Benedito Vagner

Benedito Vagner is a Professor of Biochemical Genetics and Plant Physiology at West Virginia University's College of Agricultural Sciences. He runs the Laboratory of Plant Functional Genetics and focuses on molecular mechanisms in plant traits of agronomic importance.

• Ph.D. in Plant Sciences (Wageningen University, 2004)
• Masters in Horticulture (University of Sao Paulo)
• Agronomy degree (Federal University of Viçosa)

His research explores gene function in Medicago truncatula for symbiotic nitrogen fixation and dwarf tomato cultivar 'Micro-Tom' for organogenesis competence and anthocyanin metabolism. By characterizing molecular pathways, his work aims to develop improved crop traits like efficient nitrogen use, biofortification, and enhanced in vitro propagation protocols.

Recent publications highlight his focus on plant-microbe interactions (2016), nutrient signaling (2015), and metabolic engineering (2014). Key themes include transporter proteins, transcriptional regulation, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis in legumes and solanaceous plants.