This project focuses on basic and applied research on alfalfa, common bean, chickpea, lentil and pea. 

Specific objectives of our work include:

1. Identify different physiological races of pathogens responsible for soilborne diseases of alfalfa and develop molecular markers for rapid identification of the pathogens.
2. Identify molecular markers linked to tolerance to lodging in commercial alfalfa populations.
3. Identify sources of virus resistance in common bean.
4. Develop molecular markers linked to virus resistance in common bean that can be used in marker-assisted selection for the development of new cultivars and breeding lines.
5. Identify sources of resistance to Pea enation mosaic virus and Bean leafroll virus in chickpea and lentil germplasm.