We breed and conduct research on carrot, onion, and table beet in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We have been breeding these three crops at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for 75 years. Our lab’s founder is Warren “Buck” Gabelman, who passed away in June, 2022 at age 101. Since 1992, our lab has been directed by Irwin Goldman, who is a Professor in the Department of Horticulture. Our lab focuses on breeding and genetics of table beet, carrot, and onion. Inbred lines, populations, and cultivars released from the breeding program are in use around the world on six continents by farmers, gardeners, and plant breeders. Our research focuses on improving these crops and understanding the genetic control of key traits of importance to consumers, farmers, plant breeders, and gardeners.

Goldman Lab 2024

Front row from left to right, Emily Florin, Andrey Vega, Badger, Audrey Morrison, Grace Stoehr. Second row from left to right: Amirali Jafari, Leah Jakusz, Audrey Pelikan. Third row from left to right: Liam Scully, Hudson Koch, Irwin Goldman

In addition to research and breeding, Irwin also teaches courses in plant breeding, vegetable crops, plants and human wellbeing, food and seed sovereignty, and evolutionary biology. He trains graduate students in the Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics graduate program and advises undergraduates in horticulture and plant biology. You will find more information about our germplasm releases and our research projects in other sections of this website. For more information, please contact Irwin Goldman directly at ilgoldma@wisc.edu or 608-262-7781. 

© Board of Regents, University of Wisconsin System, 2024