Cassava bacterial blight is a major constraint on cassava productivity worldwide. Collaborating with researchers from Hainan University and the National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, we identified stable reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis of cassava responses to infection by Xanthomonas phaseoli. Two genes, MehnRNPR and MePRPF38B, demonstrated superior expression stability across resistant and susceptible varieties.

Stem rust, including the highly virulent Ug99 race group, remains a major threat to global wheat production. In collaboration with researchers from the USDA-ARS Cereal Disease Laboratory, Kansas State University, and international wheat genetics teams, we identified a novel resistance gene, Sr68, derived from the wild relative Thinopyrum junceum. Using cytogenetic and molecular approaches, the gene was introgressed into wheat chromosome arm 1BS.

Understanding genetic diversity across cassava cultivars and wild relatives is essential for future crop improvement. Collaborating with researchers from Hainan University, the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, CIAT, UC Davis, EMBRAPA Brazil, and multiple genomic research institutes, we constructed a cassava pan-genome and haplotype map representing hundreds of accessions.

Post-harvest physiological deterioration (PPD) severely limits cassava shelf life and market value. We developed a deep-learning pipeline using YOLO foundation models and image segmentation tools to automatically detect and quantify PPD symptoms from simple RGB images. The system achieved over 80% detection accuracy, enabling rapid and scalable phenotyping compared with traditional manual scoring.