Gebisa Ejeta (born 1950[1]) is an Ethiopian American plant breeder, geneticist and Professor at Purdue University.[2] In 2009, he won the World Food Prize for his major contributions in the production of sorghum.
Gebisa Ejeta | |
|---|---|
ISPC Science Forum 2016, by Desalegne Tadesse | |
| Born | 1950 (age 73–74) |
| Alma mater | Purdue University |
| Awards | World Food Prize (2009) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Plant breeding, Genetics |
Early years
editEjeta was born in the remote village Wollonkomi, Ethiopia to Oromo parents.[3] Encouraged by his mother, he walked 20 kilometres to the nearest elementary school every Sunday evening and spend the week there.
During primary school, Ejeta planned to study engineering when he reached college age. However, his mother convinced him he could do more working in agriculture. With assistance from the Oklahoma State University, he attended an agricultural and technical secondary school in Ethiopia, and also studied at what is now Haramaya University. The university and the U.S. Agency for International Development helped him earn a doctorate from Purdue University.
Working in Sudan during the early 1980s, Ejeta developed Africa's first commercial hybrid variety of sorghum tolerant to drought. Later, with a Purdue University colleague in Indiana, he discovered the chemical basis of the relationship between the deadly parasitic weed striga and sorghum, and was able to produce sorghum varieties resistant to both drought and striga.
On 2011 President Barack Obama appointed Gebisa Ejeta as Member, Board for International Food and Agricultural Development.[4]
The National Medal of Science was awarded to Ejeta by President Biden in 2023.[5]
Awards
edit- 2023 National Medal of Science - "outstanding contributions to the science of plant genetics."[6]
Publications
editOngom, Patrick O. and G. Ejeta. 2018. Mating design and genetic structure of a multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) population of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). G3 Genes/Genomes/Genet. 8(1):331-341.
Ongom, Patrick O., J. Volenec, G. Ejeta. 2016. Selection for drought tolerance in sorghum using desiccants to simulate post-anthesis drought stress. Field Crops Research. 198(2016): 312-321.
Gobena, D., M. Shimels, P. Rich, C. Ruyter-Spira, H. Broumeester, S. Kanuganti, T. Mengiste, and G. Ejeta. 2017. Mutation in sorghum, LOW GERMINATION STIMULANT 1 alters strigolactones and causes Striga resistance. Proc. National Acad. Sci. 114(17): 4471-4476
Saballos, A., G. Ejeta, E. Sanchez, C. Kang, and W. Vermerris. 2009. A genome-wide analysis of the cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase family in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) identifies SbCAD2 as the brown midrib6 gene. Genetics 181:783-795.
Vogler, R., T. Tesso, K. Johnson, and G. Ejeta. 2009. Effect of allelic variation on forage quality of brown midrib sorghum mutants. African J. of Biochem. 3(3):70-76.
Peters, P., M. Jenks, P. Rich, J, Axtell, and G. Ejeta. 2009. Mutagenesis, selection, and allelic analysis of epicuticular wax mutants in sorghum. Crop Sci. 49:1249-1258.
Saballos, A., W. Vermerris, L. Rivera, and G. Ejeta. 2009. Allelic association, chemical characterization and saccharification properties of brown midrib mutants of sorghum (S. bicolor (L.) Moench). Bioenerg. Res. 1:193-204.
Rich, P. J. and G. Ejeta. 2008. Towards effective resistance to Striga in African maize. Plant Signaling & Behavior 3:9, 618-621.
Amusan, I. O., P. J. Rich, A. Menkir, T. Housley, and G. Ejeta. 2008. Resistance to Striga hermonthica in a maize inbred line derived from Zea diploperennis. New Phytologist 178:157-166.
Knoll, J. E. and G. Ejeta. 2008. Marker-assisted selection for early season cold tolerance in sorghum: QTL validation across populations and environments. Theor. Appl. Genet.116:541-553.
References
edit This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government.
- ^ "2009 Laureate Gebisa Ejeta". Archived from the original on 2009-08-03. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
- ^ "Gebisa Ejeta". Archived from the original on 2012-10-27. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
- ^ "One of Our Own: Laureate Gebisa Ejeta". opride.com. 19 October 2009.
- ^ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. April 21, 2011 – via National Archives.
- ^ House, The White (2023-10-24). "President Biden Honors Leading American Scientists, Technologists, and Innovators | The White House". The White House. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
- ^ "Ethiopian scientist Gebisa Ejeta receives National Medal of Science from US". BBC News. 2023-10-25. Retrieved 2023-10-26.