This season, we shine the spotlight on Peyton Ecklund. As a Master’s student in Dr. Xiaoying Li’s Horticulture Vegetable Crops Lab, Peyton is evaluating seed-borne pathogens of okra.
A seed was planted
Peyton Ecklund graduated from a local high school—from BioTech @ Richmond Heights. Peyton’s interests in plant research were kindled through her school’s collaboration with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and she knew she wanted to continue researching plants. Despite being an average student with learning disabilities, several universities accepted Peyton to begin her undergraduate studies and paved the way for her to follow her passion.
Rooted
Peyton’s passion was really ignited in an undergraduate plant pathology course. How plants adapt due to diseases caused by fungi and nematodes intrigued Peyton to stay the course. Eventually joining Dr. Melissa Mitchum’s lab as an intern, Peyton investigated potential soybean resistance genes to the southern root-knot nematode. Through this research opportunity, Peyton learned how to think critically and creatively. She learned how to find good information, vet sources, and communicate results. This hands-on project allowed Peyton to see to how experiments are designed and managed and, further, expanded her threshold as a researcher.
Growth
These skills continue to support Peyton as works on her Masters of Horticultural Sciences with a
minor in Plant Pathology, in Dr. Xiaoying Li’s horticulture vegetable crops lab. Peyton first joined Dr. Li’s lab in 2024 to screen okra seeds for seed-borne pathogens. That project included the development of rapid detection tests which, if successful, would allow seed distributers to test seeds prior to selling—potentially saving farmers money. Another way Peyton’s project aims to save farmers money is to provide them with science-based information detailing which varieties of okra are disease-resistant. These disease-resistant varieties of okra will be helpful for farmers growing okra in south Florida’s hot, humid summers.
From helping farmers to preventing diseases, okra is proving to be a popular ethnic crop grown in south Florida. Why is okra gaining popularity? Find out here. But to learn more about Peyton’s research, watch this video.
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