David Stelly

Professor, Department of Soil & Crop Sciences

Laboratory Director, Institute For Plant Genomics & Biotechnology

Office: Beasley Laboratory, Agronomy Road Phone: 979-845-2745 Fax: 979-862-4733 Email: stelly@tamu.edu

Ph.D., Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1983

M.Sc., Plant Breeding and cytogenics, Iowa State University, 1979

B.Sc., Genetics University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1975

Cotton Cytogenetics
Genetic improvement of cotton, especially wide-cross germplasm introgression and breeding methodology. Development and usage of cytogenetic stocks. Integrative genome mapping. Molecular cytogenetics. Reproductive genetics, especially apomixis.

Dr. Stelly participates in three genetics-related graduate training programs: Molecular & Environmental Plant Sciences, Plant Breeding, and Genetics. He also serves as Director of the Laboratory for Plant Molecular Cytogenetics, and, as leader of the Cotton Cytogenetics Laboratory, he develops and curates the US Cotton Cytogenetics Collection. His research group efforts relate to several areas of biology, genetics, genomics and breeding. The group develops and uses molecular cytogenetics for plants, especially as a tool for integrative genomics of cotton and sorghum. Those integrative efforts have been augmented by development of whole-genome radiation hybrid mapping for cotton. The Cotton Cytogenetics Laboratory has a long history in cytogenetic manipulations of cotton, with heavy emphasis on manipulations of ploidy and hypoaneuploidy – these relate both to development of the Cytogenetics Collection and genetic diversification of cotton by means of interspecific germplasm introgression through chromosome substitution. The group’s research on apomixis (cotton, arabidopsis) is undertaken with biological, cytogenetic and breeding perspectives. As part of their efforts to improve genetic diversity of Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), the lab is also analyzing relative efficacy of breeding methodologies for interspecific germplasm introgression. He has authored or co-authored ca. 100 refereed publications and made many volunteered and invited lectures nationally and internationally. Dr. Stelly normally teaches 2-3 graduate courses per year, usually including introductory Histological Methods (AGRO 603), and introductory Cytogenetics (GENE 620, http://www.tamu.edu/genetics/classes/gene620.htm).

Distinguished Awards:
First elected chair of the International Cotton Genome Initiative (ICGI)
http://www.icgi.tamu.edu

Gao, W., Z. J. Chen, J. Z. Yu, D. Raska, R. J. Kohel, J. E. Womack, and D. M. Stelly. (2004). Wide-cross whole-genome radiation hybrid (WWRH) mapping of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Genetics (in press).

Kim, J.S., P. E. Klein, R. R. Klein, H. J. Price, J. E. Mullet and D. M. Stelly. (2004) Molecular cytogenetic maps of sorghum linkage groups B and H. Genetics (in press).

Zwick, M. S., M. N. Islam-Faridi, H. B. Zhang, G.L. Hodnett, M. Gomez, J.S. Kim, H. J. Price and D. M. Stelly. 2000. Distribution and sequence analysis of the centromere-associated repetitive element CEN38 of Sorghum bicolor (Poaceae). Amer. J. Botany. 87:1757-1764.

Liu S., S. Saha, D. Stelly, B. Burr and R.G.Cantrell. 2000. Chromosomal assignment of microsatellite loci in cotton. J. Heredity. 91:326-332.