معرفی
William Rooney is a Regents Professor and Borlaug-Monsanto Chair in International Crop Improvement at Texas A&M University, affiliated with the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and the Department of Sorghum Breeding & Genetics. He leads the Variety Testing & Sorghum Breeding Lab and holds the AgriLife Faculty Fellow title. His roles include teaching SCSC 481 (Senior Seminar) and SCSC 642 (Plant Breeding II).
Rooney holds an M.S. in Plant Breeding (Texas A&M, 1989) and a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics (University of Minnesota, 1992). His research focuses on sorghum improvement, including genetic diversity, biological nitrification inhibition (BNI), root architecture, and bioenergy crop development. He collaborates with a team of support staff and graduate students, including Kayla Beechinor, Edgar Correa, and others.
His work addresses climate-resilient crops, sustainable agriculture, and genomic prediction methodologies. Rooney’s lab explores traits like sorgoleone exudation (a natural nitrification inhibitor) and root system architecture using low-field MRI technology. Recent studies emphasize bioenergy sorghum’s role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing soil health.
Key contributions include developing herbicide-resistant sorghum germplasm (e.g., Tx3499–Tx3503) and evaluating organic management practices for sorghum, maize, and cotton. His research integrates remote sensing (UAS), genomic tools, and environmental data to improve crop adaptability and productivity.
Rooney’s awards include prestigious titles like Regents Professor and Borlaug-Monsanto Chair. He advises graduate students on hybrid performance, BNI mechanisms, and crop modeling. His lab’s future work targets climate-smart agriculture, sustainable biomass production, and enhancing sorghum’s global food security role.
