Chris Jones (UK) is program leader for feed and forage development, a multidisciplinary research program involving a team of plant molecular biologists, physiologists and geneticists, and animal nutrition scientists. His work is directed towards accelerating the genetic improvement of feed and forage species in support of livestock production in developing countries. He has a PhD from the University of Dundee and has researched all aspects of plant biotechnology from academic to highly commercially driven projects. He Joined ILRI in July 2015 from the New Zealand Crown Research Institute, AgResearch.

Recent publications:

Negawo AT, Akinmade HO, Muktar MS, Habte E, Assefa Y, Muchugi A, Sartie AM and Jones CS. (2023). Genetic Diversity, Population Structure and Subset Development in a Sesbania sesban Collection. Plants, 12, 13. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12010013.

Zhou L, Shi K, Cui X, Wang S, Jones CS and Wang Z. (2023). Overexpression of MsNAC51 from alfalfa confers drought tolerance in tobacco. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 205, 105143.

Pereira JF, Zhang J, Jessup R and Jones CS. (2022). Editorial: Forage crop improvement for improved livestock production and nutrition. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13: 1082873. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1082873.

Brychkova G, Kekae K, McKeown PC, Hanson J, Jones CS, Thornton P and Spillane C. (2022). Climate change and land-use change impacts on future availability of forage grass species for Ethiopian dairy systems. Scientific Reports, 12: 20512. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-23461-w.

Ericksen P, Jones C, Marshall K, Baltenweck I, Banerjee R, Crane T, Bett B, Kemp S, Wright I, Duncan A, Dominguez-Salas P, Pye-Smith C and Thornton P. (2022). Livestock IN: Global Center on Adaptation. State and Trends in Adaptation Reports 2021 and 2022: Africa. Rotterdam and Abidjan: Global Center on Adaptation: 224-243. https://gca.org/reports/sta22/.

Korir D, Marqardt S, Eckard R, Sainz A, Dickhoefer U, Butterbach-bahl K, Merbold L, Jones C, Robertson-Dean M and Goopy J. (2022). Weight gain and enteric methane production of cattle fed on tropical grasses. Animal Production Science, https://doi.org/10.1071/AN21327.

Habte EH, Gari AT, Muktar MS, Assefa Y, Negawo AT, Machado JC, Ledo FJS and Jones CS. (2022). Productivity and feed quality performance of Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus) genotypes growing under different soil moisture levels. Plants, 11, 2549. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11192549.

Chen L, Wang P, Cheng X, Yan Z, Wu F, Jahufer Z, Han Y, Habte E, Jones CS, Cheng Y and Zhang J. (2022). Recurrent selection of new breeding lines and yield potential, nutrient profile and in vitro rumen characteristics of Melilotus officinalis. Field Crops Research, 287: 108657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2022.108657.

Gao L, Yan Q, Li J, Pang T, Lu L, Yi X, Jones CS and Zhang J. (2022). Elephant grass supplementation in the feed of fattening pigs affects growth performance, carcass characteristics, blood profiles and intestinal microorganisms. Frontiers in Animal Science, 3: 911692. https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2022.911692.

Chadalavada K, Anbazhagan K, Ndour A, Choudhary S, Palmer W, Flynn JR, Mallayee S, Pothu S, Prasad KVSV, Varijakshapanikar P, Jones CS, Kholová J. (2022). NIR Instruments and Prediction Methods for Rapid Access to Grain Protein Content in Multiple Cereals. Sensors, 22: 3710. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22103710.

Ramirez-Villegas J, Khoury CK, Achicanoy HA, Diaz MV, Mendez AC, Sosa CC, Kehel Z, Guarino L, Abberton M, Aunario J, Awar AB, Alarcon JC, Amri A, Anglin NL, Azevedo V, Aziz K, Capilit GL, Chavez O, Chebotarov D, Costich DE, Debouck DG, Ellis D, Falalou H, Fiu A, Ghanem ME, Giovannini P, Goungoulou, AJ Gueye B, Hobyb AIE, Jamnadass R, Jones CS, Kpeki B, Lee J-S, McNally KL, Muchugi A, Ndjiondjop M-N, Oyatomi O, Payne TS, Ramachandran S, Rossel G, Roux N, Ruas M, Sansaloni C, Sardos J, Setiyono TD, Tchamba M, van den Houwe I, Alejandro Velazquez JA, Venuprasad R, Wenzl P, Yazbek M, and Zavala C. (2022). State of ex situ conservation of landrace groups of twenty-five major crops. Nature Plants. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-022-01144-8.

Jifar H, Assefa K, Tadele Z, Tesfaye K, Dagne K, Negawo AT, Blümmel M and Jones CS. (2022). Exploring the Variation in Grain and Straw Yield and Straw Quality Traits of Improved Varieties of Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]. Advances in Crop Science and Technology, 10: 494.

Somegowda VK, Prasad KVSV, Naravula J, Vemula A, Selvanayagam S, Rathore A, Jones CS, Gupta R, Deshpande SP. (2022). Genetic Dissection and Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping of Agronomic and Fodder Quality Traits in Sorghum Under Different Water Regimes. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13: 810632. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.810632.

Muktar MS, Habte E, Teshome A, Assefa Y, Negawo AT, Lee K-W, Zhang J and Jones CS. (2022). Insights into the genetic architecture of complex traits in Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus) and QTL regions governing forage biomass yield, water use efficiency and feed quality traits. Frontiers in Plant Science, 12: 678862. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.678862.

