EDUCATION AND TRAINING

P.Doc 08-14 Plant Insect Interactions, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

Ph.D.   2008    Plant Breeding and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

M.S.    2005    Plant Breeding and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

B.S.     1999    Crop Protection, Zamorano, Panamerican Agricultural School, Honduras

Ass.     1997    Agronomy, Zamorano, Panamerican Agricultural School, Honduras

RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2014–Present Assistant Professor. Department of Horticultural Sciences. Texas A&M AgriLife, Weslaco, TX.

2000–2002 New Crops Researcher. National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (DICTA), Honduran Department of Agriculture (SAG), Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Peer-reviewed publications

  1. Awika, H. O., J. Solorzano, U.C. Rivera, A. Shi, J. Enciso, and C.A. Avila*. 2021. Prediction modeling for yield and water-use efficiency in spinach using remote sensing via unmanned aerial system. Smart Agricultural Technology. Accepted 08-29-2021 *Corresponding Author
  2. Renesh, B., C. A. Avila, and K. K. Mandadi. 2021. HTSeqQualC: A Flexible and One-Step Quality Control Software for High-Throughput Sequence Data Analysis. Scientific Reports. Accepted 09-03-2021
  3. Joshi, M., D. Leskovar, Desire, D., J. Jifon, C.A. Avila, J. Masabni, K. Crosby. 2021. Production Systems and Growing Environments had Stronger Effects than Grafting on the Nutritional Quality of Tomato. ACS Food Science & Technology. Accepted 08-19-2021.
  4. Esparza-Diaz, G., T. Marconi, C.A. Avila, and R.T. Villanueva. 2021. Persistence of the exotic Mirid Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) in South Texas. Insects 12:715
  5. Mora V., M. Ramasamy, M.B. Damaj, S. Irigoyen, V. Ancona, F. Ibanez, C.A. Avila and K.K. Mandadi. 2021. Potato Zebra Chip: An Overview of the Disease, Control Strategies, and Prospects. Frontiers in Microbiology 12:700663. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.700663
  6. Bhattarai, G., A. Shi*, D.R. Kandel, N. Solis-Gracia, J.A. da Silva, and C.A. Avila*. 2021. Genome-wide simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers discovered from whole-genome sequence comparisons of multiple spinach accessions. Scientific Reports. 11:9999. *Corresponding Authors
  7. Awika, H.O., A.K. Mishra, H. Gill, J. DiPiazza, C.A. Avila, and V Joshi. 2021. Selection of Nitrogen Responsive Root Architectural Traits in Spinach Using Machine Learning and Genetic Correlations. Scientific Reports 11:9536
  8. Li, J., A. Galla, C.A. Avila, K. Flattmann, K. Vaughn, and F.L. Goggin. 2021. Fatty Acid Desaturases in the chloroplast and endoplasmic reticulum promote susceptibility to the Green Peach Aphid, Myzus persicae, in Arabidopsis thaliana. Molecular Plant Microbe Interactions. Accepted (Published Online:17 Feb 2021 https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-12-20-0345-R)
  9. Chang, A., J. Jung, J. Yeom, M.M. Maeda, J.A. Landivar, J.M. Enciso, C.A. Avila, and J.R. Anciso. 2021. Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) based high throughput phenotyping (HTP) for Tomato Yield Estimation. Journal of Sensors 8875606
  10. Lee, J.H.J., G.K. Jayaprakasha, J. Enciso, C.A. Avila, Kevin M. Crosby, and B.S. Patil. 2021. Production system influences tomato phenolics and indoleamines in a cultivar-specific manner. Food Research International. 140:110016
  11. Lee, J.H.J, D.M. Kasote, G.K. Jayaprakasha, C.A. Avila, K.M. Crosby, and B.S. Patil. 2021. Effect of Production System and Inhibitory Potential of Aroma Volatiles on Polyphenol Oxidase and Peroxidase Activities of Tomatoes. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 101:307-314
  12. Irigoyen S., M. Ramasamy, S. Pant, P. Niraula, R. Bedre, M. Gurung, D. Rossi, C. Laughlin, Z. Gorman, D. Achor, A. Levy, M.V. Kolomiets, M. Setamou, I.E. Badillo-Vargas, C.A. Avila, M. Irey, K.K. Mandadi. 2020. Plant hairy roots enable high throughput identification of new antimicrobials against Candidatus Liberibacter spp. Nature Communications 11:5802
  13. Correa, E, S. Malla, K. Crosby, and C.A. Avila. 2020. Evaluation of Genotypes and Association of Traits in Watermelon Across Two Southern Texas Locations. Horticulturae 6:67
  14. Lee J.H.J., G.K. Jayaprakasha, C.A. Avila, K. Crosby, and B.S. Patil. 2020. Effects of genotype and production system on quality of tomato fruits and in vitro bile acids binding capacity. Journal of food Science. 85(11):3806-3814
  15. Lee, J.H.J.,  H.O. Awika, G.K. Jayaprakasha, C.A. Avila*, K.M. Crosby *, B.S. Patil*. 2020. Tomato metabolic changes in response to tomato-potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli) and its vectored pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum. Plants 9:1154. *Corresponding Authors
