Postdoc

Dr. Bárbara Nogueira Souza Costa: Nitrogen Management and Plant Quality Monitoring Using Optical Sensor Technology in Native and Non-Native Specialty Crops. 2021 – 2023.

Dr. Irton Silva Costa: Plant Tissue Culture in Selected Ornamentals and Fruit Trees. 2022-2023.

Graduate Students

Daniel Tucker (Ph.D.) 2024 – present

Luis Cendan (Ph.D.) – Regenerative Agriculture: Effects of Cover Crop and Mycorrhizal Inoculation on Salt Stress Mitigation in Floridian Tomato Cultivars​. 2023 – present

Milagros Munoz Salas (Ph.D.): Plant Tissue Culture, Stress Tolerance, and Environmental Adaptations in Selected High-Value Ornamentals Plants. 2022 – present

Pedro Gonzalez (MS): Assessing the Effects of Saltwater Intrusion and Silicon Amendment on the Ecophysiological Traits of Sabal Palmetto and Trumpet Tree. 2022 – present

Andrew Mullin (MS): In-vitro Micropropagation and Acclimatization of Native Endangered Orchids. 2019 – 2021.

Ellen Garcia (MS): Conservation of South Florida Orchid Mycorrhizal Fungi. 2019 – 2021.

David Riera (MS): Graduated 2017. Synthetic Seed Production and Cryopreservation of Endangered Orchids 2016 -2017. FIU Worlds Ahead Graduate.

Ganesh Khadka (Ph.D.): Characterization of endophytic microbiomes for their antimicrobial properties isolated from medicinal plants. Major Advisor: Dr. Krish Jayachandran. 2017 – 2022.

Samuel Kent (Ph.D.): Horticultural nurseries-based pollution dynamics and modeling in canals of South Miami Dade, Florida. Major Advisor: Dr. Assefa Melesse. 2018 – present.

Namrata Pradhan (Ph.D.): Seed viability assessments and long term preservation using cryopreservation in Cymbidium species. Major Advisor: Dr. Uromi Manage Goodale. 2019 – 2022.

Leticia Ines Matos (M.S.c): Impacts of legume-grass consortia on soil quality recovery and cattle`s weight gain. Major Advisor: Dr. Krish Jayachandran. 2019-2022.

Daphne Sugino (M.S.c): Influence of Vermicompost Tea on Secondary Metabolites in Solanum lycopersicum within South Florida. Worlds Ahead Graduates. Major Advisor: Dr. Krish Jayachandran. 2017 – 2019.

Claudia Garcia (M.S.c): Inoculating rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on Phaseolus vulgaris under salinity stress to evaluate effects on plant growth and glomalin production. Major Advisor: Dr. Krish Jayachandran. 2019 – 2021.

Edward Marques (Ph.D.). Major Advisor: Dr. Eric von Wettberg. 2016 – 2022.

Undergraduate (BS/BA) Students with Research

Angelina Ibarra, 2023-2024, Sustainable Fertilizer Management and Monitoring Using Optical Sensor Technology on Fiji Coconut. USDA ARS Subtropical Horticultural Research Station (SHRS).

Sofia Lopez Farina, 2023-2024, 1. Urban Tree Biomass. FIU Nature Preserve, 2. USDA and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden projects. Precision Fertilizer Management of Queen’s Flower, Lagerstroemia Speciosa. SHRS.

Aniela Cabrera, 2023-2024, Effects of Light and Fertilizer on Plumeria hybrids Growth and Blooming. SHRS.

Natalie Valdes, 2023, Organic Nutrient Management Regime on Hydroponic Production of Selected Vegetables. C&S Lab.

Alexis Quiroz, Organic Nutrient Management Regime on Hydroponic Production of Selected Vegetables. C&S Lab.

Jasmine Maria, 2023, USDA and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden projects.

Sajida Malik, 2023, Effects of Saltwater Intrusion on South Florida Plants.

Victor Alvarado, 2023, USDA and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden projects.

Anthony Rodriguez, 2023, Landscape Irrigation. UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County, Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Department.

