Tim Setter

My research seeks better understanding of the underlying biology of drought stress response in cassava, maize and other grain crops, the regulatory systems for flowering in cassava, and better methods to screen breeding germplasm for improved responses to environmental stresses. In cassava we are elucidating responses to environmental factors such as photoperiod and temperature, and to plant growth regulators, on flower initiation and seed/fruit development. In maize, we focus on reproductive and kernel development and associated yield-determining processes. These studies seek to identify traits that could serve as targets for selection in breeding programs and QTL/marker assisted selection strategies. We use transcript profiling to quantify gene expression, collaborate with quantitative geneticists and breeders on mapping genetic loci, and seek ways to improve crop cultivars so farmers in drought-prone areas of the world can achieve food security.

Selected Publications

• Pineda, M., Yu, B., Tian, Y., Morante, N., Salazar, S., Hyde, P., Setter, T. L., & Ceballos, H. (2020). Effect of Pruning Young Branches on Fruit and Seed Set in Cassava. Frontiers in Plant Science. 11:1107.
• Hyde, P. T., Guan, X., Abreu, V., & Setter, T. L. (2019). The anti-ethylene growth regulator silver thiosulfate (STS) increases flower production and longevity in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz). Plant Growth Regulation. 90:441-453.
• Adeyemo, O. S., Hyde, P. T., & Setter, T. L. (2018). Identification of FT family genes that respond to photoperiod, temperature and genotype in relation to flowering in cassava (Manihot esculenta, Crantz). Plant Reproduction. 32:181-191.
• Adeyemo, O. S., Chavarriaga, P., Tohme, J., Fregene, M., Davis, S. J., & Setter, T. L. (2017). Overexpression of Arabidopsis FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) gene improves floral development in cassava (Manihot esculenta, Crantz). PLOS One. 12:e0181460.
• Zhang, X., Warburton, M. L., Setter, T., Liu, H., Xue, Y., Yang, N., Yan, J., & Xiao, Y. (2016). Genome‑wide association studies of drought‑related metabolic changes in maize using an enlarged SNP panel. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 129:1449-1463.
• Yu, L., & Setter, T. L. (2016). Comparative transcriptomes between viviparous1 and wildtype maize developing endosperms in response to water deficit. Environmental and Experimental Botany. 123:116-124.
• Duque, L. O., & Setter, T. L. (2013). Cassava response to water deficit in deep pots: root and shoot growth, ABA, and carbohydrate reserves in stems, leaves and storage roots. Tropical Plant Biology. 6:199-209.
• Boyer, J. S., Byrne, P., Cassman, K. G., Cooper, M., Delmer, D., Greene, T., Gruis, F., Habben, J., Hausmann, N., Kenny, N., Lafitte, R., Paszkiewicz, S., Porter, D., Schlegel, A., Schussler, J., Setter, T. L., Shanahan, J., Sharp, R. E., Vyn, T. J., Warner, D., & Gaffney, J. (2013). The U.S.drought of 2012 in perspective: A call to action. Global Food Security. 2:139-143.
• Chen, C., & Setter, T. L. (2012). Response of potato dry matter assimilation and partitioning to elevated CO2 at various stages of tuber initiation and growth. Environmental and Experimental Botany. 80:27Ð34.
• Setter, T. L., Yan, J., Warburton, M., Ribaut, J. M., Xu, Y., Sawkins, M., Buckler, E. S., Zhang, Z., & Gore, M. (2011). Genetic association mapping identifies single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes that affect abscisic acid levels in maize floral tissues during drought. JXB: Journal of Experimental Botany. 62:701-716.