🌿 Faculty Spotlight & Research Talk: Dr. Kalpalatha (Latha) Melmaiee 🌿
September 10, 2025
We had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Kalpalatha (Latha) Melmaiee, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources at Delaware State University, for an enlightening and enjoyable presentation on her groundbreaking work in plant breeding and crop resilience at our Wednesday dinner meeting.
The evening began with a warm introduction by our own club member, Dr. Marikis Alvarez, Associate Dean for Land Grant, at DSU, who highlighted Dr. Melmaiee’s extensive contributions to agriculture and student mentorship.
During her talk, Dr. Melmaiee captivated the audience with stories from her 35+ years of research, blending science with real-world impact:
🍓 Strawberries – Overcoming fungal diseases like gray mold and anthracnose through smarter management and breeding strategies.
🫐 Blueberries – Confronting the challenges of heat stress by testing diverse germplasm and applying biotech tools to identify genes for tolerance.
🌍 International Collaborations – Partnering in Senegal, Bangladesh, and India to strengthen drought tolerance in sorghum, improve rice breeding, and support women-led agricultural cooperatives.
✨ She also shared her achievements, including:
Fulbright Specialist Award (2022) and ICAR Visiting Professor Award (2023). Faculty Excellence in Research & Teaching at DSU. Mentoring 200+ undergraduate students across the U.S. in hands-on research
🎯 Action items moving forward:
• Explore blueberry germplasm for heat tolerance
• Apply biotechnological tools for marker-assisted breeding
• Expand global training for resilient crops and farmer empowerment
It was an inspiring evening filled with science, stories, and the promise of a more resilient agricultural future. 🌱👏
#rid7630 #DSU
