Dr. Abolfazl Hajihassani: Research:

Nematology

Research in our lab program focuses on improving the soil health in production of multiple crops that thrive in South Florida (such as tropical fruits, ornamentals, turf, sugarcane, rice, and some vegetable crops) by exploring the epidemiology and management of plant-parasitic nematodes. We are using molecular biology techniques to identify nematodes and examine their phylogeny. We develop and optimize new ways to control plant-parasitic nematodes safely and effectively by evaluating nematodes' biology and population variability related to soil and environmental factors. One of our goals is to communicate the research finding with growers, producers, end-users, and the scientific community.