Jose Gonzalez

Jose Gonzalez is a Professor and Director of Core Research Support Facilities at South Dakota State University (SDSU), affiliated with the Department of Agronomy, Horticulture & Plant Science within the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in plant breeding and molecular genetics from North Dakota State University (2000), a postgraduate degree in plant breeding from the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute (1995), and a B.S. in biology from the University of Navarra (1991).

His research focuses on plant genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics, with a particular emphasis on crop improvement, microbiome analysis, and stress resilience in plants. Key projects include studying Fusarium pathogens in soybeans, optimizing nitrogen use efficiency in wheat, and analyzing soil microbial communities under varying agricultural practices. Gonzalez also leads initiatives in developing prairie cordgrass as a bioenergy crop and investigating the genetic basis of disease resistance in wheat.

His recent work demonstrates trends in integrating omics approaches with traditional breeding methods, advancing understanding of plant-microbe interactions, and addressing agricultural sustainability through precision agriculture and soil health research. Gonzalez’s lab, the Seed Technology Lab, is located in the Young Brothers Seed Technology Laboratory (Room 113F). He collaborates extensively with SDSU’s Genomics Sequencing Facility and contributes to the Division of Research and Economic Development.