CALS International Programs

Yencho, George (Craig) Craig

Distinguished Professor Horticultural Science
craig_yencho@ncsu.edu
919-513-7417
919-515-2505 fax

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Faculty Profile Login

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Dr. Yencho has research responsibilities (100%) in sweetpotato and potato breeding and genetics. Research emphasis is on developing disease and insect resistant table-stock, processing and specialty-type sweetpotatoes and potatoes adapted to North Carolina's growing conditions with improved root and tuber quality, respectively. Research interests include plant breeding, plant resistance to insects and pathogens, use of wild and/or related plant germplasm as a source of commercially important traits, applications of genomics, molecular biology and plant biochemistry to plant breeding and the production of renewable, bio-based, value-added products in sweetpotato and potato, and international agricultural development.

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Expertise:
Plant Breeding | Plant Genomics and Genetics | Food Science | Biochemistry | Bioprocessing | Molecular Biology | Crop Production | Fruit and Vegetable Production | Organic Agriculture | Plant Propagation | Entomology | Integrated Pest Management | Plant Pathology

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Country(s) of experience:
Australia | Ethiopia | Ghana | Kenya | Malawi | Mozambique | Nigeria | Peru | Rwanda | South Africa | Tanzania | Uganda | United States |

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Type(s) of International Experience:
Researcher in an international project | Extension provider in an international project | Instructor at an academic institution overseas | Speaker at an international conference | Visiting faculty | Other international activities | International consultant | Advisor for international students | Host for international faculty | Host for international post-doc

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Language(s):
Spanish

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Sabbaticals:
African Centre for Crop Improvement at Univ. of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Year: 2010
Description: Six month sabbatical at the African Centre for Crop Improvement at Univ. of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa where I taught plant breeding courses and interacted with plant breeding faculty. Sponsored by AGRA - Alliance for a Green Revolution for Africa (see Agra.org).
Country: South Africa
Institution: University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa

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Projects:
Root, Tuber and Banana Breeding: A Consolidated Investment Research project
04/05/2023 - 12/31/2024
Funding Agency/Sponsor: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
Institutional Partner: International Potato Center (CIP) (Centro Internacional de la Papa), Peru

SweetGAINS: Sweetpotato Genetic Advances and Innovative Seed Systems Development project
10/01/2019 - 01/31/2023
Funding Agency/Sponsor: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
Institutional Partner: National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), Uganda

SweetGAINS: Sweetpotato Genetic Advances and Innovative Seed Systems Research project
10/01/2019 - 09/30/2022
Funding Agency/Sponsor: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
Institutional Partner:

Genomic Tools for Sweetpotato Improvement (GT4SP) Development project
09/01/2014 - 08/31/2018
Funding Agency/Sponsor: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
Institutional Partner: Cornell University, USA | Crop Research Institute (CRI), Ghana | International Potato Center (CIP) (Centro Internacional de la Papa), Peru | Michigan State University (MSU), USA | National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), Uganda | National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI), Uganda | University of Queensland (UQ), Australia | Biosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI), Kenya

Development of High Yielding Multiple Resistant Sweetpotato Germplasm Development project
01/01/1997 - 12/31/2016
Funding Agency/Sponsor: The McKnight Foundation
Institutional Partner: National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), Uganda National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI), Uganda

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Project Collaborations:
Relationships between chemical compositions and sensory attributes of diverse sweetpotato genotypes
01/01/2022 - 12/21/2024
Funding Agency/Sponsor: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Institutional Partner: International Potato Center (CIP) (Centro Internacional de la Papa), Peru
Development of an International Sensory Lexicon for Sweetpotato
01/01/2018 - 01/01/2023
Funding Agency/Sponsor: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
Institutional Partner: International Potato Center (CIP) (Centro Internacional de la Papa), Peru
Statistical methods and computer programs for linkage and QTL analysis in polyploid populations
06/01/2015 - 09/30/2018
Funding Agency/Sponsor: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
Institutional Partner: