About Dr. Dhekney:

Dr. Sadanand Dhekney is an Associate Professor of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology at the

University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.  He received a PhD in Horticultural Sciences from the

University of Florida (UF), which was also followed by post-doctoral research at UF. Dr.

Dhekney was Assistant and Associate Professor at the University of Wyoming before joining

UMES. Dr. Dhekney has worked on wine and table grape improvement using techniques in

breeding and biotechnology for the past 15 years. Dr. Dhekney is also the coordinator for the

UMES industrial hemp program. His research in this area is focused on screening hemp varieties

to identify those that will perform well in Maryland, using plant tissue culture for eliminating

hemp viruses, fungal and bacterial pathogens, and producing plants through tissue culture for

distribution to Maryland farmers. Dr. Dhekney is also actively involved in teaching courses in

plant biotechnology and horticulture, and training students in hemp production and processing.

He hosts several undergraduate and graduate students in his research program each year. Dr.

Dhekney has published more than 50 research publications and book chapters, and secured more

than $ 2.0 million in research funding over the course of his career. He has received the 2013

Young Scientist Award from the Society for In Vitro Biology, the 2016 Early Career Research

Achievement Award from the University of Wyoming and the 2017 Excellence in Research and

Teaching award from the National Agricultural Honor Society, Gama Sigma Delta.

Program Information: https://www.umes.edu/SANS/Pages/The-Program/

Program Video:https://youtu.be/Pmi9z98uEEc