Degrees

• B.S., Biology, Nebraska Wesleyan, 1976
• M.S., Agronomy, University of Nebraska, 1978
• Ph.D., Agronomy, University of Nebraska, 1981

Research Interests

Sorghum, genetics, and breeding

Major Project Activities

Project Title:

Genetic Improvement Of Sorghum For Enhancing Energy Yield, Nutrient Availability, And Disease resistance

Objective:

Enhance the energy yield and nutrient value of sorghum by modifying structural and storage carbohydrates. Confirm expression of transgenes in existing T1 sorghum lines and develop systems for deployment of transgenic sorghum. Develop molecular tools and technology for efficient and reliable genetic characterization of fungal races and bacterial biotypes pathogenic on sorghum that can be used to expedite detection and identification of pathogens and their biotypes.

Approach:

The research will utilize technologies including whole-plant and molecular genetics to characterize and manipulate genes already in the genome to generate germplasm with altered starch and cell wall characteristics. Molecular and biochemical and genetic studies of existing putative transgenic lines will be undertaken to develop and identify lines stably expressing transgenes. A strategy using A3 male sterile cytoplasm to decrease the environmental and economic risks associated with testing and release of genetically modified sorghum will be developed. Risk of disease will be reduced by developing technologies to rapidly detect changes in pathogen populations, to detect new pathogen genotypes and to facilitate characterization of responses of specific sorghum genotypes to pathogens.

Selected Publications

• Funnell-Harris, D. L., Pedersen, J. F. and Sattler, S. E. Alteration in lignin biosynthesis restricts growth of Fusarium species in brown midrib sorghum. Phytopathology (Accepted 3/13/2010).
   
• Pfeiffer, T.W., M.J. Bitzer, J.J. Toy, and J.F. Pedersen. Heterosis in Sweet Sorghum and Selection of a New Sweet Sorghum Hybrid for Use in Syrup Production in Appalachia. Crop Sci. (Accepted 2-5-2010)
   
• Sattler, S., D. Funnell-Harris, and J. Pedersen. Efficacy of singular and stacked brown midrib 6 and 12 in the modification of lignocellulose and grain chemistry. J. Agric. Food Chem. (Accepted 2-3-2010).
   
• Ellis, D.D., K.A. Garland-Campbell, J.A. Grotenhuis, M.M. Jenderek, and J.F. Pedersen. Crop Registration: the pathway to public access of plant genetic materials to build crops for the future. Crop Sci. (Accepted 1-19-2010)
• 
  Sattler, S., D. Funnell-Harris, and J. Pedersen. Brown midrib mutations and their importance to the utilization of maize, sorghum, and pearl millet lignocellulosic tissues. Plant Sci. (Accepted 1-8-2010)
   
• Gries,s Joni K., Stephen C. Mason, David S. Jackson, Tomie D. Galusha, Muhammad Yaseen and Jeffrey F. Pedersen. Environment and hybrid influences on food-grade sorghum grain yield and hardness. Crop Sci. (Accepted 1-5-2010)
   
• Dien, Bruce S., Gautam Sarath, Jeffrey F. Pedersen, Scott E. Sattler, Han Chen, Deanna L. Funnell-Harris, Nancy N. Nichols, and Michael A. Cotta. Improved sugar conversion and ethanol yield for forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) lines with reduced lignin contents. J. Bioenergy Res. 2: 153-164. 2009.
   
• Hooks, T., D.B. Marx, S.D. Kachman, and J.F. Pedersen. Optimality Criteria for Models with Random Effects. Revista Colombiana de Estadistica. 32: 17-31. 2009.
   
• Palmer, N.A., S.E. Sattler, A.J. Saathoff, D. Funnell, and J.F. Pedersen, and G. Sarath. Genetic background impacts soluble and cell wall-bound aromatics in brown midrib mutants of sorghum. Planta 229: 115-127. 2009.
   
