Title: Genetic Research and Breeding New Turf Cultivars of Bermudagrass in the U.S.   

Speaker: Yanqi Wu, Oklahoma State University  

Time: 10:30, July 8, 2015   

Location: Meeting room 2, Administration building   

Dr. Yanqi Wu is an Associate Professor in Grass Breeding and Genetics and holds the Meibergen Endowed Professorship in Plant Breeding of the Plant and Soil Sciences Department at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Wu’s research is centered on the development of new cultivars, and genetic and genomic research on important agronomic traits in bermudagrass used for turf and forage, and switchgrass for bioenergy. Four new cultivars, ‘Goodwell’ forage bermudagrass, ‘Cimarron’ switchgrass, ‘NorthBridge’ turf bermudagrass, and ‘Latitude 36’ turf bermudagrass have been released from the breeding program since he joined OSU in 2006. ‘Latitude 36’ turf bermudagrass has been selected as a standard cultivar in the 2013-18 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Bermudagrass National Test. Dr. Wu authored and coauthored 43 refereed journal articles and 9 book chapters, and co-editor one book. He received the 2010 Early Career Award of the National Plant Breeders Association. In 2011, he received OSU DASNR James A. Whatley Award of Meritorious Research.