  16. Kandel, D.,  T.G. Marconi, I.E. Badillo-Vargas, J. Enciso, S.D. Zapata, C.A. Lazcano, K. Crosby, C.A. Avila*. 2020. Yield and fruit quality of high-tunnel tomato cultivars produced during the off-season in South Texas. Scientia Horticulturae 272:109582 *Corresponding Author
  17. Awika, H, Cochran, V. Joshi, R. Bedre, K.K. Mandadi, C.A. Avila*. 2020. Single-marker and haplotype-based association analysis of anthracnose (Colletotrichum dematium) resistance in Spinach (Spinacia oleracea). Plant Breeding 139:402-418. DOI: 10.1111/pbr.12773 *Corresponding Author
  18. Djidonou, D., D.I. Leskovar, M. Joshi, J. Jifon, C.A. Avila, J. Masabni, R. Wallace, and K. Crosby. 2020. Stability of yield and its components in grafted tomato tested across multiple environments in Texas. Scientific Reports 10:13535
  19. Awika, H, R. Bedre, J. Yeom, T.G. Marconi, J. Enciso, K.K. Mandadi, J. Jung, C.A. Avila*.  2019. Developing Growth-Associated Molecular Markers Via High-Throughput Phenotyping in Spinach. The Plant Genome Journal 12(3):1-19 *Corresponding Author
  20. Avila, C.A.*, T.G. Marconi, Z. Viloria, Kurpis, S. del Rio. 2019. Bactericera cockerelli resistance in the wild tomato Solanum habrochaites is polygenic and influenced by the presence of Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum. Scientific Reports 9:14031 *Corresponding Author
  21. Awika, H.O., T.G. Marconi, R. Bedre, K.K. Mandadi, C.A. Avila*. 2019. Minor Alleles are Associated with White Rust (Albugo occidentalis) Susceptibility in Spinach (Spinacia oleracea). Horticulture Research. (6):129 *Corresponding Author
  22. Kandel, D., R.H. Bedre, K.K. Mandadi, K. Crosby, C.A. Avila*. 2019. Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Germplasm Developed by Texas A&M Breeding Programs. American Journal of Plant Sciences 10:1154-1180 *Corresponding Author
  23. Enciso, J, C.A. Avila, J. Jung, S. Farag, A. Chang, J. Yeom, J. Landivar, M. Maeda, J.C. Chavez. 2019. Validation of agronomic UAV and field measurements for tomato varieties. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture journal (158)278-283
  24. Lee, J.H.J., G.K. Jayaprakasha, C.A. Avila, K.M. Crosby, B.S. Patil. 2019. Metabolomic studies of volatiles from tomatoes grown in net-house and open-field conditions. Food Chemistry 275:282–291
  25. Elsayed-Farag, S., J. Anciso, T. Marconi, C.A. Avila, A. Rodriguez, I-E. Badillo-Vargas and J. Enciso. 2018. Appropriate planting dates and plastic mulch for increasing common tomato varieties yield in South Texas. Afr. J. Agric. Res. 13(26)1349-1357
  26. Li, J, C.A. Avila, Denise M. Tieman, Harry J. Klee and Fiona L. Goggin. 2018. A Comparison of the Effects of FATTY ACID DESATURASE 7 and HYDROPEROXIDE LYASE on Plant–Aphid Interactions Interactions. J. Mol. Sci. 19:1077
  27. Chiong, KT,  MB Damaj, CS Padilla, C.A. Avila, SR. Pant, KK. Mandadi, NR Ramos, DV Carvalho,  TE Mirkov. 2017. Reproducible genomic DNA preparation from diverse crop species for molecular genetic applications. Plant Methods 13:106
  28. Wu, C., C.A Avila*, F.L. Goggin. 2015.  The ethylene response factor Pti5 contributes to potato aphid resistance in tomato independent of ethylene signaling. Journal of Experimental Botany. 66 (2): 559-570 *Shared first authorship
  29. Vaughn, KL, C.A. Avila, C.S. Padilla-Marcía, and F.L. Goggin. 2014. Development of fad7-1 single mutant Arabidopsis thaliana plants that are resistant to aphids. Discovery 15:94-99
  30. Avila, C.A. L.M. Arévalo-Soliz, A. Lorence, and F.L. Goggin. 2013. Expression of α-DIOXYGENASE 1 in tomato and Arabidopsis contributes to plant defenses against aphids. Molecular Plant-Microbe interactions 26:977-986.
  31. Avila, C.A. L.M. Arévalo-Soliz, L. Jia, D.A. Navarre, Z. Chen, G.A. Howe, Q.W. Meng, J.E. Smith, F.L. Goggin. 2012. Loss of function of FATTY ACID DESATURASE 7 in tomato enhances basal aphid resistance in a salicylate-dependent manner. Plant Physiology 158(4): 2028-2041.
  32. Suza, W.P., C.A. Avila, K. Carruthers, S. Kulkarni, F.L. Goggin, and A. Lorence. 2010. Exploring the impact of wounding and jasmonates on ascorbate metabolism. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry. 48:337-350.
  33. Goggin, F.L., C.A. Avila, and A. Lorence. 2010. Vitamin C content in plants is modified by insects and influences susceptibility to herbivory. BioEssays 32:777-790.
  34. R. Pallipparambil, J. C. Reese, C.A. Avila, J.M. Louis and F. L. Goggin. 2009. Mi-mediated aphid resistance in tomato: tissue localization and impact on the feeding behavior of two potato aphid clones with differing levels of virulence. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 135:295-307.

