Gina Fernandez

Dr. Gina Fernandez is the John D. and Nell R. Leazar Distinguished Professor and Director of Graduate Programs in the Department of Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University. She leads major strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry breeding programs, having released cultivars like 'Rocco', 'Liz', 'Nantahala', and 'Von'. Her Extension work focuses on bramble crops (blackberries and raspberries).

Education: PhD in Pomology from Cornell University (1994), MS in Horticulture from the University of Minnesota (1987), BS in Biology from Ripon College (1981).

Research interests include: strawberry breeding for southern US climates, blackberry/raspberry genetic improvement, soilborne pest management, sustainable substrates, and integrated pest management strategies. Her work emphasizes enhancing fruit quality, disease resistance, and production efficiency.

Key grants include a $5.3M USDA project for strawberry propagation innovation, $250K for caneberry cultivar trials, and $9.5K for anaerobic soil disinfestation research. She collaborates with industry partners like North Bay Produce and NC Strawberry Association.

Labs/Teams: Active in the NC State Strawberry Breeding Program and Mountain Horticultural Crop Research & Extension Center. Leads multi-state collaborations in Rubus genomics and production systems.