Skip to main content

Plant Pathology

Plant Pathology

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