Jennifer A. Kimball

Assistant Professor

Office Address

406 Hayes Hall

Mailing Address

411 Borlaug Hall

1991 Upper Buford Circle

St. Paul, MN 55108

Education

Ph.D.: North Carolina State University (2015)
Year Appointed: 2017
Rank: Assistant Professor

Areas of Interest

Cultivated Wild Rice Breeding and Genetics

Teaching

AGRO1101 - Biology of Plant Food Systems

Research

We are a breeding, genetics, and conservation research program in the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics at the University of Minnesota led by Dr. Jennifer Kimball. Our work centers on wild rice (Zizania palustris) as a cultivated crop as well as a natural resource in the state of Minnesota.

Our research program focuses on 1) characterizing the genetic and physiological bases of quantitative traits in wild rice, 2) evaluating and monitoring the genetic diversity and changing environment of natural stands of wild rice in Minnesota to ensure their protection and preservation, and 3) investigating seed physiology characteristics including recalcitrance and dormancy. To find out more, click here.

Our breeding program aims to improve the sustainability and growth of the Minnesota cultivated wild rice industry (http://www.mnwildrice.org/) and its growers through the development of new and improved varieties. We are currently focused on improving shattering tolerance as well as disease resistance.

Selected Publications

McGilp, L., Duquette, J., Braaten, D., Kimball, J., Porter, R. 2020. Investigation of Variable Storage Conditions for Cultivated Northern Wild Rice and Their Effects on Seed Viability and Dormancy. Seed Science Research, 1-8. doi:10.1017/S0960258520000033

Duquette, J. and Kimball, J.A. 2020. Phenological Stages of Cultivated Northern Wild Rice According to the BBCH Scale. Ann Appl Biol. 2020; 176: 350– 356. https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.12588

Tuleski, T. R., Kimball, J., do Amaral, F. P., Pereira, T. P., Tadra-Sfeir, M. Z., de Oliveira Pedrosa, F., ... & Stacey, G. (2020). Herbaspirillum rubrisubalbicans as a Phytopathogenic Model to Study the Immune System of Sorghum bicolor. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 33(2), 235-246.

Kimball, J.A., Y. Cui, D. Chen, P. Brown, W. Rooney, G. Stacey, and P. Balint-Kurti. 2019. Identification of QTL for Target Leaf Spot resistance in Sorghum bicolor and investigation of relationships between disease resistance and variation in the MAMP response. Scientific Reports 9: 18285 doi:10.1038/s41598-019-54802-x

Samira, R., X. Zhang, J. Kimball, Y. Cui, G. Stacey, and P.J. Balint-Kurti. 2019. Quantifying MAMP-induced production of reactive oxygen species in sorghum and maize. Bio-101. doi.org/10.21769/BioProtoc.3304

Shao, M., M. Haas, A. Kern, and J.A. Kimball. 2019. Identification of single nucleotide polymorphism markers for population genetic studies in Zizania palustris L. Conservation Genetic Resources, 1-5.