Pursuit for Better Berries: Integration of Natural and Technological resources
Dr. Kalpalatha Melmaiee
Associate Professor at Delaware State University
Abstract: Blueberries are an economically important fruit crop in the United States, and they possess many health beneficial components. Blueberry is a relatively new crop and there is a greater potential for genetic improvement. Understanding genomic relationships in blueberries (Vaccinium section Cyanococcus) is essential to advance genetic improvement of horticulturally important traits. My presentation will talk about our investigation of genomic relationships in 195 blueberry genotypes including cultivars (V. corymbosum) and wild accessions (V. boreale, V. darrowii, V. myrsinities, and V. tenellum) to understand progenitors, bridge species and admixtures using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) mined from genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) data. I will also talk about unraveling candidate genes for high temperature stress tolerance from a structured blueberry population.
Bio: Dr. Kalpalatha Melmaiee is an Associate Professor at Delaware State University, Dover, Delaware, United States of America. Her research utilizes genomics, genetics, and molecular biology tools. Her current projects focus on improving blueberry, strawberry, hemp, and sugar maple for biotic and abiotic stresses. She obtained her PhD from Oklahoma State University, had post-doctoral training at the University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University and Delaware State University. Since 2008, she has been working at Delaware State University in various capacities.
She is a recipient of Fulbright specialist award in 2022 to visit Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), India to share her expertise with the faculty and researcher at TNAU. She is also recipient of Faculty excellence in advising in 2022 and in research in 2019 from Delaware State University.
Dr. Melmaiee is originally from a small village from Andhra Pradesh. Attended public Telugu medium schools and junior college in the Village. She obtained her B.Sc., in Agriculture from S.V Agricultural College, Tirupati, and M.Sc., in Plant Breeding from the Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu. After her masters degree, she worked as Research Associate for three years in ICRISAT, Hyderabad before joining her Ph.D program at Oklahoma State University. She likes gardening, travel, and visiting beaches on leisure times.
