Susan Brown

We use traditional breeding to develop new apple varieties, furthering our knowledge of the genetics of key traits in apples and identifying molecular markers for important characteristics for use in marker-assisted breeding (MAB). We identify outstanding advanced selections for potential variety release, and evaluate populations to study the inheritance of plant form, antioxidants, quality attributes and other characters. Interspecific hybrid populations are providing valuable material to study methylation of genes, as well as offering vast phenotypic diversity for genetic studies.

Journal Publications

• Gutierrez, B., Zhong, G., & Brown, S. K. (2018). Increased phloridzin content associated with russeting in apple (Malus domestica (Suckow) Borkh.) fruit. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 65:2135–2149.
• Gutierrez, B., Arro, J., Zhong, G., & Brown, S. K. (2018). Linkage and association analysis of dihydrochalcones phloridzin, sieboldin, and trilobatin in Malus. Tree Genetics & Genomes. 14:Article 91.
• Gutierrez, B., Zhong, G., & Brown, S. K. (2018). Genetic diversity of dihydrochalcone content in Malus germplasm. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 65:1485–1502.
• Yue, C., Gallardo, K., Luby, J., Rihn, A., McFerson, J., McCracken, V., Bedford, D., Brown, S. K., Evans, K., Webadde, C., Sebolt, A., & Iezzoni, A. (2013). An investigation of United States apple producers trait prioritization-evidence from audience surveys. HortScience. 48:1378-1384.
• Yang, X., Brown, S. K., & Davies, P. J. (2013). The content and in vivo metabolism of gibberellin in apple vegetative tissues. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 138:17278-17283.
• Xu, K., Wang, A., & Brown, S. K. (2012). Genetic characterization of the Ma locus with pH and titratable acidity in apple. Molecular Breeding. 30:899Ð912.
• Wang, A., Aldwinckle, H. S., Forsline, P. L., Main, D., Fazio, G., Brown, S. K., & Xu, K. (2012). EST contig-based SSR linkage maps for Malus x domestica Royal Gala and an apple scab resistant accession of M. sieversii, the progenitor species of domestic apple. Molecular Breeding. 29:379-397.
• Rao, M. A., & Brown, S. K. (2011). Rheological characteristics of apple skin and apple firmness. International Journal of Food Properties. 14:1297-1304.
• Ko, K., Brown, S. K., Norelli, J. L., Hrazdina, G., & Aldwinckle, H. S. (2010). In vitro pollen functionality of attacin-transgenic “Royal Gala” apple plants and apples transformed with 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase (ACS)-antisense vector. Plant Biosystems. 144:6.
• Shulaev, V., Korban, S. S., Sosinski, B., Abbott, A. G., Aldwinckle, H. S., Folta, K. M., Iezzoni, A., Main, D., Arus, P., Dandekar, A. M., Lewers, K., Brown, S. K., Davis, T. M., Gardiner, S. M., Potter, D., & Veilleux, R. E. (2008). Multiple models for Rosaceae genomics. Plant Physiology. 147:985-1003.

• Herman M. Cohn Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences (2020) CALS
• Goichman Family Directorship of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station (2017) CALS/Cornell
• Wilder Medal for Outstanding service to Horticulture (2016) American Pomological Society
• New York State Senate Women of Distinction (2014) New York State Senate
• SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service (2013) The State University of New York