Robert Martin

Robert Martin holds a Courtesy Appointment at Oregon State University's Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, College of Agricultural Sciences. His research focuses on virology of small fruit crops, developing diagnostic tools, epidemiological control strategies, and genetic engineering for disease resistance. He earned a Ph.D. in 1979 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Research interests include characterization of viruses affecting strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry, with a focus on improving crop resilience through molecular techniques. He leads the USDA-ARS Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory, overseeing 15 scientists and 70 staff. Notable achievements include engineering RBDV-resistant 'Meeker' red raspberry and identifying Black raspberry necrosis virus.

Publishing in HortScience and International Journal of Acarology, his work addresses virus transmission, crop decline management, and cultivar development. He collaborates internationally on Rubus spp. virus research.