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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Poisonous Plant Research » People » Dale Gardner

Dale R Gardner

Research Chemist

 

 

 

Poisonous Plant Research Lab

1150 E 1400 N

Logan, UT 84341

(435)797-4023

 

 

 

 

 

 

Education

 

    1987    PhD      Analytical Chemistry; Colorado State University

    1983     BS      Chemistry; Cedarville College

 

 

 

 LC/MS Analysis of low larkspurs

 Diterpene acids of ponderosa pine needles

 Senecio madagascariensis in Hawaii

 Chemotaxonomy of tall larkpurs

 

 

Research Interests

 

The identification of toxic compounds in poisonous plants and the development of analytical methods to detect and measure toxic compounds in plant and animal tissue samples.

 

 

Significant Accomplishments

           

••          Isolated and identified the abortifacient compound in ponderosa pine needles as the labdane diterpene known as isocupressic acid.

••          Develop methods of analysis for the measurement of larkspur alkaloids in plant material and animal tissue samples using infrared spectroscopy and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry methods.

••          Developed methods for the analysis of the locoweed toxin, swainsonine, for the analysis of plant material using a rapid flow injection mass spectrometry procedure.

••          Identified and characterized the pyrrolizidine alkaloids of Senecio madagascariensis which is an invasive and toxic weed problem on the Hawaii islands.