Jonathan Kressin
Former Graduate
- Email: jpkressi@ncsu.edu
- Degree Program: Ph.D., Horticultural Science and Plant Pathology; M.S. Horticultural Science – Plant Breeding
- Previous Degree: B.S. Biology, Wheaton College
- Advisors: Dr. Dilip R. Panthee; Co-advisor: Dr. Frank J. Louws
- Completion Date: July 2018
Research
To quantify the genetics associated with disease resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum (Bacterial Wilt) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). My focus is on evaluation, quantification, and deployment of rootstock germplasm for grafted tomato production systems. Towards this, I am investigating the nature of the quantitative resistance mechanisms in tomato against bacterial wilt. This includes spatial-temporal host-pathogen dynamics, novel resistance phenotyping approaches, and resistance diversity. I am then mobilizing that fundamental biology into breeding and management applications via a translational phenomics approach to address short and long term breeding and production needs. The work is being done in the context of a multi-institutional grant for investigating and developing the potential of vegetable grafting for the US vegetable production systems.