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Give      University of Florida

Horticultural Sciences

Horticultural Sciences

Dr. Carlos D. Messina

Professor

Dr. Charlie Messina

Mailing Address:
Fifield Hall
2550 Hull Road
PO Box 110690
Gainesville, Florida 32611

Office: 2215 Fifield Hall
Phone: (352) 273-4862
E-mail: cmessina@ufl.edu

  • Biography

    Dr. Carlos Messina is a professor of predictive breeding in the Department of Horticultural Sciences. Dr. Messina works with breeders to improve the nutritional value of Florida produce and to reimagine agriculture as a solution to climate change. He also specializes in developing AI for plant breeding, which he believes will enable society to harmonize crop improvement efforts for regenerative agricultural systems that improve human health, nutrient security and adaptation to climate change.

  • Areas of Expertise
    • Climate Change
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Symbolic Artificial Intelligence
    • Plant Breeding
    • Maize
    • Drought
    • Crop Systems
    • Crop Physiology
    • Crop Modeling
    • Crop Improvement
    • Agriculture
  • Honors and Awards
    • 2020 Crop Science Outstanding Associate Editor. Crop Science Society of America.
    • 2020. Plant Breeding AC.E. Award. Technologies and Innovation. Corteva Agriscience.
    • 2016. Achievements in Research. The Henry A. Wallace Agricultural Revolution Impact Award. Precision Phenotyping, Managed-Environment, Stress-Testing Infrastructure. DuPont Pioneer.
    • 2011 Business Achievement Award. Contribution to drought tolerance innovation and the official launch of AQUAmax® hybrids. DuPont Pioneer.
    • 2006. Crop Genetics Research and Development Contribution Award Program. Methodology to characterize drought stress tolerance in maize using a mixed-model framework and crop model based environmental characterization. DuPont Pioneer.
    • 2003 Outstanding International Student, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Florida.
    • 2002. Who's Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges, University of Florida.
    • 2002. CALS Dean's Leadership Award, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Florida. 1998. Fellowship award from the Interamerican Institute for Global Change Research (IAI).
    • 1998. Scholarship award from the University of Buenos Aires. 
  • Educational Background
    • Ph.D. University of Florida. (United States). 2003. Agricultural & Bio1ogical Engineering
    • M.Sc. University of Buenos Aires (Argentina). 1999. Crop Science
    • B.Sc. University of Buenos Aires (Argentina). 1995. Agronomy