• Sattler, Scott E., Aaron J. Saathoff, Eric J. Haas, Nathan A. Palmer, Deanna L. Funnell-Harris, Gautam Sarath and Jeffrey F. Pedersen. A nonsense mutation in a cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase gene is responsible for the sorghum brown midrib-6 phenotype. Plant Physiol. 150: 584-595. 2009.
   
• Sattler, Scott E., Jaswinder Singh, Eric J. Haas, Lining Guo, Gautam Sarath, and Jeffrey F. Pedersen Two distinct waxy alleles impact the granule-bound starch synthase in sorghum. Molecular Breeding 24: 349-359. 2009.
   
• Hooks, Tisha, D. B. Marx, S. D. Kachman, J. F. Pedersen, and R. A. Eigenberg. Analysis of Covariance with Spatially Correlated Secondary Variables. Revista Colombiana de Estadistica. 31: 95-109. 2008.
   
• Sarath, Gautam, Robert B. Mitchell, Scott E. Sattler, Deanna Funnell, Jeffery F. Pedersen, Robert A. Graybosch and Kenneth P. Vogel. Opportunities and roadblocks in utilizing forages and small grains for liquid fuels. J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 35: 343-354. 2008.
   
• Tesfaye Tesso, Issoufou Kapran, Cécile Grenier, Allison Snow, Patricia Sweeney, Jeff Pedersen, David Marx, Gurling Bothma, Gebisa Ejeta. The potential for crop-to-wild gene flow in sorghum in Ethiopia and Niger: A geographic survey. Crop Sci. 48:1425-1431. 2008.
• Funnell-Harris, Deanna L., Jeffrey F. Pedersen and David B. Marx. Effect of sorghum seedlings varying in sorgoleone production, and previous crop, on soil microorganism populations. Plant and Soil. 311:173-187. 2008.
   
• Funnell-Harris, Deanna L., Jeffrey F. Pedersen. Inoculation strategies for assessment of biological interactions between Fusarium and Alternaria species infecting sorghum. Can. J. Plant Path. 30:404-413. 2008.
   
• Sang, Yijun; Bean, Scott; Seib, Paul; Pedersen, Jeffrey; Shi, Yong-Cheng. Structure and Functional Properties of Sorghum Starches Differing in Amylose Content. J. Agric. Food Chem. 56:6680-6685. 2008.
   
• Pedersen, J. F., J. J. Toy, D. L. Funnell, S. E Sattler, A. L. Oliver, and R. A. Grant. Registration of BN611, A/BN612, and RN613 sorghum genetic stocks with stacked bmr-6 and bmr-12 genes. J. Plant Reg. 2: 258-262. 2008.
   
• Wong, Joshua H., Tsang Lau, Nick Cai, Jaswinder Singh, Jeffrey F. Pedersen, William H. Vensel, William J. Hurkman, Jeff D. Wilson, Peggy G. Lemaux and Bob B Buchanan. Digestibility of Protein and Starch from Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is Linked to Biochemical and Structural Features of Grain Endosperm. J. Cereal Sci. 49: 73-82. 2008.
   
• Pedersen, J. F., R. A. Graybosch, and D. L. Funnell. Occurrence of waxy alleles wx^a and wx^b in waxy sorghum plant introductions and their effect on grain thermal properties. Crop Sci. 47: 1927-1933. 2007.
   
• Philipp, D., K. J. Moore, J. F. Pedersen, R. J. Grant, D. D. Redfearn, and R. B. Mitchell. Solid state fermentation of sorghum hybrids varying in extractable sugars. Biomass and Bioenergy 31: 492-496. 2007.
   
• Hoang V. Tang, Jeffrey F. Pedersen, and Daryl R. Pring. Fertility restoration of the sorghum A3 male-sterile cytoplasm through a sporophytic mechanism from sudangrass. Crop Sci. 47: 943-950. 2007.
   
• Hooks, Tisha, J. F. Pedersen, D. B. Marx, and R. E. Gaussoin. Changing the support of a spatial covariate: a simulation study. Crop Sci. 47: 622-626. 2007.
   
