Our Researchers

Matthew Blair is a Plant Breeder and Full Professor at Tennessee State University (TSU) where he and his team conduct breeding and genetics projects on legumes and dicotyledonous C4 crop plants such as cultivated amaranth. The program goals of the Blair lab are to have a major impact on the productivity of small-holder agriculture in the USA through plant breeding research and to engage internationally in collaboration with multiple African, Asian, Latin American and US research groups. The Blair laboratory applies molecular biology research to cultivar and crop development, uses various agronomic and physiological testing techniques for association genetics and plant breeding as well as engages in a participatory manner with foreign aid groups, agriculture sector decision makers and farmer groups to improve crop management in the interests of resource limited farmers.  Dr. Blair is co-president of the Amaranth Institute, a winner of the Tony Kleese breeding award and has been funded by FFAR, USDA-AFRI, USDA-FAS, USAID and 1890s Foundation for research into grain legumes such as mung beans, common beans and cowpeas.