Research Project: Adaptation of Grain Crops to Varying Environments Including Climates, Stressors, and Human Uses

Location: Plant Genetics Research

Publications (Clicking on the reprint icon will take you to the publication reprint.)

Uses and Opportunities for Ethyl Methanesulfonate Mutagenesis in Maize - (Review Article)
Khangura, R.S., Best, N.B., Dilkes, B.P. 2025. Uses and Opportunities for Ethyl Methanesulfonate Mutagenesis in Maize. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.top108504.

Ethyl methanesulfonate treatment of maize seed for recovery of vegetative mutant sectors and segregating germinal mutations - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Khangura, R.S., Best, N.B., Dilkes, B.P. 2025. Ethyl methanesulfonate treatment of maize seed for recovery of vegetative mutant sectors and segregating germinal mutations. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.prot108650.

Ethyl methanesulfonate treatment of maize pollen for development of segregating mutant populations or targeted mutagenesis - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Khangura, R.S., Best, N.B., Dilkes, B.P. 2025. Ethyl methanesulfonate treatment of maize pollen for development of segregating mutant populations or targeted mutagenesis. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.prot108651.

Function of nuclear envelope proteins in plant growth and development - (Review Article)
Hazelwood, O.S., Best, N.B., Ashraf, M.A. 2025. Function of nuclear envelope proteins in plant growth and development. Current Opinion in Plant Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102738.

Improving plant breeding through AI-supported data integration - (Review Article)
Worasit, S., Kick, D.R., Washburn, J.D. 2025. Improving plant breeding through AI-supported data integration. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-025-04910-2.

Plant hormones at the intersection of stress and development - (Other)
Best, N.B., Mcsteen, P. 2025. Plant hormones at the intersection of stress and development. Journal of Experimental Botany. 76(7):1833-1836. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/eraf076.

Metabolomic profiling of purple corn pericarp phytochemicals and their efficient recovery in deep eutectic solvents with ultrasound-assisted extraction - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Kumar, R., Wan, C., Flint Garcia, S.A., Vardhanabhuti, B., Kuehnel, L., Mustapha, A., Somavat, P. 2025. Metabolomic profiling of purple corn pericarp phytochemicals and their efficient recovery in deep eutectic solvents with ultrasound-assisted extraction. Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy. 44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scp.2025.101978.

Phytochemical characterization of eighteen colored corn varieties and coproducts from the 2022 season of the Missouri colored corn adaptation program - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Ali, A., Salazar-Vidal, M., Flint Garcia, S.A., Kumar, R., Lin, M., Wan, C., Somavat, P. 2025. Phytochemical characterization of eighteen colored corn varieties and coproducts from the 2022 season of the Missouri colored corn adaptation program. Industrial Crops and Products. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2025.120772.

Metabolite profiling of growth regulatory hormones from maize tissue - (Literature Review)
Dilkes, B.P., Best, N.B. 2025. Metabolite profiling of growth regulatory hormones from maize tissue. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.top108432.

Analysis of polar and nonpolar small plant growth hormones and quantification by LC/MS - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Dilkes, B.P., Best, N.B. 2025. Analysis of polar and non-polar small plant growth hormones and quantification by LC/MS. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.prot108647.

Sterol and brassinosteroid hormone quantification by LC/MS of picolinyl ester derivatives - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Dilkes, B.P., Best, N.B. 2025. Sterol and brassinosteroid hormone quantification by LC/MS of picolinyl ester derivatives. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.prot108646.

Description of heterorhabditis americana n. sp. (Rhabditida, Heterorhabditidae), a new entomopathogenic nematode species isolated in North America - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Machado, R.A., Abolafia, J., Robles, M., Ruiz-Cuenca, A.N., Bhat, A., Shokoohi, E., Puza, V., Zhang, X., Erb, M., Robert, C.A., Hibbard, B.E. 2025. Description of heterorhabditis americana n. sp. (Rhabditida, Heterorhabditidae), a new entomopathogenic nematode species isolated in North America. Parasites & Vectors. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06702-5.

How to monitor growth and identify developmental stages of maize (Zea mays) - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Salazar-Vidal, N.M., Draves, M.A., Fitzsimmons, S.L., Traylor, Z.B., Tracy, W.F., Flint Garcia, S.A. 2025. How to monitor growth and identify developmental stages of maize (Zea mays). Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.prot108637.

Planting, pollinating, harvesting, and monitoring growth in maize (Zea mays) for research - (Review Article)
Traylor, Z.B., Fitzsimmons, S.L., Draves, M.A., Salazar-Vidal, M., Tracy, W.F., Flint Garcia, S.A. 2025. Planting, pollinating, harvesting, and monitoring growth in maize (Zea mays) for research. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.top108444.

Field preparation and planting corn (Zea mays) - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Draves, M.A., Traylor, Z.B., Salazar-Vidal, N., Fitzsimmons, S., Flint Garcia, S.A. 2025. Field preparation and planting corn (Zea mays). Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.prot108636.

