Meki Muktar

Name: Meki Shehabu Muktar

I am interested in plant molecular genetics, such as on molecular genetic diversity in tropical forages, marker-assisted breeding, QTL mapping, candidate genes, and genome-wide association mapping to detect genes/QTLs governing agronomic traits and diagnostic DNA markers associated or linked with important forage quality traits. I worked on breeding and genetics of disease resistance and drought tolerance. I also work on bioinformatics and computational biology. My PhD was on molecular plant genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany.

Some of my publications:

Muktar, M.S.; Habte, E.; Teshome, A.; Assefa, Y.; Negawo, A.T.; Lee, K.W.; Zhang, J.; Jones, C.S. (2021). Insights into the genetic architecture of complex traits in Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus) and QTL regions governing forage biomass yield, water use efficiency and feed quality traits. DOI: 10.1101/2021.03.15.435454

Yan, Q.; Wu, F.; Xu, P.; Sun, Z.; Li, J.; Gao, L.; Lu, L.; Chen, D.; Muktar, M.; Jones C.; Yi, X.; Zhang J. (2020). The elephant grass (Cenchrus purpureus) genome provides insights into anthocyanidin accumulation and fast growth. Mol. Ecol. Resour. doi:10.1111/1755-0998.13271.

Habte, E.; Muktar, M.S.; Abdena, A.; Hanson, J.; Sartie, A.M.; Negawo, A.T.; Machado, J.C.; da Silva Ledo, F.J.; Jones, C.S. (2020). Forage performance and detection of marker trait associations with potential for napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus) improvement. Agronomy, 10. DOI: 10.20944/preprints202002.0202.v1

Negawo, A.T.; Assefa, Y.; Hanson, J.; Abdena, A.; Muktar, M.S.; Habte, E.; Sartie, A.M.; Jones, C.S. (2020). Genotyping-by-sequencing reveals population structure and genetic diversity of a buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) collection. Diversity, 12. doi:10.3390/d12030088

Habte E, Muktar M.S., Negawo AT, Lee S-H, Lee K-W and Jones CS. (2019). An Overview of Teff (Eragrostis teff Zuccagni) Trotter) as a Potential Summer Forage Crop in Temperate Systems. Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland Science. 39: 185-188. http://db.koreascholar.com/article.aspx?code=380828.

Muktar, M.S.; Teshome, A.; Hanson, J.; Negawo, A.T.; Habte, E.; Domelevo Entfellner, J.B.; Lee, K.W.; Jones, C.S. (2019). Genotyping by sequencing provides new insights into the diversity of Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus) and reveals variation in genome-wide LD patterns between collections. Sci. Rep., 9, 1–15. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43406-0.

Muktar, M.S., Hanson, J., Teshome, A., Negawo, A.T., Jones, C. (2018). Genotyping-by-sequencing reveals population structure in a Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) collection and identifies marker-trait associations underpinning the selection of improved varieties. Poster presented at ‘Global Nutrition Symposium’, 24-25 Jan 2018, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. http://hdl.handle.net/10568/92910

Negawo A. T., Jorge A., Hanson J., Teshome A., Muktar M. S., Azevedo A. L. S., Ledo F. J. S., Machado J. C. and Jones C. S. (2018). Molecular markers as a tool for germplasm acquisition to enhance the genetic diversity of a Napier grass (Cenchrus purpurus syn. Pennisetum purpureum) collection. Tropical Grasslands-Forrajies Tropicales 58–696 (2): DOI: 10.17138/TGFT (6) 58-69

Mosquera T., Alvarez M.F., Jiménez-Gómez J.M., Muktar M.S., Paulo M.J., Steinemann S., et al. (2016). Targeted and untargeted approaches unravel novel candidate genes and diagnostic SNPs for quantitative resistance of the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) to Phytophthora infestans causing the late blight disease. PLoS ONE 11(6): e0156254. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0156254

Muktar, M. S., Lübeck, J., Strahwald, J., and Gebhardt, C. (2015). Selection and validation of potato candidate genes for maturity corrected resistance to Phytophthora infestans based on differential expression combined with SNP association and linkage mapping. Front. Plant Gen 6. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00294

Draffehn, A. M., Li, L., Krezdorn, N., Ding, J., Lübeck, J., Strahwald, J., Muktar, M. S., Walkemeier, B., Rotter, B., and Gebhardt, C. (2013). Comparative transcript profiling by SuperSAGE identifies novel candidate genes for controlling potato quantitative resistance to late blight not compromised by late maturity. Front. Plant Sci. 4, 423. 3

Meki, S, Seid, A, Sakhuja, P. K. (2008). Pathogenic variability in Ethiopian isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceris, and reaction of improved chickpea varieties to the isolates. International Journal of Pest Management, 54:143 - 149.

Meki, S.; Seid. A.; Sakhuja, P.K. (2011). Control of chickpea wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceris) using Tichoderma spp. in Ethiopia. Arch. of Phy. & P.t Prot. 4: 5, 432-440. doi.org/10.1080/03235400903093071

Meki, S.; Temesgen, A.;, Shiferaw, M.; Dirk D. W.; Guy, B. (2010). Nematode infection predisposes banana to Soil-borne Xanthomonas campestris pv musacearum transmission. Tree and Forestry Science and Biotechnology, 4 (special issue 2): 63-64.

Meki, S.; Temesgen, A.; Laban, F. T.; Tamiru, A.; Shiferaw, M., Guy, B. (2010). The Efficiency of Air-Drying Pared Corms of Banana Suckers in Reducing the Risk of Soil-Mediated Xanthomonas Wilt Infections in Ethiopia. Tree and Forestry Science and Biotechnology, 4 (special issue 2): 60-62.

Meki, S. and Asnakech, T. (2004). Yield loss of barley due to scald and net-blotch diseases at North Shewa. Pest Management Journal of Ethiopia, 8: 111-18.