My laboratory works in close collaboration with plant pathologist, nematologist, biochemists, and molecular biologists within the USDA and at Texas A&M. Goals include the structure identification, quantitation, synthesis, and toxicology of biologically active, naturally occurring secondary metabolites of plant and microbial origin, and the elucidation of biosynthetic pathways in plants and microbes. The research requires extensive use of analytical spectroscopic techniques such as gas and high performance liquid chromatography to isolate and quantitate known compounds, and nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared, visible/ultraviolet and mass spectroscopy to determine the chemical structure of new metabolites. Stable isotopes such as deuterium and carbon-13 are used in biosynthetic studies.

• Enhancement of biological agents used to control seedlings diseases in cotton.
  
  
• Determination of cotton and kenaf secondary metabolites implicated in resistance to nematodes.
  
  
• Determination of resistance mechanisms in cotton to wilt diseases.
  
  
• Identification of antibiotics of microbial origin.
  
  
• Elucidation of biosynthetic pathways of secondary metabolites in cotton and kenaf.
  
  
• Identification of phytotoxic metabolites produced by pathogenic fungi.