• Ioerger, B. P., S. Bean, M. R. Tuinstra, J. F. Pedersen, J. E. Erpelding, K. M. Lee, and T. J. Herman. Characterization of polymeric proteins from vitreous and floury sorghum endosperm. J. Agric. and Food Chem. 55: 10232-10239. 2007.
   
• Tisha Hooks, J. F. Pedersen, D. B. Marx, and K. P. Vogel. Variation in the U.S. photoperiod insensitive sorghum collection for chemical and nutritional traits. Crop Sci. Crop Sci. 46: 751-757. 2006.
   
• Pedersen, J. F., D. L. Funnell, J. J. Toy, A. L. Oliver, and R. J. Grant. Registration of ‘Atlas bmr-12’ forage sorghum. Crop Sci. 46: 478. 2006.
   
• Pedersen, J. F., D. L. Funnell, J. J. Toy, A. L. Oliver, and R. J. Grant. Registration of seven forage sorghum genetic stocks near-isogenic for the brown midrib genes bmr-6 and bmr-12. Crop Sci. 46: 490-491. 2006.
   
• Pedersen, J. F., D. L. Funnell, J. J. Toy, A. L. Oliver, and R. J. Grant. Registration of 12 grain sorghum genetic stocks near-isogenic for the brown midrib genes bmr-6 and bmr-12. Crop Sci. 46: 491-492. 2006.
   
• Funnell, D. L. and Pedersen, J. F. Reaction of Sorghum Lines Genetically Modified for Reduced Lignin Content to Infection by Fusarium and Alternaria spp. Plant Disease 90:331-338. 2006.
   
• Funnell, Deanna L. and Jeffrey F. Pedersen. Association of plant color and pericarp color with colonization of grain by members of Fusarium and Alternaria in near isogenic sorghum lines. Plant Disease 90: 411-418. 2006.
   
• S. R. Bean, O. K. Chung, M. R. Tuinstra, J. F. Pedersen, J. Erpelding. Evaluation of the single kernel characterization system (SKCS) measurements of sorghum grain attributes. Cereal Chem. 83:108-113. 2006.
   
• Pedersen, J. F. U.S. Plant Variety Protection Certificate No. 200500098, Sorghum, 'Atlas bmr-12'. 2005.
   
• Pedersen, J. F., K. P. Vogel, and D. L. Funnell. Impact of reduced lignin on plant fitness. Crop Sci. 45: 812-819. 2005.
   
• Pedersen, J. F., S. R. Bean, R. A. Graybosch, S. H. Park, & M. Tilley. Characterization of Waxy Grain Sorghum Lines in Relation to Granule-Bound Starch Synthase. Euphytica. 144:151-156. 2005.
   
• Carvalho, C. H. S., J. Boddu, U. B. Zehr, J. D. Axtell, J. F. Pedersen, and S. Chopra. Genetic and molecular characterization of Candystripe1 transposition events in sorghum. Genetica 124: 201-212. 2005.
   
• Funnell, Deanna L., Christopher B. Lawrence, Jeffrey F. Pedersen, and Christopher L. Schardl. Expression of the tobacco β-1, 3-glucanase gene, PR-2d, following induction of SAR with Peronospora tabacina. Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology 65(6): 285-296. 2005.
   
• Oliver, A. L., J. F. Pedersen, R. J. Grant and T.J. Klopfenstein. Comparative effects of the sorghum bmr-6 and bmr-12 genes I: forage sorghum yield and quality. Crop Sci. 45: 2234-2239. 2005.
   
• Oliver A. L., J. F. Pedersen, R. J. Grant, T.J. Klopfenstein, and H. D. Jose. Comparative effects of the sorghum bmr-6 and bmr-12 genes II: grain sorghum grain yield, stover yield, and stover quality. Crop Sci. Crop Sci. 45: 2240-2245. 2005.
   
• Sebolai Boi, J. F. Pedersen, D. B. Marx, and D. L. Boykin. Effect of Grid Size, Control Plot Density, Control Plot Arrangement, and Assumption of Random or Fixed Effects on Non-Replicated Experiments for Germplasm Screening. Crop Sci. 45: 1978-1984. 2005.
   
