Robert Krueger of the USDA-ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus & Dates (NCGRCD) located at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), has been named Research Leader (Director), effective June 5, 2022.
 
Prior to his appointment as Research Leader, Dr. Krueger served as a horticulturist and curator for the national collections of citrus and date palm genetic resource collections at the NCGRCD. He received his Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from the University of California, Davis after receiving his B.S. and M.S from UCR.

His current research and service program involves the acquisition, maintenance, distribution, evaluation, and documentation of the crops for which he is responsible. The acquisition phase of the program is carried out under Plant Controlled Import Permits issued by USDA-APHIS and co-signed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. These permits require extensive pathogen testing as well as specific therapy steps of acquired germplasm before release from quarantine and availability to the user public. 

Dr. Krueger’s research interests include pathology of quarantine pests of citrus and date palms, and phenotypic and genetic characterization of citrus and date germplasm. 

He serves on the Tier 2 Board of the National Clean Plant Network – Citrus, the Technical Advisory Committee for the Central California Tristeza Eradication Agency, the W-6 and WERA-20 Interstate Research Projects, the Advisory Board for the International Organization of Citrus Virologists, and other professional committees. He is currently serving on an ad-hoc committee to develop the Global Strategy for the Conservation of Citrus Genetic Resources and as Chair of a committee charged with developing the Plant Disease Response Plant for Phytoplasma Pathogens of Palms. He also provides demonstrations and instruction as requested by UC Riverside faculty and informally mentors undergraduate and graduate students.

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About the USDA-ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus & Dates
The mission of the National Germplasm Repository for Citrus and Dates is to collect, maintain, evaluate, preserve, and distribute germplasm of citrus, dates, and related Aurantioideae genera and Phoenix species. The achievement of this goal involves: 1) acquisition of the widest possible genetic diversity within citrus and dates to reduce genetic vulnerability in the future, 2) testing and treatment of accessions for pathogenic organisms, 3) maintenance of accessions in a protected, pest-free environment, 4) genetic, horticultural, and physiological characterization and evaluation of accessions, 5) establishment of an informational record for each accession covering acquisition, inventory, evaluation, and gene descriptor data, 6) distribution of pathogen-free germplasm to qualified researchers throughout the world, and 7) research into improved methods of collection, evaluation, propagation, preservation, and distribution.