In review

  • D. Rueda, H.O. Awika, R. Bedre, D.R. Kandel, K.K. Mandadi, K. Crosby, C.A. Avila*. 2021. Phenotypic diversity and association mapping of spinach content in spinach. Frontiers in Genetic. * Corresponding Author
  • Rueda, D. and C.A. Avila*. 2021. High Ascorbic Acid Content Promotes Spinach Salt Stress Tolerance. Horticulturae. * Corresponding Author
  • V. Mora, M. Ramasamy, M.B. Damaj, S. Irigoyen, V. Ancona, C.A. Avila, M.I. Vales, F. Ibanez and K. K. Mandadi*. 2021. Identification and characterization of new sources of zebra chip disease resistance among wild Solanum species.
  • Marquez, S., K. Crosby, I. Amir, B. Patil, C.A. Avila. 2021. Generation means analysis of vine decline resistance in melons (Cucumis melo L.). Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment

Book Chapters

  1. Avila, C.A*, S.C. Irigoyen and K. Mandadi. Tomato plant responses to biotic and abiotic stress. In 
Mattoo, A. and A.K. Handa Editors. Achieving sustainable tomato cultivation. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited, Cambridge, UK http://dx.doi.org/10.19103/AS.2016.0007.07*Corresponding Author

 

Editor-reviewed publications and proceedings

  1. Robinson A.F., P. Agudelo, C. A.Avila*, A. A. Bell, F. E. Callahan, C. G. Cook, N. D. Dighe, O. A. Gutierrez, R. W. Hayes, J. N. Jenkins, J. T. Johnson, R. Kantety, G.W. Lawrence, K. S. Lawrence, L. Mangineni, J. C. McCarty, M. A. Menz, W. A. Meredith Jr., R. N. Nichols, R. T. Robbins, E. Sacks, B. Scheffler, G. L. Sciumbato, C. W. Smith, J. L. Starr, D. M. Stelly, S. R. Stetina, J. McD. Stewart, P. M. Thaxton, T. P. Wallace, D. B. Weaver, M. J. Wubben, and L. D. Young. 2008. Development of Reniform Nematode Resistance in Upland Cotton. Proceedings of the World Cotton Research Conference-4. September 10-14, 2007, Lubbock, Texas. 2008 CDROM. (*Invited)
  2. Avila, C.A.and J. McD. Stewart. 2007. Host Response to Reniform Nematode infection in resistant and susceptible Gossypium arboreumaccessions. In: D.M. Oosterhuis (ed.). Summaries of Arkansas cotton research 2006. University of Arkan­sas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series 552:123-127. Fayetteville, Ark.
  3. Avila, C.A.,J.McD. Stewart, and R.T. Robbins. 2006. Introgression of Reniform Nematode Resistance from G. arboreumto Upland Cotton: 2005 season advances report.In: D.M. Oosterhuis (ed.). Summaries of Arkansas cotton research 2005. University of Arkan­sas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series 543:122-127. Fayetteville, Ark.
  4. Avila, C.A., J.McD. Stewart, and R.T. Robbins. 2005. Development of a Molecular Marker linked to Reniform Nematode Resistance in Cotton. In: D.M. Oosterhuis (ed.). Summaries of Arkansas cotton research 2004. University of Arkan­sas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series 533:28-33. Fayetteville, Ark.
  5. Avila, C.A., J.McD. Stewart, and R.T. Robbins. 2005. Germplasm Enhacement for Cotton Improvement. In: D.M. Oosterhuis (ed.). Summaries of Arkansas cotton research 2004. University of Arkan­sas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series 533:23-27. Fayetteville, Ark.
  6. Avila, C.A., J.McD. Stewart, and R.T. Robbins. 2004. Transfer of reniform nematode resistance from diploid cotton species to tetraploid cultivated cotton. In: D.M. Oosterhuis (ed.). Summaries of Arkansas cotton research 2003. University of Arkan­sas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series 521:183-186. Fayetteville, Ark.

 

 

Comments are closed.