Dr. Sarah Ward Assistant Professor  Department of Soil and Crop Sciences sward@lamar.colostate.edu

Three projects are currently underway: 1) screening for molecular markers linked to Rf restorer genes which interact with male sterile cytoplasm in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa); 2) RAPD fingerprinting to assess genetic diversity and identify discrete gene pools among South American quinoa accessions from different geographical origins; 3) preliminary studies on the feasibility of developing a PCR-based diagnostic test for the presence of Verticillium dahliae in asymptomatic peppermint plants.