Match tier
Confirmed
Presence
Current · Arkansas
Last published
2026
Sources
OpenAlex · ORCID
Refreshed
2026-10-05
M
Margaret Leigh Worthington
Affiliation confirmed via AI analysis of OpenAlex, ORCID, and web sources.
Associate Professor
Also affiliated: Agricultural Research Service (2018); Oregon State University (2018); United States Department of Agriculture (2018); North Carolina State University (2013–2014); University of Arkansas System (2018–2026); National Clonal Germplasm Repository (2018); International Center for Tropical Agriculture (2017–2019); Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory (2018); International Center for Tropical Agriculture (2015–2020); University of California, Davis (2012–2013)
20 h-index
110 pubs
1,613 cited
Research Areas
Biomedical Subjects
Links
Biography and Research Information
OverviewAI-generated summary
Margaret Leigh Worthington's research focuses on plant genetics and breeding, particularly in the areas of fruit crops and forage grasses. Her work has involved mapping genes for traits such as disease resistance in wheat, as seen in her publication on Pm53 resistance. She has also investigated the genetic underpinnings of apomixis, a form of asexual reproduction, in *Brachiaria* grasses, including identifying candidate genes and understanding their chromosomal locations.
Worthington's research group has contributed to the development of genomic resources for *Rubus* (bramble) breeding, aiming to provide a roadmap for future advancements in this area. Her publications also touch upon broader agricultural themes, including the potential for plants to suppress soil nitrification and the sustainable intensification of forage-based agricultural systems. Her scholarly contributions are reflected in an h-index of 21 and over 1,600 citations across more than 100 publications.
Metrics
- h-index: 20
- Publications: 110
- Citations: 1,613
Positions
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Associate Professor 2022–presentUniversity of Arkansas UAF | HORT | Department of Horticulture ORCID
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Assistant Professor 2016–presentUniversity of Arkansas Fayetteville Horticulture ORCID
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Scientist / Plant Breeder 2013–2016Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical Tropical Forages ORCID
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Graduate student researcher 2010–2013North Carolina State University Crop Science ORCID
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Graduate student researcher 2008–2010University of California Davis Plant Sciences ORCID
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U.S. Student Fulbright Fellows in India 2006–2007Institute of International Education ORCID
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Apprentice 2005North Carolina State University Center for Environmental Farming Systems ORCID
Selected Publications
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The control of prickle formation in Rubus (2026)
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Leaf Shape Locus Maps to Chromosome 1 in Muscadine Grape (2026)
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The control of prickle formation in Rubus (2025)
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A Single Genomic Region Controls Primocane Fruiting in Tetraploid Blackberry (2025)
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Blackberry Long-cane Cold Storage and Forcing Strategy Effects on Flower and Fruit Development (2025)
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Genetic control of sweetness and acidity in blackberry (2025)
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First Report of Fusarium Wilt of Blackberry ( Rubus subgenus Rubus ) Caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. mori in Arkansas (2025)
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Impact of harvest date and year on the volatile and physicochemical properties of fresh-market blackberry cultivars (2025)
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Evaluating Efficiency and Accuracy of Three Texture Analysis Methods for Blackberry Fruit (2024)
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Blackberry Growth Monitoring and Feature Quantification with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Remote Sensing (2024)
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Validation of a Diagnostic Marker for Primocane-Fruiting in Blackberry (2023)
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ShinyFruit: interactive fruit phenotyping software and its application in blackberry (2023)
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Analysis of the Aroma Volatile Profile of Muscadine Grape Germplasm by Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction Coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (2023)
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A multiplexed plant–animal SNP array for selective breeding and species conservation applications (2023)
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Genome-wide association identifies key loci controlling blackberry postharvest quality (2023)
Collaboration Network
Top Collaborators
John R. Clark
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
19 shared publications
In database
- High-density linkage maps and loci for berry color and flower sex in muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia)
- Multi-Locus Genome-Wide Association Studies Reveal Fruit Quality Hotspots in Peach Genome
- Validating Blackberry Seedling Pedigrees and Developing an Improved Multiplexed Microsatellite Fingerprinting Set
- Genome-wide association identifies key loci controlling blackberry postharvest quality
- A Rosaceae Family-Level Approach To Identify Loci Influencing Soluble Solids Content in Blackberry for DNA-Informed Breeding
Showing 5 of 19 shared publications
Renee T. Threlfall
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
11 shared publications
In database
- Physicochemical and Descriptive Sensory Analysis of Arkansas-grown Peaches and Nectarines
- Glutathione S-transferase: a candidate gene for berry color in muscadine grapes ( Vitis rotundifoli a )
- Phenolics and Volatiles in Arkansas Fresh-Market Blackberries (Rubus subgenus Rubus Watson)
- Identifying Unique Quality Attributes of Arkansas-Grown Fresh-Market Blackberries
- Genetic control of sweetness and acidity in blackberry
Showing 5 of 11 shared publications
Nahla Bassil
National Clonal Germplasm Repository (US)
10 shared publications
- Genetic and genomic resources for Rubus breeding: a roadmap for the future
- A chromosome-length genome assembly and annotation of blackberry ( Rubus argutus , cv. “Hillquist”)
- Validating Blackberry Seedling Pedigrees and Developing an Improved Multiplexed Microsatellite Fingerprinting Set
