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UF/IFAS Plant Breeding

UF/IFAS Plant Breeding

Students

Manuel Gastelbondo – Student Spotlight – UF/IFAS CALS Plant Breeding Ph.D. Program

 Tell us a little about yourself.  I was born in Colombia. I have worked as a...

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Jesse Murray – Student Spotlight – UF/IFAS CALS Plant Breeding Ph.D. Program

Tell us a little about yourself. I am originally from Kansas and grew up in...

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Plant Breeding at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is one of the most active and innovative in the world. It is the first program of its kind in Florida and one of a few in the U.S. In Fall 2021 a new generation of plant breeders from around the world started their Ph.D. degree with us. We are rapidly growing and attracting more oustanding students to our integrated Ph.D. in Plant Breeding degree. Learn about our 2021 and 2022 cohorts below. And, remember, we are actively recruiting competitive students for our Fall 2023 cohort!

2024 COHORT


 

Sudeep Adhikari

Focus Area: Pumpkin
Advisors: Dr. Geoffrey Meru
Email: sudeep.adhikar@ufl.edu 

Kelvin Dodzi Aloryi

Focus Area: Lettuce
Advisors: Dr. German Sandoya
Email: aloryikelvin@ufl.edu 

Hamza Ashfaq

Focus Area: Citrus
Advisors: Dr. Zhanao Deng
Email: hamza.ashfaq@ufl.edu 

Komlan Kekeli Batchey

Focus Area: Tomato
Advisors: Dr. Anuj Sharma
Email: kbatchey@ufl.edu

Raveendra Chandavarapu

Focus Area: Turfgrass
Advisors: Dr. Fredy Altpeter
Email: rchandavarapu@ufl.edu 

Hung-Yu Dai

Focus Area: Peanut
Advisors: Dr. Jianping Wang
Email: hungyudai@ufl.edu  

Will Lee Dobson

Focus Area: Blueberry
Advisors: Dr. Patricio Munoz
Email: dobsonw@ufl.edu 

Hani Wael Hassan

Focus Area: Citrus
Advisors: Dr. Zhanao Deng
Email: hani.hassan@ufl.edu 

Sri Madhulika Jetti

Focus Area: Broccoli
Advisors: Dr. Charlie Messina
Email: s.jetti@ufl.edu 

Darlon Vasquez Lantican

Focus Area: Sweet Corn
Advisors: Dr. Marcio Resende
Email: dv.lantican@ufl.edu 

Ankit Pokhrel

Focus Area: Blackberry
Advisors: Dr. Zhanao Deng
Email: pokhrel.an@ufl.edu 

Xavier V. Tacker

Focus Area: Strawberry
Advisors: Dr. Vance Whitaker
Email: tackerxavier@ufl.edu 

Trishna Tiwari

Focus Area: Citrus
Advisors: Dr. Charlie Messina
Email: tiwaritrishna@ufl.edu 

 
 

2023 COHORT


 

Wisnu Ardi

Wisnu H. Ardi

Focus Area: Begonia
Advisor: Dr. Alfred Huo
Email: w.handoyoardi@ufl.edu

Nic Borines

Nic Oswald Borines

Focus Area: Snap Beans
Advisor: Dr. C. Eduardo Vallejos 
Email: nborines@ufl.edu

Melanie Cabrera

Focus Area: Broccoli
Advisor: Dr. Charlie Messina
Email: melanie.cabrera@ufl.edu

Dylan Clark

Focus Area: Blueberry
Advisor: Dr. Patricio Munoz
Email: dylanclark@ufl.edu

Rafaela Graciano

Focus Area: Sweet Corn
Advisor: Dr. Marcio Resende 
Email: rafaela.graciano@ufl.edu

Juan Jimenez

Juan Jimenez

Focus Area: Blueberry
Advisor: Dr. Patricio Munoz
Email: jimenezpardoj@ufl.edu

Anisa Khalid

Anisa Khalid

Focus Area: Blueberry
Advisor: Dr. Patricio Munoz
Email: anisakhalid@ufl.edu

Gonzalo Casorzo

Gonzalo Casorzo Prieto

Focus Area: Blueberry
Advisor: Dr. Patricio Munoz 
Email: gcasorzoprieto@ufl.edu

Taylor Sawyer

Focus Area: Strawberry
Advisors: Drs. C. Messina/V. Whitaker
Email: taylorsawyer@ufl.edu

Nabeel Shaheen

Focus Area: Ornamentals
Advisors: Dr. Alfred Huo
Email: nabeelshaheen@ufl.edu 

Bihani Thapa

Focus Area: Tomato
Advisors: Dr. Jessica Chitwood-Brown
Email: bihani.thapa@ufl.edu 

 

2022 Cohort


Samuel Adewale - Picture

Samuel A. Adewale

Focus Area: Small Grains
Advisor: Dr. Ali Babar
Emailsadewale@ufl.edu

Habib Akinmade

Habib O. Akinmade

Focus Area: Forages
Advisor: Dr. Esteban Rios
Emailakinmade.habib@ufl.edu

Jairo A. Arcos Jaramillo - Picture

Jairo A. Arcos

Focus Area: Lettuce
Advisor: Dr. German Sandoya
Emailjarcosjaramillo@ufl.edu

Sisi Chen

Sisi Chen

Focus Area: Ornamentals
Advisor: Dr. Xingbo Wu
Emailsisi.chen@ufl.edu

Rakshya Dhakal_Picture

Rakshya Dhakal

Focus Area: Sweet Corn
Advisor: Dr. Marcio Resende
Emailrakshya.dhakal@ufl.edu

Anandi Karn

Anandi Karn

Focus Area: Blueberry
Advisor: Dr. Patricio Munoz
Emailanandikarn@ufl.edu

Makayla B. Rutski

Makayla B. Rutski

Focus Area: SE Pines
Advisor: Dr. Gary Peter 
Emailmakaylarutski@ufl.edu

Kaitlyn Vondracek

Kaitlyn Vondracek

Focus Area: Strawberry
Co-Advisors: Drs. Seonghee Lee and Tie Liu
Email: kvondracek@ufl.edu

 

2021 Cohort


Elissar Alam

Elissar Alam

Focus Area: Strawberries
Advisor: Dr. Vance Whitaker
Email: elissaralam@ufl.edu

Estefania Tavares 200px

Estefania Tavares F.

Focus Area: Blueberries
Advisor: Dr. Patricio Munoz
Email: es.tavaresflores@ufl.edu

Manuel Gastelbondo 200px

Manuel Gastelbondo

Focus Area: Tropical species
Advisor: Dr. Alan Chambers 
Emailgastelbondom@ufl.edu 

Samuel Ipinyomi 200px

Samuel O. Ipinyomi

Focus Area: Tomatoes
Advisor: Dr. Samuel Hutton 
Email: ipinyomi.samuel@ufl.edu  

Sudip Kunwar 200px

Sudip Kunwar

Focus Area: Small grains 
Advisor: Dr. Ali Babar
Email: skunwar@ufl.edu

Jesse Murray 200px

Jesse Murray

Focus Area: Lettuce
Advisor: Dr. German Sandoya 
Email: jesse.murray@ufl.edu

Mark Porter 200px

Mark Porter

Focus Area: Strawberry
Advisor: Dr. Seonghee Lee 
Email: markporter@ufl.edu

Pablo Sipowicz 200px

Pablo Sipowicz

Focus Area: Forages
Advisor: Dr. Esteban Rios 
Email: pablosipowicz@ufl.edu