Garrett Lab

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Plant Disease Ecology
Ecological Genomics
Biodiversity Resource Science



Research Projects

We study the ecology and ecological genomics of plant disease and other plant stressors. In agricultural systems, we work to improve plant disease management in US and tropical farming through resistance gene deployment and sustainable cultural practices. In natural systems, we study plant-pathogen-environment interactions in tallgrass prairie and tropical forests. Some of our projects emphasize statistical and/or bioinformatic approaches and ecological modeling.

Our current projects include:


Deployment of disease resistance genes in crop mixtures (USDA, USAID, NSF, The Land Institute)

Adapting to change in the Andean highlands (USAID)

Pyrosequencing to characterize changes in soil microbial communities associated with tropical soil degradation (USAID)

Epidemic waves, landscape heterogeneity, and spatial scale (NSF EID)

Distance- and phylogeny-based pathogen transmission in forest communities (NSF, CTFS)

IPM for rice-vegetable systems in Southeast Asia (USAID)

Current and projected regional risk of potato late blight in the tropics (USAID)

GIS applications for national crop risk assessment (USDA)

Ecological genomics of the tallgrass prairie dominant Andropogon gerardii (NSF, DOE, USDA)

Assessment of invasive potential of Tilletia indica, causal agent of Karnal bunt (USDA)

Our past projects include:

Effects of environmental variation on plant disease in tallgrass prairie and the prairie-agriculture interface (NSF)

Managing lands for both reduced wheat streak mosaic virus and benefits to wildlife and the environment (USDA)

Evaluation of benefits from Farmer Field Schools and Farmer Participatory Research (USAID)

Perennial wheat epidemiology (The Land Institute)



Kansas State University

Department of Plant Pathology

Ecological Genomics Institute


PI: Karen A. Garrett