- A Rosaceae Family-Level Approach To Identify Loci Influencing Soluble Solids Content in Blackberry for DNA-Informed Breeding
- A multiplexed plant–animal SNP array for selective breeding and species conservation applications
Showing 5 of 10 shared publications
Lacy Nelson
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
8 shared publications
In database
- High-density linkage maps and loci for berry color and flower sex in muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia)
- Genome-wide association identifies key loci controlling blackberry postharvest quality
- Glutathione S-transferase: a candidate gene for berry color in muscadine grapes ( Vitis rotundifoli a )
- Genetic control of sweetness and acidity in blackberry
- A Single Genomic Region Controls Primocane Fruiting in Tetraploid Blackberry
Showing 5 of 8 shared publications
Rishi Aryal
North Carolina State University (US)
8 shared publications
- A chromosome-length genome assembly and annotation of blackberry ( Rubus argutus , cv. “Hillquist”)
- Genome-wide association identifies key loci controlling blackberry postharvest quality
- A Rosaceae Family-Level Approach To Identify Loci Influencing Soluble Solids Content in Blackberry for DNA-Informed Breeding
- A multiplexed plant–animal SNP array for selective breeding and species conservation applications
- A multiplexed plant-animal SNP array for selective breeding and species conservation applications
Showing 5 of 8 shared publications
Hamid Ashrafi
North Carolina State University (US)
7 shared publications
- A chromosome-length genome assembly and annotation of blackberry ( Rubus argutus , cv. “Hillquist”)
- Genome-wide association identifies key loci controlling blackberry postharvest quality
- A Rosaceae Family-Level Approach To Identify Loci Influencing Soluble Solids Content in Blackberry for DNA-Informed Breeding
- A multiplexed plant–animal SNP array for selective breeding and species conservation applications
- A multiplexed plant-animal SNP array for selective breeding and species conservation applications
Showing 5 of 7 shared publications
Jason D. Zurn
Kansas State University (US)
5 shared publications
- Validating Blackberry Seedling Pedigrees and Developing an Improved Multiplexed Microsatellite Fingerprinting Set
- A Rosaceae Family-Level Approach To Identify Loci Influencing Soluble Solids Content in Blackberry for DNA-Informed Breeding
- A multiplexed plant–animal SNP array for selective breeding and species conservation applications
- A multiplexed plant-animal SNP array for selective breeding and species conservation applications
- Status of Rubus germplasm at the US National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, Oregon
Patrick J. Conner
University of Georgia (US)
5 shared publications
- High-density linkage maps and loci for berry color and flower sex in muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia)
- Glutathione S-transferase: a candidate gene for berry color in muscadine grapes ( Vitis rotundifoli a )
- Muscadine Grape Breeding
- Analysis of the Aroma Volatile Profile of Muscadine Grape Germplasm by Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction Coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
- Leaf Shape Locus Maps to Chromosome 1 in Muscadine Grape
Luke R. Howard
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
5 shared publications
In database
- Glutathione S-transferase: a candidate gene for berry color in muscadine grapes ( Vitis rotundifoli a )
- Phenolics and Volatiles in Arkansas Fresh-Market Blackberries (Rubus subgenus Rubus Watson)
- Identifying Unique Quality Attributes of Arkansas-Grown Fresh-Market Blackberries
- Glutathione S-transferase: A Candidate Gene for Berry Color in Muscadine Grapes ( Vitis rotundifolia )
- Estimation of additive and dominance effects of a mutant glutathione S-transferase gene on anthocyanin content in muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia)
T. Mason Chizk
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
5 shared publications
In database
- Genome-wide association identifies key loci controlling blackberry postharvest quality
- Glutathione S-transferase: a candidate gene for berry color in muscadine grapes ( Vitis rotundifoli a )
- Genetic control of sweetness and acidity in blackberry
- ShinyFruit: interactive fruit phenotyping software and its application in blackberry
- A Single Genomic Region Controls Primocane Fruiting in Tetraploid Blackberry
Tomáš Brůna
Joint Genome Institute (US)
5 shared publications
- A chromosome-length genome assembly and annotation of blackberry ( Rubus argutus , cv. “Hillquist”)
- A chromosome-length genome assembly and annotation of blackberry ( Rubus argutus , cv. ‘Hillquist’)
- The control of prickle formation in Rubus
- A Single Genomic Region Controls Primocane Fruiting in Tetraploid Blackberry
- The control of prickle formation in Rubus
Carmen A Johns
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
5 shared publications
In database
- Genome-wide association identifies key loci controlling blackberry postharvest quality
- Genetic control of sweetness and acidity in blackberry
- A Single Genomic Region Controls Primocane Fruiting in Tetraploid Blackberry
- Evaluating Efficiency and Accuracy of Three Texture Analysis Methods for Blackberry Fruit
- Validation of a Diagnostic Marker for Primocane-Fruiting in Blackberry
Alexander Silva
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
5 shared publications
In database
- Blackberry Growth Monitoring and Feature Quantification with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Remote Sensing
- The control of prickle formation in Rubus
- A Single Genomic Region Controls Primocane Fruiting in Tetraploid Blackberry
- Validation of a Diagnostic Marker for Primocane-Fruiting in Blackberry
- The control of prickle formation in Rubus
Aruna Varanasi
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (US)
4 shared publications
- High-density linkage maps and loci for berry color and flower sex in muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia)
- Glutathione S-transferase: a candidate gene for berry color in muscadine grapes ( Vitis rotundifoli a )
- Glutathione S-transferase: A Candidate Gene for Berry Color in Muscadine Grapes ( Vitis rotundifolia )
- Estimation of additive and dominance effects of a mutant glutathione S-transferase gene on anthocyanin content in muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia)
Olga Dudchenko
Center for Theoretical Biological Physics (US)
4 shared publications
- A chromosome-length genome assembly and annotation of blackberry ( Rubus argutus , cv. “Hillquist”)
- A chromosome-length genome assembly and annotation of blackberry ( Rubus argutus , cv. ‘Hillquist’)
- The control of prickle formation in Rubus
- The control of prickle formation in Rubus
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