About us
| Curtis Rainbolt, Assistant Professor of Agronomy 50% research/ 50% extension |
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Email rainbolt@ufl.edu Experience: Dec 2004-Present- Assistant Professor, Agronomy Department, Everglades REC, University of Florida/IFAS Oct 2003-2004-Regional Extension Agent II, Sugarcane and Rice, Belle Glade, FL Education: 2004- PhD in Plant Science, University of Idaho May 2000- MS in Plant Science, University of Idaho Dec. 1997- BS in Agronomy,Texas Tech University |
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Email chandra8@ufl.edu
Summary: My research background is in Weed Science (Ph.D. dissertation research: Biological Control of Several Weedy Grasses using multiple-fungal plant pathogens) (University of Florida, Gainesville, FL). I have Master's in Molecular Biology (Belgium, Europe), Master's in Agricultural Microbiology (India), and Bachelor's in Agriculture Science (India). My research interests are to develop ecology-based integrated management strategies for selected invasive/crop weeds that will lead to reduced use of chemical herbicides.
Presently, I am assisting in research on chemical weed control in sugarcane. Some of the research projects include evaluation of herbicides for control of nutsedge, fall panicum, goosegrass, American nightshade, pigweeds in sugarcane, evaluation of growth regulators for increasing number of tillers and sugar content in cane, residual effects of preemergence herbicides on planted vegetables, interaction of weed populations and wireworms in sugarcane, nutsedge time of removal study in sugarcane, and evaluation of alternative crops as sources of biofuels. I have more than 10 years of overall research experience in weed science working with development of bioherbicides for use in terrestrial, aquatic and semi-aquatic weed control. During these years, I developed microbial formulations to control hydrilla, an aquatic invasive weed and several weedy grasses including invasive species, namely, cogongrass and torpedograss in natural areas. The use of selected microbial plant pathogens as bioherbicides to control weedy grasses has been patented (U.S. Patent No. 6,265,347. Issued on: July 27, 2001. Chandramohan, S., and Charudattan, R. "Enhanced Bioherbicidal Control of Weeds using Multiple Pathogens"), and the technology is available for licensing from the University of Florida (http://apps.rgp.ufl.edu/otl/viewTechInfo.cfm?case=1730).