Individual Listing

2251 SPIETH HALL
University of California
Riverside, CA 92521

Roberts, Philip A

Professor and Chair, Nematology Department

College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Nematology


Biography

 Dr. Philip A. Roberts is a Professor of Nematology and Nematologist in the Agricultural Experiment Station. Dr. Roberts first arrived at UCR in November 1978 to conduct postdoctoral research. In 1981, he joined the faculty of the Department of Nematology at UCR, appointed as a Cooperative Extension Specialist and Agricultural Experiment Station Nematologist and based at the Kearney Agricultural Center in Parlier, California. He returned to the UCR campus in 1990 as Professor and Nematologist in the Agricultural Experiment Station. He served as department chair for almost a year beginning in January 1996, before joining the College administration as Associate Dean in October 1996. He served as Associate Dean for the Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension for the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences from 1996 to 2001.

Degrees

PhD Plant Biology 1978

Birmingham University & Rothamsted Experimental Station, UK

BSc (Hons) Agricultural Zoology 1975

Leeds University, UK

Awards

CIBA Award, Society of Nematologists, 1994 -for outstanding contributions to agriculture
Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2001


Research Area

My research focuses on the integrated management of plant parasitic nematodes. A major emphasis is placed on the identification, characterization, and development of host plant resistance to root-knot nematodes for genetic improvement of crops. Current work includes studies of resistance gene inheritance, development of gene markers, genome mapping, and gene transfer. Research on the genetic resistance and associated traits in crop plants to root-knot nematodes is organized in the areas of: 1) identifying new sources of resistance genes; 2) nature, inheritance and molecular characterization of resistance genes; 3) introgressing resistance for breeding line and crop improvement for warm/arid environments using classical and novel techniques; 4) assessing and implementing resistant and tolerant lines and cultivars in the field in appropriate cropping systems; and 5) studying variability of parasitic specificity within and between nematode species.

Publications

DeVay, J.E., A.P. Guiterrez, G.S. Pullman, R.J. Wakeman, R.H. Garber, D.P. Jeffers, S.N. Smith, P.B. Goodell and P.A. Roberts. 1997. Inoculum densities of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum and Meloidogyne incognita in relation to the development of Fusarium wilt and the phenology of cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum). Phytopathology 87:341-346.


Keen, N.T. and P.A. Roberts. 1998. Plant parasitic nematodes: digesting a page from the microbe book. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95:4789-4790.


Ogallo, J.L., P.B. Goodell, J. Eckert and P.A. Roberts. 1999. Management of root-knot nematodes with resistant cotton cv. NemX. Crop Science 39:418-421.


Veremis, J.C., A.W. van Heusden and P.A. Roberts. 1999. Mapping a novel heat-stable resistance to Meloidogyne in Lycopersicon peruvianum. Theor. Appl. Genet. 98:274-280.


Ehlers, J. D., W.C. Matthews, A. E. Hall, and P.A. Roberts. 2000. Inheritance of a broad-based form of root-knot nematode resistance in cowpea. Crop Science. 40:611-618.


Ehlers, J. D., A. E. Hall, P. N. Patel, P.A. Roberts, and W.C. Matthews. 2000. Registration of 'California Blackeye 27’ cowpea. Crop Science 40:854-855.


Boiteux, L. S., J. G. Belter, P. A. Roberts, and P. W. Simon. 2000. RAPD linkage map of the genomic region encompassing the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) resistance locus in carrot. Theor. Appl. Genet 100:439-446.


Ouédraogo, J.T., B.S. Gowda, M. Jean, T.J. Close, J.D. Ehlers, A.E. Hall, A.G. Gillaspie, P.A. Roberts, A.M. Ismail, G. Bruening, P. Gepts, M.P. Timko, and F.J. Belzile, 2002. An improved genetic linkage map for cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) combining AFLP, RFLP, RAPD, biochemical markers and biological resistance traits. Genome 45, 175-188.


Roberts, P.A. and T. Mullens. 2002. Diseases caused by Nematodes. Pp 45-50 In: Compendium of Umbelliferous Crop Diseases. R. M. Davis and R. N. Raid (eds.). American Phytopathological Society. APS Press, St. Paul, MN.


Roberts, P.A. 2002. Concepts and Consequences of Resistance. Pp. 23-41 In: Plant Resistance to Parasitic Nematodes. J.L. Starr, R. Cook, J. Bridge (eds.). CABI Publishing, Wallingford, UK.


Ehlers, J. D., W.C. Matthews, A. E. Hall, and P.A. Roberts. 2002. Breeding and evaluation of cowpeas with high levels of broad-based resistance to root-knot nematodes. Pp. 41-51 In: Advances in Cowpea Research. Vol II. C. A. Fatokun et al. (eds.). International Institute Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria.


Ammiraju, J. S. S., J. C. Veremis, X. Huang, P. A. Roberts and I. Kaloshian. 2003. The heat-stable root-knot nematode resistance gene Mi-9 from Lycopersicon peruvianum is localized on the short arm of chromosome 6. Theor. Appl. Genet. 106:478-484.


Boiteux, L.S., I. C. Bach, M.E.N. Fonseca, A. W. Moita, W.C. Matthews, P.A. Roberts, and P.W. Simon. 2003. Evidence for a dosage-dependent response of the Meloidogyne javanica resistance locus in carrot via linkage analysis with codominant flanking markers. Euphytica. (in press).


Chen, P. and P. A. Roberts. 2003. Virulence in Meloidogyne hapla differentiated by resistance in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Nematology (in press)


Hall, A. E., N. Cisse, S. Thiaw, H. O. A. Elawad, J. D. Ehlers, A. M. Ismail, R. L. Fery, P. A. Roberts, L. W. Kitch, L. L. Murdock, O. Boukar, R. D. Phillips and K. H. McWatters. 2003. Development of Cowpea Cultivars and Germplasm. Field Crops Res. (in press).