Zhanao Deng, Ph.D.

Professor of Environmental Horticulture

Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

2024 Awardee

Zhanao Deng has been breeding ornamental plants and emerging crops for 22 years. In that time, he has released or co-released 64 new cultivars. In the last five years alone, Deng has issued 13 new caladium and lantana cultivars.

Deng, a professor of environmental horticulture at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, can now add UF Research Foundation professor to his list of accomplishments.

“His research has made a significant impact on the ornamental and landscape plant industry and the emerging horticultural crop industries in Florida and gained national and international recognition,” says Jack Rechcigl, the center’s director.

Deng says he is profoundly appreciative of the dedicated staff, graduate students, postdoctoral associates, collaborators and unit leaders who have been pivotal to their collective success.

“In response to industry needs, my program has focused on developing new cultivars with improved disease resistance, sterility and non-invasiveness,” Deng says. “The caladium cultivars have enabled Florida growers to attract new customers, expand sales to new markets and lead the world in caladium production.”

Florida growers have also expressed strong interest in alternative crops to improve their competitiveness in the global marketplace. To meet those needs, Deng has launched initiatives to breed blackberries, raspberries, hops and pomegranates.

As he breeds new cultivars, Deng is constantly trying to ensure the plants and crops are resistant to as many diseases as possible. In the last five years, he has discovered numerous sources of resistance to Fusarium tuber rot and Pythium root rot in caladiums. He’s also finding resistance to powdery mildew in gerbera.

Deng’s research has been supported by $6.8 million in external funds from government agencies, growers and other private sources during the past five years. That support has led to 40 published papers in that time. For his career, Deng has published 130 articles.