How to harvest and store corn (Zea mays) - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Salazar-Vidal, N., Draves, M.A., Fitzsimmons, S.L., Traylor, Z.B., Flint Garcia, S.A. 2025. How to harvest and store corn (Zea mays). Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.prot108639.

How to pollinate corn (Zea mays) - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Fitzsimmons, S.L., Salazar-Vidal, M., Traylor, Z.B., Draves, M.A., Flint Garcia, S.A. 2025. How to pollinate corn (Zea mays). Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.prot108638.

Optimization of polyphenol extraction from purple corn pericarp using glycerol/lactic acid-based deep eutectic solvent in combination with ultrasound-assisted extraction - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Kumar, R., Flint Garcia, S.A., Salazar-Vidal, M., Channaiah, L., Vardhanabhuti, B., Sommer, S., Wan, C., Somavat, P. 2024. Optimization of polyphenol extraction from purple corn pericarp using glycerol/lactic acid-based deep eutectic solvent in combination with ultrasound-assisted extraction. Antioxidants. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14010009.

Gibberellins: extending the Green Revolution - (Review Article)
Robil, J.M., Awale, P., Mcsteen, P., Best, N.B. 2025. Gibberellins: extending the Green Revolution. Journal of Experimental Botany. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erae476.

Global genotype by environment prediction competition reveals that diverse modeling strategies can deliver satisfactory maize yield estimates - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Washburn, J.D., Varela, J.I., Xavier, A., Chen, Q., Ertl, D., Gage, J.L., Holland, J.B., Lima, D.C., Romay, M.C., Lopez-Cruz, M., Kick, D.R. 2024. Global genotype by environment prediction competition reveals that diverse modeling strategies can deliver satisfactory maize yield estimates. Genetics. https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/iyae195.

A nuclear phylogenomic tree of grasses (Poaceae) recovers current classification despite gene tree incongruence - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Arthan, W., Baker, W.J., Barrett, M.D., Barrett, R.L., Bennetzen, J., Besnard, G., Bianconi, M.E., Birch, J.L., Catalán, P., Chen, W., Washburn, J.D., et. al. 2024. A nuclear phylogenomic tree of grasses (Poaceae) recovers current classification despite gene tree incongruence. New Phytologist. 245(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.20263.

Effects of temperature and storage duration on quality of an insect artificial diet - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Ho, K., Hibbard, B.E., Vella, M.G., Shelby, K., Huynh, M.P. 2024. Effects of temperature and storage duration on quality of an insect artificial diet. Frontiers in Insect Science. 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2024.1475411.

High temporal resolution unoccupied aerial systems phenotyping provides unique information between flight dates - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Washburn, J.D., Adak, A., Desalvio, A., Arik, M.A., Murray, S.C. 2024. High temporal resolution unoccupied aerial systems phenotyping provides unique information between flight dates. The Plant Phenome Journal. 7. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppj2.20113.

Oebalus pugnax (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) resistance to lambda-cyahlothrin in Texas and efficacy of 2 alternative insecticides in grain sorghum - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Gray, D.D., Biles, S., Bernaola, L., Mays, D., Walker, W., Towles, T., Kerns, D., Ludwick, D.C. 2024. Oebalus pugnax (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) resistance to lambda-cyahlothrin in Texas and efficacy of 2 alternative insecticides in grain sorghum. Journal of Economic Entomology. 117(5):2060-2069. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toae155.

Microencapsulation of highly concentrated polyphenolic compounds from purple corn pericarp by spray-drying with various biomacromolecules - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Ali, A., Wan, C., Lin, M., Flint Garcia, S.A., Vardhanabhutib, B., Somavat, P. 2024. Microencapsulation of highly concentrated polyphenolic compounds from purple corn pericarp by spray-drying with various biomacromolecules. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132938.

Halophytes and heavy metals: a multi-omics approach to understand the role of gene and genome duplication in the abiotic stress tolerance of Cakile maritima - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Thomas, S.K., Vanden Hoek, K., Ogoti, T., Duong, H., Angelovici, R., Pires, C.J., Mendoza-Cozatl, D., Washburn, J.D., Schenck, C.A. 2024. Halophytes and heavy metals: a multi-omics approach to understand the role of gene and genome duplication in the abiotic stress tolerance of Cakile maritima. American Journal of Botany. 111. Article e16310. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.16310.

Susceptibility of northern corn rootworm (Diabrotica barberi) populations to Cry3Bb1 and Gpp34/Tpp35Ab1 proteins in seedling and diet overlay toxicity assays - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Pereira, A.E., Huynh, M.P., Paddock, K.J., Geisert, R.W., Calles Torrez, V., Knodel, J.J., Moellenbeck, D.J., Reinders, J.D., Meinke, L.J., Schneider, S.K., Coudron, T.A., Shelby, K., Hibbard, B.E. 2024. Susceptibility of northern corn rootworm (Diabrotica barberi) populations to Cry3Bb1 and Gpp34/Tpp35Ab1 proteins in seedling and diet overlay toxicity assays. Journal of Economic Entomology. 117(1):178-186. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toad221.