Professor Pathmanathan Umaharan
Head, Cocoa Research Centre/ Professor in Genetics.
Responsible for policy, strategic direction and governance of the Cocoa Research Centre, in addition to curation of the genebank and outreach.
Area of expertise
Plant genetic resources management, genetic analysis and crop improvement. Experience in working with cocoa, Anthurium, hot pepper, tomato, cowpea, and pigeon pea, specifically with respect to genetic resistance to pest and diseases, yield and yield components as well as quality traits. Other areas of interest include biotechnology and biosafety.
Current research interests are understanding host-pathogen interactions and genetics of resistance in cocoa and Anthurium; genetic resource management in cacao and hot pepper as well as biotechnological approaches to improving the colour range in Anthurium.
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Recent publications
Motilal, L., Zhang, D., Umaharan,P., Mischke, B.S., Pinney, S.M., Meinhardt, L.W. 2011. Microsatellite fingerprinting in the International Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad: Accession and plot homogeneity information for germplasm management. Plant Genetic Resources. 9:430-438.
Avila-Rostant, O, Lennon, A.M. and Umaharan, P. (2010). Spathe Color Variation in Anthurium andraeanum Hort. and Its Relationship to Vacuolar pH. HortScience 45(12):1768–1772.
Beekham, A and Umaharan, P. (2010). Inheritance and combining ability studies of pod physical and biochemical quality traits in vegetable pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp). Euphytica 176 (1): 37-47
Motilal, L., Zhang, D., Umaharan, P., Mischke, B.S., Mooleedhar, V., Meinhardt, L.W. (2010). The relic Criollo cacao in Belize- genetic diversity and relationship with Trinitario and other cacao clones held in the International Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad. Plant Genetic Resources: Characterization and Utilization. Plant Genetic Resources 8: 106-115
Contact Information
Cocoa Research Centre
The University of the West Indies
St. Augustine, Trinidad.
Tel: (868) 662 2002 Ext. 82114
Fax: (868) 662 8788
E-mail: Pathmanathan.Umaharan@sta.uwi.edu
