We breed and conduct research on carrot, onion, and table beet. We have been breeding these three crops at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for 73 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. His program focuses on breeding and genetics of table beet, carrot, and onion. He 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. Inbred lines, populations, and cultivars released from the breeding program are in use around the world by farmers, gardeners, and plant breeders. 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. Goldman received his B.S. from University of Illinois, an M.S. from North Carolina State University, a Ph.D. from University of Wisconsin-Madison, and did postdoctoral work at University of Illinois before joining the faculty at UW-Madison. He has also served in a number of administrative roles.