Awais Khan

About

Professor Awais Khan is a faculty member at Cornell University affiliated with the Section of Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology within the School of Integrative Plant Science. He holds a PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics/Plant Pathology. His research focuses on disease resistance mechanisms, quantitative genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics, particularly in rosaceous fruits such as apples. Professor Khan's work aims to understand and improve genetic resistance to diseases affecting apples, including fire blight and apple scab, through advanced genetic and molecular approaches. His lab integrates plant breeding, pathology, and genomics to dissect the genetic basis of disease resistance and to develop improved disease-resistant apple varieties. He leads a research group that includes graduate students and postdoctoral researchers working on various aspects of plant disease resistance, pathogen genomics, and functional validation of candidate genes. Professor Khan's expertise and research contribute significantly to the understanding of host-pathogen interactions and the development of sustainable disease management strategies in fruit crops.

Research topics

• Genetics
• Biology
• Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Botany
• Evolutionary biology

Selected publications

• Phased diploid genome assemblies and pan-genomes provide insights into the genetic history of apple domestication

  Nature Genetics · 2020 · 343 citations

  Domestication of the apple was mainly driven by interspecific hybridization. In the present study, we report the haplotype-resolved genomes of the cultivated apple (Malus domestica cv. Gala) and its two major wild progenitors, M. sieversii and M. sylvestris. Substantial variations are identified between the two haplotypes of each genome. Inference of genome ancestry identifies ~23% of the Gala genome as of hybrid origin. Deep sequencing of 91 accessions identifies selective sweeps in cultivated…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Multiple QTL Mapping in Autopolyploids: A Random-Effect Model Approach with Application in a Hexaploid Sweetpotato Full-Sib Population

  Genetics · 2020 · 86 citations

  (L.) Lam. [Formula: see text], is an important autopolyploid species, both socially and economically. However, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping has remained limited due to its genetic complexity. Current fixed-effect models can fit only a single QTL and are generally hard to interpret. Here, we report the use of a random-effect model approach to map multiple QTL based on score statistics in a sweetpotato biparental population ('Beauregard' × 'Tanzania') with 315 full-sibs. Phenotypic data w…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Laccase Directed Lignification Is One of the Major Processes Associated With the Defense Response Against Pythium ultimum Infection in Apple Roots

  Frontiers in Plant Science · 2021 · 25 citations

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  DOI

• <i>Malus sieversii</i>: a historical, genetic, and conservational perspective of the primary progenitor species of domesticated apples

  Horticulture Research · 2024-08-30 · 19 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract Apples are one of the most valued tree fruit crops around the world. Currently, a few highly popular and economically successful apple cultivars dominate the commercial production and serve as main genetic contributors to the development of new apple cultivars. This limited level of genetic diversity grown as a clonally propagated monoculture renders the apple industry vulnerable to the wide range of weather events, pests, and pathogens. Wild apple species are an excellent source of ben…

  PublisherDOI

• Comparing Apples and Oranges: Advances in Disease Resistance Breeding of Woody Perennial Fruit Crops

  Annual Review of Phytopathology · 2024-05-20 · 11 citations

  reviewOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Apple and citrus are perennial tree fruit crops that are vital for nutritional security and agricultural economy and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Apple scab and fire blight, along with Huanglongbing, canker, and tristeza virus, stand out as their most notorious diseases and annually destabilize fruit supply. An environmentally sound approach to managing these diseases is improving tree resistance through breeding and biotechnology. Perennial fruit tree germ…

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Jugpreet Singh

  ResearchWorks (United States)

  77 shared

• Zhangjun Fei

  Cornell University

  44 shared

• Richard Tegtmeier

  Plant (United States)

  30 shared

• Dorcus C. Gemenet

  Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz Y Trigo

  29 shared

• Mingyue Zhang

  Inner Mongolia University

  22 shared

• Mengfan Qin

  22 shared

• Mercy Kitavi

  21 shared

• Anže Švara

  Cornell University

  20 shared

Labs

• Khan Lab: Mechanisms of Fruit Diseases and ResistancePI

Education

• Ph.D., fire blight of apples

  Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH)

• M.S.

  Georg-August University

Similar researchers at Cornell University

• Edward Bucklerh-182
• Jean-Luc Janninkh-93
• Georg Janderh-89