• Faculty & Staff
  • Campus Map
  • Directory
  • CALS Statewide Locations

  • Faculty & Staff
  • Campus Map
  • Directory
  • CALS Statewide Locations

Skip to main content
UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences logo
Give      University of Florida
Resources
  • Faculty & Staff
  • Campus Map
  • Directory
  • CALS Statewide Locations
Toggle Search Form
GIVE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
  • HOME
  • Students
        • Graduate Main Page
        • Graduate Courses
        • Graduate Certificate
        • Academic Calendar
        • Undergraduate Main Page
        • Undergraduate Courses
        • Online
        • Admissions
  • People
  • News and Events
  • Give
        • Subheading 1
        • Link 1
        • Link 2
        • Link3
        • Link 4
        • Subheading 2
        • Link 5
        • Link 6
        • Link 7
        • Link 8
        • Subheading 3
        • Link 9
        • Link 10
        • Link 11
        • Link 12
        • Subheading 4
        • Link 13
        • Link 14
        • Link 15
        • Link 16
        • Subheading 5
        • Link 17
        • Link 18
        • Link 19
        • Link 20
  • Extension
        • Subheading 1
        • Link 1
        • Link 2
        • Link3
        • Link 4
        • Subheading 2
        • Link 5
        • Link 6
        • Link 7
        • Link 8
        • Subheading 3
        • Link 9
        • Link 10
        • Link 11
        • Link 12
        • Subheading 4
        • Link 13
        • Link 14
        • Link 15
        • Link 16
        • Subheading 5
        • Link 17
        • Link 18
        • Link 19
        • Link 20
  • Research
        • Subheading 1
        • Link 1
        • Link 2
        • Link3
        • Link 4
        • Subheading 2
        • Link 5
        • Link 6
        • Link 7
        • Link 8
        • Subheading 3
        • Link 9
        • Link 10
        • Link 11
        • Link 12
        • Subheading 4
        • Link 13
        • Link 14
        • Link 15
        • Link 16
        • Subheading 5
        • Link 17
        • Link 18
        • Link 19
        • Link 20
  • Service Labs and Facilities
        • Tissue Culture Service Laboratory
        • Forage Evaluation Support Laboratory
        • IFAS Assessment 
        • Everglades Soil Testing Laboratory
        • Forage Extension Laboratory 
        • Nutrient Cycling Extension Lab

Agronomy

Agronomy

Dr. Esteban Rios

Associate Professor, Forage Breeding and Genetics

Dr. Rios research program meets a critical need for society as the demand for animal-based products is exponentially growing, particularly in subtropical and tropical regions where population growth is more pronounced. The U.S. is the world's largest beef producer and cattle production accounts for more than $78 billion in sales annually. However, feed represents the highest cost component of beef production and accounts for 40-60% of production costs. The interest in utilizing improved forages in pastures, versus grain-fed approaches, is driven by economic factors, followed by environmental and social consciousness. Improved forages contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the livestock sector, in addition to sequestering carbon in soil to mitigate climate change. My specialization in plant breeding and genetics, quantitative genetics, and forage production are the foundation of my research questions to improve yield, nutritive value, abiotic and biotic stress tolerance in forage species. I have two major goals in my program: i) contribute to the livestock and agricultural industries by creating and releasing cultivars with higher yield and quality, and greater resilience to abiotic and biotic stresses, and ii) conduct theoretical and applied research in quantitative genetics and genomics to make the plant breeding process more efficient. 

 

Contact Information

estebanrios@ufl.edu

352-392-6189

Office:
Main Campus
Building 350
Gainesville, FL 32611

Mailing Address:
Main Campus
PO Box 110500
Building 350
Gainesville, FL 32611

  • Links
    • Esteban Rios CV
    • Google Scholar
  • Courses Taught

    My teaching program focuses on student mentoring through lectures, chairing/serving on student committees, and advising student organizations. I teach three graduate-level courses: 

    AGR 5266C: Field Plot Techniques   

    AGR 6322: Advanced Plant Breeding 

    AGR 6932: Plant Chromosomes & Genomes 

University of Florida Logo
Contact

Feedback
UF/IFAS Agronomy
3105 McCarty Hall B P.O. Box 110500 Gainesville, FL 32611-0180
(352) 392-1811

Land Grant Mission
  • Teaching
  • Research
  • Extension
Information
  • Ask IFAS (EDIS)
  • UF/IFAS Experts
  • UF/IFAS Blogs
  • UF/IFAS Bookstore
Policy
  • Accessible UF
  • EEO Statement
  • IFAS Web Policy
  • SSN & UF Privacy
  • Analytics (Google Privacy)

© 2025 University of Florida, IFAS Last Modified:Mon, 8 Jul 2024 15:37:01 EDT