Texas Tech Department of Plant & Soil Science Professor Mark Burow
Mark Burow, a professor of molecular genetics in Texas Tech's Department of Plant & Soil Science with a joint appointment at Texas A&M AgriLife Research, has been named a 2026 Fellow of the American Peanut Research & Education Society (APRES), one of the organization's highest honors recognizing scientists whose careers have advanced peanut research, education and the industry.
'I appreciate the recognition, but want to emphasize that I could not have done this alone. I’d like to thank all those who contributed through their hard work and ideas.'
The recognition, presented July 16 during the society's annual meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, honored active members whose sustained contributions have helped shape peanut science and production over the course of their careers.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve the peanut industry and growers, and to teach and work at excellent universities,” Burow said. “As for the award, I appreciate the recognition, but want to emphasize that I could not have done this alone. I’d like to thank all those who contributed through their hard work and ideas -- students, technicians, postdocs, fellow researchers, administrative staff, funding agencies, and finally to God for all His blessings and help.”
Over the past 25 years, Burow has helped transform Texas Tech's peanut breeding program by combining advances in molecular genetics with practical crop improvement. His research has centered on developing peanut varieties better adapted to the environmental challenges facing producers across West Texas, with an emphasis on improving seed quality, increasing tolerance to drought and heat, strengthening disease resistance and making plant breeding more efficient.
Burow’s research has benefited peanut producers across Texas while influencing breeding programs around the world, said Krishna Jagadish, interim chair and professor of the Department of Plant & Soil Science. This national recognition is a tribute to decades of leadership, innovation and service.
Peanuts remain one of the High Plains' most valuable specialty crops, where growers routinely contend with limited water supplies, rising production costs and persistent disease pressure. Burow's work has focused on helping producers meet those challenges by developing varieties with higher oleic oil content, earlier maturity, improved disease resistance and greater resilience under water-limited conditions.
Among his most influential scientific achievements was developing the first molecular genetic map of cultivated peanuts, a breakthrough that accelerated the use of molecular breeding technologies. He also helped develop molecular markers associated with leaf spot resistance, nematode resistance, oil quality and drought tolerance, providing plant breeders with tools to identify desirable genetic traits more quickly and accurately.
Burow has complemented those discoveries with an extensive applied research program evaluating peanut germplasm, experimental breeding lines and advanced hybrids for cultivar development. His collaborative research has produced improved germplasm with greater drought tolerance and disease resistance while strengthening peanut breeding efforts across Texas.
His impact extends well beyond the state. Through international collaborations, Burow has contributed to the development of improved peanut cultivars for West Africa, where drought and disease continue to threaten agricultural productivity and food security. He also played a key role in the international Peanut Genomics Initiative, working with scientists worldwide to advance molecular breeding technologies and expand the exchange of genomic research.
In announcing the fellowship, APRES also recognized Burow's longstanding leadership within the organization. A member of the society for 28 years, he served as president-elect from 2021 to 2022, president from 2022 to 2023 and past president from 2023 to 2024.
Burow is the second faculty member from Texas Tech to receive APRES Fellow recognition. Peter Dotray, Rockwell Chair of Weed Science in the Department of Plant & Soil Science, was named an APRES Fellow in 2019 for his nationally recognized research developing sustainable weed management systems for cotton, peanuts and other High Plains crops, as well as integrated strategies to combat herbicide-resistant weeds.
CONTACT: Krishna Jagadish, Interim Chair and Professor, Department of Plant & Soil Science, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-7953 or kjagadish.sv@ttu.edu
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