Crop & Soil Sciences: Personnel: Faculty
Steve Knapp
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Academic Rank: | Eminent Scholar and Professor of Crop Science |
| Academic History: | Ph.D., University of Nebraska (Agronomy and Plant Breeding) 1983 M.S., University of Nevada-Reno (Agronomy and Plant Breeding) 1980 B.S., University of Nevada-Reno (Agronomy) 1978 |
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| Area of Expertise: | Plant Breeding and Genomics | |
| Campus: | Athens | |
| Office Location: | Center for Applied Genetic Technologies, Room 249 | |
| Email: | sjknapp@uga.edu | |
| Phone: | 706/542-4021 | |
| Fax: | 706/542-0914 | |
| Shipping Address: | Center for Applied Genetic Technologies 111 Riverbend Road Athens, GA 30602-6810 |
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| Additional Web site: |
Research, Teaching, and Extension Work
Our research focuses on the breeding, genetics, and genomics of the common sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and domestication, breeding, and commercial advancement of novel oilseeds for industrial, food, and biofuel markets, especially meadowfoam (Limnanthes), a source of very long-chain fatty acids, and Cuphea, a source of short- and medium-chain fatty acids. Our research is geared towards discovering genes and genetic mechanisms underlying biologically and economically important traits, gaining insights into genetic diversity, crop domestication, and genome organization and evolution, enhancing the nutritional, industrial, agronomic, and horticultural qualities of crop plants, increasing the productivity and novelty of agronomic and horticultural crops of regional and national importance, and introducing new industrial crops for domestically producing and supplying seed oils to the US chemical industry, thereby supplanting non-renewable and imported oils and increasing economic security. One of our main thrusts has been the development and enhancement of molecular breeding tools and genomics resources for sunflower, safflower (Carthamus tinctorious L.), peanut, flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), Cuphea, and Limnanthes.