Research Geneticist (Plants)
Zachary Stansell
Hemp Curator
Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU)
zachary.stansell@usda.gov
(315) 787-2454
Overview
I am a geneticist, horticulturalist, and curator of the PGRU Vegetable and Hemp Crop Collections.
Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) was a vital agronomic crop in the U.S. and has experienced a resurgence of interest in recent years. My goal is to conserve, maintain, evaluate, and increase hemp genetic resources, and ensure these resources are available for long-term research, education, and cultivar development.
My team follows an interdisciplinary approach to better understand the genomic and phenomic variation within our collection.
These results are used to facilitate germplasm utilization across a broad range of stakeholders via aggregation of robust phenotypic and genetic datasets
Currently, my research includes several topics:
1. Building and characterizing the world's largest public hemp genetic resource collection, with an awareness and understanding of the historical, current, and future status of hemp germplasm conservation.
2. Developing and applying phenotyping protocols to diverse hemp genetic resources and making those data publicly and freely available to the hemp community.
3. Understanding population structure within the larger pool of hemp germplasm and leveraging this knowledge to enhance conservation, mapping, and breeding efforts.
4. Addressing bottlenecks within hemp improvement efforts by regenerating unique resources, while developing unique mapping populations that serve the broader community.
Education
Ph.D. in Horticulture (2020), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Master’s in Environmental Science (2014), College of Charleston, Charleston, SC
B.S. in Chemistry and Mathematics (2008), College of Charleston, Charleston, SC
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will take you to the publication reprint.)
- Utilizing Digitized Occurrence Records of Midwestern Feral Cannabis sativa to Develop Ecological Niche Models -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Ford, T., Gordon, T.C., Ellison, S., Ainu, A., Stansell, Z.J. 2024. Utilizing digitized occurrence records of midwestern feral Cannabis sativa to develop ecological niche models. Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11325.
- Real-time library search (RTLS) triggered MS3 facilitates in-depth cannabinoid profile in different hemp genotypes and identification of novel cannabinoids-(Abstract Only)
- Evaluation of drought tolerance in USDA tomato germplasm at seedling stage -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Chiwina, K., Bhattarai, G., Xiong, H., Joshi, N., Dickson, R.W., Phiri, T.M., Alatawi, I., Chen, Y., Stansell, Z.J., Ling, K., Shi, A. 2024. Evaluation of drought tolerance in USDA tomato germplasm at seedling stage. Agronomy. 14(2):380. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14020380. - First Report of Tobacco Streak Virus in Cannabis sativa in New York -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Grunwald, D., Wijesinghege, C.W., Gordon, T.C., Stansell, Z.J., Ellison, S. 2024. First report of Tobacco Streak Virus in Cannabis sativa in New York. Plant Disease. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-09-23-1810-PDN. - Quantitative trait loci mapping of heat tolerance in a doubled haploid population of broccoli using genotyping-by-sequencing-(Abstract Only)
Branham, S., Couillard, D.M., Stansell, Z.J., Farnham, M.W. 2016. Quantitative trait loci mapping of heat tolerance in a doubled haploid population of broccoli using genotyping-by-sequencing. Plant and Animal Genome Conference. P0950. - Genetic diversity and population structure of collard landraces and their relationship to other Brassica oleracea crops-(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Branham, S., Couillard, D.M., Stansell, Z.J., Farnham, M.W. 2015. Genetic diversity and population structure of collard landraces and their relationship to other Brassica oleracea crops. The Plant Genome. 8(3):1-11. - Using weighted trait indices to select the best performing broccoli hybrids in multi-site and multi-year trials-(Abstract Only)
Stansell, Z.J., Farnham, M.W., Pelc, S., Couillard, D.M., Bjorkman, T. 2015. Using weighted trait indices to select the best performing broccoli hybrids in multi-site and multi-year trials. HortScience. 50:S171. - Genetic diversity and population structure of collard landraces collected in the Southeast-(Abstract Only)
Pelc, S., Farnham, M.W., Couillard, D.M., Stansell, Z.J. 2015. Genetic diversity and population structure of collard landraces collected in the Southeast. HortScience. 50:S391. - Increasing plant density in eastern United States broccoli production systems to maximize marketable head yields-(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Ward, B., Smith, P., James, S., Stansell, Z.J., Farnham, M.W. 2015. Increasing plant density in eastern United States broccoli production systems to maximize marketable head yields. HortTechnology. 25:330-334. - Collard land races are novel sources of glucoraphanin and other aliphatic glucosinolates-(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Stansell, Z.J., Cory, W., Couillard, D.M., Farnham, M.W. 2015. Collard land races are novel sources of glucoraphanin and other aliphatic glucosinolates. Plant Breeding. 134:350-355. - Genetic diversity and population structure of collard landraces-(Abstract Only)
Pelc, S., Couillard, D.M., Stansell, Z.J., Farnham, M.W. 2015. Genetic diversity and population structure of collard landraces. HortScience. 50:S40. - Collard Landraces are novel sources of Glucoraphanin and other Aliphatic Glucosinolates-(Abstract Only)
Stansell, Z.J., Farnham, M.W., Cory, W. 2014. Collard Landraces are novel sources of Glucoraphanin and other Aliphatic Glucosinolates. HortScience. 49(9):S336. - Using regional broccoli trial data to select experimental hybrids for input into advanced yield trials-(Abstract Only)
Farnham, M.W., Stansell, Z.J., Griffiths, P.D., Davis, J.M., Hutton, M., Bjorkman, T. 2014. Using regional broccoli trial data to select experimental hybrids for input into advanced yield trials. HortScience. 49(9):S242-S243. - Maximizing plant density affects broccoli yield and quality-(Abstract Only)
Ward, B., Farnham, M.W., Smith, P., Stansell, Z.J., James, S. 2014. Maximizing plant density affects broccoli yield and quality. HortScience. 49(9):S211.
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