Dr Qiang Xu
PhD, Associate Professor in Horticulture
Expertise Statement
Dr. Qiang Xu’s Lab has been focused on fruit crop genomics and genetic improvement.
He coordinated the sweet orange genome sequencing project during 2011-2012 and
successively accomplished the genome assembly, annotation, evolutionary and biological
analyses. During past several years, his Lab deciphered citrus red-fleshed trait on both
transcriptional and post-transcriptional level, and extended fruit quality-related traits to
fruit sugar, acid and etc. He is now leading a team with particular interests in the genomic
basis of citrus fruit color mutations, genome evaluation of citrus natural resources and
spontaneous mutations, for the goal of mutation-based genetic improvement in citrus.
Teaching Duties

Biotechnology of Horticultural Plants

Breeding of Horticultural Plants
Research Interests

Genomics and Functional Genomics in fruit crops

Citrus genetic resources and somatic mutation mechanism

Fruit quality and regulatory mechanism
Professional Memberships

Member of International Citrus Organization
Education & Working Experience

2009-2010: Collaborative research in Cornell University, NY, USA.

2002-2007: M.S. to Ph.D continue program. Molecular biology in horticulture,
Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.

1998-2002: B.S. in Horticulture, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Publications

Xu Q, Chen LL, Ruan X, Deng XX, Ruan YJ (2012) Genome analyses of sweet
orange (Citrus sinensis). Nature Genetics (accepted)

Yu KQ, Xu Q ()，Da XL, et al. (2012) Transcriptome changes during fruit
development and ripening of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis). BMC Genomics
13:10

Xu Q (), Liu CY, Xu JD, et al. (2011) Phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis of
NBS-encoding genes from two genera of citrus and their inter-generic progeny.
Mol Genet Genomics, 285:151–161

Xu Q(), Liu YL, Deng XX et al. (2010) Discovery and comparative profiling of
microRNAs in a sweet orange red-flesh mutant and its wild type. BMC Genomics
11: 246

Xu Q(), Yu KQ, Deng XX et al. (2009) Comparative transcripts profiling reveals
new insight into molecular processes regulating lycopene accumulation in a sweet
orange (Citrus sinensis) red-flesh mutant. BMC Genomics, 10:540

Xu Q, Wen XP, Deng XX. (2008) Genomic organization, rapid evolution and
meiotic instability of NBS-encoding genes in a new fruit crop “chestnut rose”.
Genetics, 178:2081-2091.

Xu Q, Wen XP, Deng XX. (2007) Phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis of
NBS-encoding genes in Rosaceae fruit crops. Mol Phylogenet Evol 44:315-324.

Xu Q, Wen XP, Deng XX. (2007) Cloning of two classes of PR genes and
development of SNAP markers for powdery mildew resistance loci in chestnut
rose (Rosa roxburghii Tratt). Mol Breeding 19: 179-191.

Xu Q, Wen XP, Deng XX. (2005) Isolation of TIR and NonTIR NBS-LRR
resistance gene analogues and identification of molecular markers linked to a
powdery mildew resistance locus in chestnut rose (Rosa roxburghii Tratt). Theor
Appl Genet 111: 819-830.
Additional Information
HONORS and AWARDS:

National Excellent 100 Doctoral Dissertation of China, 2010

Second prize for advancement in science and technology by provincial
government, 2009

First prize on the natural scientific paper of Hubei province, 2006

“Syngenta” Agriculture Education Scholarship, 2006.
Contact details
Dr. Qiang Xu
National Key Lab of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural
University, Shizishan Street No.1, Wuhan 430070, China
Fax: +86-27-87280016; Tel: +86-27-87281712
E-mail: xuqiang@mail.hzau.edu.cn