Sophia Martinez, 2023, Study the Environmental Factor on Growth of ornamentals. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.

Nayla Alcocer-Martos (BA): Assessment of Environmental Sustainability Metrics of Restaurants in South Florida.  2022. Spring 2022 cohort of Hamilton Scholars. FIU helps lead White House climate forum.

Ciarelle Domenica Velarde Vasquez & Laura Lavinder, 2022, Study the Effects of Different Compost Concentrations on Growth of Selected Vegetables. FIU Organic Garden.

Selvyn Valenzuela, 2022, Controlled Environment Agriculture: Optimizing the Growing Conditions on Germination of Selected Food Crops. Hubb Agriculture. Redland Ahead.

Kylie Gil, 2022, Climate Adaptation Strategies to Minimize the Drought Effects on some common Landscaping Plants in South Florida.

Milagros Munoz Salas, 2022, Nitrogen Management and Plant Quality Monitoring Using Optical Sensor Technology in Native and Non-Native Specialty Crops. Conservation & Sustainable Horticulture Lab.

Nicole Gautney, 2022, Urban Sustainability Projects. Sustainability Department, City of Coral Gables.

Maria Del Mar Trejos, 2022, Sustainability Projects Task Force.

Lauren Diaz, 2022, Adoption Program at the Nature Preserve Pollinator Garden. Office of University Sustainability.

Amir Sabir, 2022, Nitrogen Management and Plant Quality Monitoring Using Optical Sensor Technology in Native and Non-Native Specialty Crops. Conservation & Sustainable Horticulture Lab.

Regina Gonzalez, 2021, Nitrogen Management and Plant Quality Monitoring Using Optical Sensor Technology in Native and Non-Native Specialty Crops. Conservation & Sustainable Horticulture Lab.

Daniel Tucker, 2021, Nitrogen Management and Plant Quality Monitoring Using Optical Sensor Technology in Native and Non-Native Specialty Crops. Conservation & Sustainable Horticulture Lab.

Alejandra Carrillo, 2021, Composting and Seed Germination. Zoo Miami and Nitrogen Management and Plant Quality Monitoring Using Optical Sensor Technology in Native and Non-Native Specialty Crops. Conservation & Sustainable Horticulture Lab.

Marcos Garcia, 2020, Effects of Light Intensity and Quality on Most Common Indoor Plants in Vertical Gardening. Miami Vertical Garden Inc.

Jason Flores, 2020, Climate Change Adaptation and Saltwater Intrusion Ecophysiological Effects on Phoenix canariensis, Sabal minor, Roystonea regia, Thrinax radiata, Pseudophoenix sargentii in South Florida. Montgomery Botanical Center

Austin Montgomery, 2020, Eucalyptus Production: The Effects of Reducing Overgrowth. Zoo Miami.

Kevin Lewin, 2019, Ethnomedicinal properties of mountain soursop (Annona montana). Fruit and Spice Park & Possum Trot Farm.

Sarah Belfer, 2019, Screening Media for Native Floridian and Puerto Rican Fern Spore Germination. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and Montgomery Botanical Center.

Douglas DeStefano, 2019, Application of Organic Amendments in Tissue ​Culture of South Floridian Endangered Orchids. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.

Alondra Cruz, 2018, Adaptation and Conservation in Myrmecophila spp. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.

Shelby Weber, 2019, Orchid Seed Technology and Viability. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Rena Stern, 2018, Biologic Control of Invasive Air Potato

Azariel Mendez, 2017, Pre and Post Hurricane Irma Growth Monitoring of 15 Fruit trees in the Food Forest at FIU Organic Garden.

Gabriel Barraza, 2016, Handheld Sensors Application for Fertilizer Management in Landscaping Ornamental Justifia Brandegeana.

Alana Rodriguez, 2016, Application of Optical Sensor Technology for Sustainable Fertilizer Management of Euphorbia pulcherrima.

Ariana Font, 2015, Anti Bacterial Properties of the Annona montana. Possum Trot Farm.
Emmanuel Duarte, 2015, Panax Ginseng Extracts as a Novel Antibiotic. Fruit & Spice Park.