Girija A, Jifar H, Jones C, Yadav R, Doonan J and Mur LAJ. (2022). Tef: a tiny grain with enormous potential. Trends in Plant Science, 27: 220-223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2021.11.011.

Wu F, Duan Z, X, P, Yan Q, Meng M, Cao M, Jones CS, Zong X, Zhou P, Wang Y, Luo K, Wang S, Yan Z, Wang P, Di H, Ouyang Z, Wang Y and Zhang, J. (2022). Genome and systems biology of Melilotus albus provides insights into coumarin biosynthesis and agronomic traits. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 20: 592-609. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.13742.

Bedaso NH, Bezabih M, Kelkay TZ, Adie A, Khan NA, Mekonnen K, Jones CS, Wolde-meskel E. (2022). Effect of fertilizer inputs on productivity and herbage quality of native pasture in degraded tropical grasslands. Agronomy Journal, 114: 216–227. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20862.

Balehegn M, Varijakshapanicker P, Zampaligre N, Blummel M, Ayantunde A, Jones C, Prasad KVSV, Duncan A, Dejene M and Adesogan AT. (2022). Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy for forage nutritive value analysis in sub-Saharan African countries. Agronomy Journal, 114: 100–114. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20801.

Worku M, Lemma H, Shawle K, Adie A, Duncan AJ, Jones CS, Mekonnen K, Notenbaert A and Bezabih M. (2022). Potential of Urochloa grass hybrids as fodder in the Ethiopian highlands. Agronomy Journal, 114: 126-137.  https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20789

Negawo AT, Muktar MS, Assefa Y, Hanson J, Sartie AM, Habte E and Jones CS. (2021). Genetic diversity and population structure of a Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) collection. Genes, 12: 1233. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12081233.

Vinutha KS, Khan AA, Ravi D, Prasad KVSV, Ramana Reddy Y, Jones CS and Blümmel M. (2021). Comparative Evaluation of Sorghum and Pearl Millet Forage Silages with Maize. Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology, 21: 1-14.

Angadi U.B. Animut G, Anandan S, Blümmel M, Moyo S, Rahman H and Jones C. (2021) FeedBase-Ethiopia: The Role of Database in Developing Livestock Feed. In: Modi R., Venkatachalam M. (eds) India–Africa Partnerships for Food Security and Capacity Building. International Political Economy Series. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54112-5_6.

Mengistu S, Nurfeta A, Tolera A, Adie A, Mekonnen K, Wolde-meskel E, Khan NA, Jones CS and Bezabih M. (2021). Forage yield and replacing concentrate supplements with oat and vetch mixed forage on the performance of sheep fed Desho grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum) based diets. Ethiopian Journal of Science and Technology, 12: 10-17.

Simeão RM, Resende MDV, Alves RS, Pessoa-Filho M, Azevedo ALS, Jones CS, Pereira JF and Machado JC. (2021). Genomic Selection in Tropical Forage Grasses: Current Status and Future Applications. Frontiers in Plant Science, 12: 761. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.665195.

Atumo TT and Jones CS. (2021). Varietal differences in yield and nutritional quality of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) accessions during consecutive harvests. Tropical Grasslands-Forrajes Tropicales, 9: 89-96. https://doi.org/10.17138/tgft(9)89-96.

Yan Q, Wu F, Xu P, Li J, Chen D, Sun Z, Gao L, Lu L, Muktar M, Jones C, Yi X and Zhang J. (2020). The elephant grass (Cenchrus purpureus) genome provides insights into anthocyanidin accumulation and fast growth. Molecular Ecology Resources, https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.13271.

Halewood M, Jamora N, Noriega IL, Anglin NL, Wenzl P, Payne T, Ndjiondjop M-N, Guarino L, Kumar PL, Yazbek M, Muchugi A, Azevedo V, Tchamba M, Jones CS, Venuprasad R, Roux N, Rojas E and Lusty C. (2020). Germplasm Acquisition and Distribution by CGIAR Genebanks. Plants, 9: 1296.

Sánchez RA, Hanson J, Jones C, Jurado P, Santellano E, Melgoza A and Morales-Nieto CR. (2020). Phenotypic variation of buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare (L.)) and accessions with potential for forage and seed production. Revista Fitotecnia Mexicana, 43: 343 - 347.

Kumar A, Hanson J, Jones CS, Assefa Y and Mulatu F. (2020). Screening and characterisation of virus causing leaf yellow disease of Tephrosia in Ethiopia. Australasian Plant Pathology, 49: 447-450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13313-020-00717-5. 

Habte E, Muktar MS, Abdena A, Hanson J, Sartie A, Negawo AT, Machado JC, Lédo FJdS and  Jones CS. (2020). Forage Performance and Detection of Marker Trait Associations with Potential for Napier Grass (Cenchrus Purpureus) Improvement. Agronomy, 10: 542. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10040542.

Negawo AT, Assefa Y, Hanson J, Abdena A, Muktar MS, Habte E, Sartie AM and Jones CS. (2020). Genotyping-By-Sequencing Reveals Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of a Buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) Collection. Diversity, 12: 88. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12030088.

Liu Q, Rasmussen S, Johnson LJ, Xue H, Parsons AJ, and Jones CS. (2020). Molecular mechanisms regulating carbohydrate metabolism during Lolium perenne regrowth vary in response to nitrogen and gibberellin supply. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-020-10070-y.