, tissue culture and embryo rescue, and a large focus on controlled environment screening.
The research focuses on breeding for resistance to economically important disease and environmental stress constraints of vegetable crops. These goals include the selection of snap beans with resistance to aphid-transmitted viruses, common bean rust, white mold and heat stress, Brassica vegetables with resistance to black rot and heat stress and novel tomato traits. The research includes the adaptation of crops to the Great Lakes Region and tropical/sub-tropical environments, including Sub-Saharan Africa. The research involves multi-state, multi-disciplinary and international collaborations with supporting laboratory techniques including molecular breeding and diagnostics, cellular techniques including flow cytometry, tissue culture and embryo rescue, and a large focus on controlled environment screening.
Outreach and Extension Focus
Extension activities include regional, national and international efforts. Regional activities include liasing with New York State growers/companies, presenting at grower meetings and hosting field and greenhouse outreach activities and field days. National activities include committee roles and multi-state research activity and reporting roles. International activities include research and education activities associated with multi-location activities in Africa, and presenting at collaborating seed company field days.
Journal Publications
- Hart, J. P., & Griffiths, P. D. (2015). Genotyping-by-Sequencing Enabled Mapping and Marker Development for the By-2 Potyvirus Resistance Allele in Common Bean. The Plant Genome. 8:14.
- Porch, T. G., Smith, J. R., Beaver, J. S., Griffiths, P. D., & Canaday, C. (2010). Registration of TARS-HT1 and TARS-HT2 heat tolerant dry bean germplasm lines. HortScience. 45:1278-1280.
- Wasonga, C. J., Pastor-Corrales, M., Porch, T., & Griffiths, P. D. (2010). Targeting Gene Combinations for Broad Spectrum Rust Resistance in Heat Tolerant Snap Beans Developed for Tropical Environments. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 135:521-532.
- Rainey, K. M., & Griffiths, P. D. (2005). Diallel analysis of yield components of snap beans exposed to two temperature stress environments. Euphytica. 142:43-53.
- Rainey, K. M., & Griffiths, P. D. (2005). Differential responses of common bean genotypes to high temperatures. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 130:18-23.
- Rainey, K. M., & Griffiths, P. D. (2005). Identification of heat tolerant Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray plant introductions following exposure to high temperatures in a controlled environment. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 52:117-120.
- Rainey, K. M., & Griffiths, P. D. (2005). Inheritance of heat tolerance during reproductive development in snap beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 130:700-706.
- Griffiths, P. D., & Roe, C. (2005). Response of Brassica oleracea var. capitata to wound and spray inoculation with Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris in juvenile and mature plants. HortScience. 40:47-49.
- Tonguc, M., & Griffiths, P. D. (2004). Development of black rot resistant interspecific hybrids between B. oleracea L cultivars and accession A 19182. Euphytica. 136:313-318.
- Tonguc, M., & Griffiths, P. D. (2004). Evaluation of Brassica carinata accessions for resistance to black rot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris). HortScience. 39:952-954.