• Pedersen, J. F., S. R. Bean, D. L. Funnell, and R. A. Graybosch. Rapid iodine staining techniques for identifying the waxy phenotype in sorghum grain and waxy genotype in sorghum pollen. Crop Sci. 44: 764-767. 2004.
   
• Boddu, J., C. Svabek, R. Sekhon, A. Gevens, R. L. Nicholson, A. D. Jones, J. F. Pedersen, D. L. Gustine, and S. Chopra. Expression of a putative flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase in sorghum mesocotyls synthesizing 3-deoxyanthocyanidin phytoalexins. Physiol. Mol. Plant Path. 65: 101-103. 2004.
   
• Oliver, A. L., R. J. Grant, J. F. Pedersen, and J. O’Rear. Comparison of Brown Midrib-6 and 18 Forage Sorghums with Conventional Sorghum and Corn Silage in Diets for Lactating Dairy Cows. J. Dairy Sci. 87: 637-644. 2004.
   
• Pedersen, J. F. and J. J. Toy. Registration of RN582 sorghum germplasm line. Crop Sci. 43:441-442. 2003.
   
• Pedersen, J. F. and K. D. Kofoid. Variability and Relationships Among 12-hour IVDMD, Starch, Oil, Protein, and Physical Characteristics of 16 Sorghum Conversion Lines. Euphytica. 130:261-266. 2003.
   
• Stack, James P. and Jeffrey F. Pedersen. Expression of Susceptibility to Fusarium Head Blight and Grain Mold in A1 and A2 Cytoplasms of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. Plant Disease 87(2): 172-176. 2003.
   
• Casler, M. D., J. F. Pedersen, and D. J. Undersander. Forage yield and economic losses associated with the brown-midrib trait in sudangrass. Crop Sci. 43:782-789. 2003.
   
• Pedersen, J. F., D. B. Marx, and D. L. Funnell. Use of A3 cytoplasm to reduce risk of gene flow through sorghum pollen. Crop Sci. 43:1506-1509. 2003.
   
• Pedersen, J. F. and J. J. Toy. Registration of RN583 sorghum germplasm line. Crop Sci. 43:2312. 2003.
   
• Hicks, C., M. R. Tuinstra, J. F. Pedersen, F. E. Dowell and, K. D. Kofoid,. Genetic analysis of feed quality and seed weight in sorghum inbred lines and hybrids using analytical methods and NIRS. Euphytica. 172: 31-40.2002.
   
• Lee, W.J., J .F. Pedersen, D.R. Shelton Relationship of sorghum kernel size to physicochemical, milling, pasting, and cooking properties. Food Research International. 35 (7): 643-649. 2002.
• Pedersen, J. F., and J. J. Toy. Germination, Emergence, and Yield of 20 Plant Color / Seed Color Near-Isogenic Lines of Grain Sorghum. Crop Science 41:107-110. 2001.
   
• Pedersen, J. F. and J. J. Toy. Registration of N313, N314, and N315 sorghum germplasm lines. Crop Science 41:600-601. 2001.
   
• Pedersen, J. F. and J. J. Toy. Registration of N321-N340 sorghum seed color/plant color genetic stocks. Crop Science 41:607a. 2001.
   
• Pedersen, J. F. and J. J. Toy. Registration of N316-N320 sorghum nuclear male-sterility genetic stocks. Crop Science 41:607b. 2001.
   
• Hicks, C., S. R. Bean, G. L. Lookhart, J. F. Pedersen, K. D. Kofoid, M. R. Tuinstra. Genetic analysis of kaffirins and their phenotpic correlations with feed quality traits, in vitro digestibility, and seed weight in grain sorghum. Cereal Chem.78:412-416. 2001.
   
• Pedersen, J. F., Todd Milton, and R. A. Mass. A 12 Hour in vitro procedure for sorghum grain feed quality assessment. Crop Sci. 40:204-208. 2000.