Wenwei Xu, Ph.D.

Background

Dr. Wenwei Xu received his B.S. degree in Agronomy from Agricultural University of Gansu Province in 1982 and his M.S. degree in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing, China in 1985. He received his Ph.D. degree in Genetics in 1992 from University of Missouri-Columbia. Dr. Xu joined the Plant and Soil Science faculty at Texas Tech University in March, 1998 as an Assistant Professor of Corn Breeding and Genetics. Dr. Xu also has a joint appointment at Texas A&M University System Texas AgriLife Research.

Curriculum vitae

Research Interests

Dr. Xu's corn breeding and genetics program focuses on developing multiple stress tolerant corn germplasm for food, feed, and or silage by using conventional and molecular breeding methods. Major target traits include yield, drought and heat tolerance, corn earworm resistance, aflatoxin resistance, and mite resistance, and strong adaptation to the Southern environments. He is introgressing desirable genes from tropical and subtropical corn into temperate lines. His group has established a method for field evaluation of drought and heat tolerance, discovered root systems and hydraulic lift as a drought tolerance mechanism, officially released four inbred lines, developed a number of superior advanced lines, established strong collaboration with seed industry and close relationship with producers, and licensed germplasm to over ten seed companies. Other research projects include genome mapping, stress tolerance physiology and water management.

Dr. Xu's future research will involve working with crosses between temperate and tropically adapted varieties of corn to find a drought-tolerant plant that performs well under reduced irrigation. "With the continuing decline of the Ogallala Aquifer water level and increasing cost of pumping water, the use of drought-tolerant and high-yield corn hybrids is a key for sustainable corn production under limited irrigation," Xu said.

Teaching

• PSS 3421 - Fundamental Principles of Genetics
• PSS 6322 - Advanced Plant Breeding