Faculty: Department of Horticulture

Department of Horticulture at Vrginia Tech

Dr. Bingyu Zhao, Assistant Professor

B.S., 1990-1994, Qingdao Agricultural University, China
M.S., 1994-1997, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Ph.D., 1999-2004, Kansas State University, KS, USA
Postdoctoral, 2004-2007, University of California-Berkeley, CA, USA

My major research area is biotechnology and genomics of biofuel feedstocks. We are working on switchgrass (Panicum virginicum), which is considered a prime candidate for large-scale biomass production for ligno-cellulose derived bio-energy. We employ biotechnology and genomics tools to improve the biomass production and plant resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses of switchgrass.

My laboratory also works on the molecular plant-microbe interactions using tomato-Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria and watermelon-Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli as two model plant-pathogen systems.

Latham Hall 407
Department of Horticulture
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061

(540) 231-1146 (office)
(540) 231-0645 (Lab)

bzhao07@vt.edu