Summer of 2025, two new assistant professors joined the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences. Rajdeep Khangura studies cereal crop genetics and joins us after working as a postdoctoral fellow at Purdue University. Sarah Kezar specializes in weed science and comes from Cornell University where she served as a postdoctoral fellow.
Rajdeep Khangura
What will your main research focus and projects be at UW-Madison?
Our lab is broadly interested in understanding the underlying genetics of plant phenotypes in cereal crops that are relevant to improving agronomic performance in plants. We have specific projects in the lab where we are characterizing novel sources of broad-spectrum disease resistance in maize, sorghum, and wheat. These projects have direct implications for crop health and yield. Other genetics-heavy projects include a focus on understanding plant architecture, optimizing hybrid seed production, and producing high-quality silage, all of which have practical applications in agriculture.
What made you interested in this research?
My journey into the world of biology started in rural India. I grew up in Punjab, a state in Northern India, where I spent my childhood working on the farm alongside my dad. We grew a variety of crops, including wheat, rice, corn, clover, vegetables, and even Poplar. I also helped my mom run our small dairy operation, which consisted of about 15 milking cows and buffalo. Fun fact: we even had names for each animal, and they all had unique personalities! I also used to attend the farm fairs organized by a local agricultural university (Punjab Agricultural University), next to my village. These Ag fairs were well-organized, and they featured every crop and vegetable specialist (breeder, agronomist, pathologist, entomologist, and soil scientist) interacting with farmers. Even though I was primarily interested in fair food, I picked up a thing or two from these specialists. As a teenager, I understood the importance of improved crop varieties and superior Holstein Friesian cows. All in all, I am basically a farm kid who just fell in love with genetics and can’t stop thinking about it ever since.
How does your work support growers, especially in Wisconsin?
My lifelong connection with agriculture and dairy provides me with a strong foundation to partner with growers in Wisconsin and embody the Wisconsin Idea. Our lab is working on both fundamental and applied aspects of plant characteristics, providing knowledge that will enable the generation of superior genetics and resources for our breeders, ultimately benefiting growers. We are also exploring ways to develop and expand markets for millets, such as sorghum, in Wisconsin and the northern U.S. We are developing new tools and methodologies aimed at reducing the time to create cultivars and helping breeders operate at scale. I am eager to connect with growers to learn more about the challenges they face in Wisconsin, so that we can better direct our efforts to address these challenges.
Sarah Kezar
What will your main research focus and projects be at UW-Madison?
The ultimate goal of my research is to improve our understanding of how to target seed production and dominance of Wisconsin’s most troublesome weed species (e.g., common waterhemp, giant ragweed, velvetleaf, marestail, and barnyardgrass) while simultaneously preserving diversity by not targeting species that cause little to no yield damage. A bonus goal would be to predict common weed management strategies and environmental conditions (e.g. cold, wet springs followed by dry, hot summers) influence the quantity of seedbank contributions from weeds that escape in-season management and the downstream effects on herbicide-resistance evolution and weed adaptations over time.
What made you interested in this research?
I grew up on a hobby farm where we had 60 acres of alfalfa and a small cow-calf operation. This experience, along with active involvement in FFA and 4-H, is where my appreciation for agriculture first took root. My interest in the weed science, however, didn’t emerge until I took a chance on a Ph.D. program in the discipline. I was drawn to the integration of agronomy, biology, and ecology to manage weeds, which are some of the most persistent and adaptable robbers of crop yields. I quickly became fascinated by the ability of weeds to adapt to diverse management strategies and climate conditions. I became particularly interested in the weed seedbank because it is a reservoir of genetic diversity that drives this adaptability and how to develop management strategies to reduce seedbank contributions from herbicide-resistant weeds.
How does your work support growers, especially in Wisconsin?
Even small, long-term, changes in weed management practices can have large impacts on the density and diversity of the weed community in agricultural systems. My research incorporates the needs of extension specialists and growers to help develop integrated, multi-tactic strategies that are practical today and adaptable for future innovations. These approaches will be tailored to Wisconsin’s major cropping systems and support key goals in herbicide resistance management and weed seedbank reduction.