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    Plant Pathology

    Plant Pathology

    Tea Banner

    About The TeaSearchers

    Developing a new crop is a collaborative effort, and tea research is expanding to involve faculty and students from multiple departments and units. Learn more about our team, and what we are doing to contribute to the future of Florida Tea.

    These are the UF faculty members who are involved in various aspects of tea research. Click on any team member’s photo to go to that faculty member’s own page.

    Brantlee

    Brantlee Spakes Richter

    Asst. Professor, Plant Pathology

    PI on FDACS and USDA-SARE grants, working on potential disease problems in tea production.


    “Saba” Rathinasabapathi

    “Saba” Rathinasabapathi

    Professor, Horticultural Sciences

    Co-PI on FDACS and USDA-SARE grants, working on tea physiology and heat stress.


    Tea Collaborators


    Paul Fisher

    Professor, Environmental Horticulture

    PI on UF SEED-IT grant, working on container production for home growers.


    Andrew Ogram

    Andrew Ogram

    Professor, Soil & Water Sciences

    Co-PI on USDA-SARE grant, working on soil microbial ecology and nutrient cycling.


    Matt Benge

    Matt Benge

    Asst. Professor, Agricultural Education & Communication

    Co-PI on USDA-SARE grant, working on project outreach and evaluation.


    Current and Former Student TeaSearchers


    Caitlin Clarke

    Caitlin Clarke

    PhD Student

    Projects: Tea genetics, nitrogen use, arbuscular mycorrhizal relationships


    Shannon McAmis

    Shannon McAmis

    DPM Student

    Projects: Soil microbial nitrogen cycling in organic tea production systems, impacts of organic amendments on tea fertility


    Kylee Soltez

    BS/MS Student

    Projects: Colletotrichum camelliae survival, Colletotrichum species in weeds and native plants within camellia and blueberry production areas


    Azhar Najjar

    Azhar Najjar

    Visiting Fulbright Scientist

    Project: Tea endophyte identification and characterization


    Brinnlee Lambert

    Undergrad

    Project: Soil microbial populations


    Precious Patton

    Undergrad

    Project: Tea Genetics


    James Orrock

    PhD Student

    Projects: tea varietal testing, heat stress, polyphenols, anthracnose resistance


    Matthew Borden

    Matthew Borden

    MS&DPM Student

    Project: Insect surveys on tea and yaupon holly


    Kristen Sandsted

    Kristen Sandsted

    Undergrad

    Project: tea endophyte identification and pathogen inhibition


    Yang Yue

    Yang Yue

    Undergrad

    Project: tea tissue culture propagation


    Kristen Kempfert

    Kristen Kempfert

    Undergrad

    Project: tea endophyte identification

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    Department of Plant Pathology
    2550 Hull Road, PO Box 110680, Gainesville FL 32611-0680
    (352) 392-3631

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