Kezia Cristina Silva Reis Email & Phone Number

My current role as a Research Scientist centers around the evaluation of newly released sugarcane varieties through field trials. These trials serve as a critical step in assessing the performance and potential of new varieties in commercial conditions. Additionally, I actively participate in the selection of the best promising clones in Florida sugarcane breeding programs. I also collaborate with other scientists in improving phenotyping methods using cutting-edge remote sensing technology. Our aim consists of obtaining comprehensive and accurate data on the growth and development of new sugarcane clones, enabling better decision-making and faster progress in breeding programs. Collaboration is essential to success in my position, and I frequently engage with directors, farm managers, and agricultural operations teams, maintaining open communication and providing support and recommendations.Through my work as a Research Scientist, I am dedicated to driving innovation and continuous improvement in the Florida sugarcane industry, contributing to its growth and sustainability while meeting the evolving demands of the market.As an undergraduate student, I have conducted research in a plant pathology diagnosis clinic. I received training in routine laboratory protocols and had the opportunity to work with vegetables, ornamentals, cereal grains, and major crops such as sugarcane and citrus. My undergraduate thesis project was focused on the blast disease of winter crops, evaluating the possibility of sexual recombination in the pathogen as one of the reasons for the breakdown of resistant varieties.As a master's student at Louisiana State University, I have had an opportunity to develop skills in planning, designing, and conducting greenhouse and field experiments to evaluate the impact of diseases on sugarcane, focusing on understanding the beneficial effects of chemical treatments controlling red rot and improving sugarcane stand establishment. In addition, I have also acquired molecular biology skills such as RNA library preparation, sequencing, and post-sequencing analysis.Throughout the years, I have acquired experience isolating, manipulating, and storing pathogenic microorganisms, DNA and RNA extraction and quantification, and running electrophoresis agarose gel and library preparation for sequencing.

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  Research And Development Scientist

  Florida Crystals

  Oct 2022 - Present

  Research Scientist at Variety Development Program.