Dr. Amir Ali Khoddamzadeh is is an associate professor of environmental horticulture in the Agroecology Program, Department of Earth and Environment (E&E), Florida International University (FIU). He is affiliated with International Center for Tropical Botany (ICTB) at the Kampong Botanic Garden and Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST-NSF) within the Institute of Environment, an FIU Preeminent Program and is a Research Associate at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Dr. Khoddamzadeh is the Co-director of Global Sustainable Tourism Program, and Garden Club advisor. He served as the Undergraduate Program Director (19-23) and serving as the chair of HR and graduate committee of the E&E Department. Dr. Khoddamzadeh Conservation and Sustainable Horticulture Lab is designated as the Trimble Technology Lab (TTL) since 2022 and is supported by Trimble Agriculture (Trimble Ag Solutions).
He serves as the faculty fellow at Honors College and is a member of College of Arts, Sciences & Education (CASE) Carbon Footprint Reduction committees. He is serving as CASE Internship liaison as well.
Dr. Khoddamzadeh spent his sabbatical at USDA ARS Subtropical Horticulture Research Station in Miami for the Spring of 2024 collaborating with the Ornamental Group on Conservation, Management, Characterization, and Distribution of Subtropical and Tropical Ornamental Genetic Resources. He is the USDA E. Kika De La Garza “Science Fellow“.
Dr. Khoddamzadeh serves in the Urban Horticulture Program Advisory Board led by UF/IFAS Extension in Miami-Dade County. He chairs the Education Planning Committee, chair of Orchid interest group and serves as the chair-elect of Horticultural Plant Reproductive Biology (HPRB) Interest Groups and served as the chair of Human Issues in Horticulture, Seed & Stand Establishment, and Ornamental Plant Breeding Interest Groups. In addition, he chaired the Outstanding International Horticulturist Award Committee and Graduate Student Activities and is the member of Nominations and Elections Committee in the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS). He serves in the Conservation Committee of Florida Native Plant Society and Dan Austin Award for Ethnobotany. Finally, he nominated to serve in the Global Council for Science and the Environment (GCSE). He is the editor/guest editor of several scientific journals.
The most recent in Frontiers in Plant Science on “Advancements in Precision Agriculture and Remote Sensing for Optimizing Fertilizer and Irrigation Management of Specialty Crops”
research interests
Dr. Khoddamzadeh’s conservation and sustainable (C&S) horticulture lab projects broadly cover the integration of practical science-based solutions with stakeholders’ needs to address challenges associated with climate change, species endangerment, adaptation, and environmental pollution. This multidisciplinary research addresses a range of topics, including a) Seed technology, mycorrhizal fungi in urban environment, and in-vitro propagation (tissue culture), b) Gene banking (cryopreservation) and synthetic seed, and c) Applications of optical sensor technology for monitoring fertilizer, water, and plant health abiotic stressors such as salinity and heat in horticultural crops. These aspects are pivotal for informed decision-making regarding best management practices in botanic gardens, gene banks, the private sector, and the nursery production industry. C&S Lab is designated as Trimble Technology Lab (TTL).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1F2s0yWySE&t=2s Rare Florida “night orchids” could be saved by common fruits
Read more on Nitrogen Management and Plant Quality Monitoring Using Optical Sensor Technology in Native and Non-Native Specialty Crops and Scientists manage fertilizers to reduce environmental issues and Dr. Horticulture iPhone App
Read more on Regenerative Agriculture: Effects of Cover Crop and Mycorrhizal Inoculation on Salt Stress Mitigation in Floridian Tomato Cultivars. Read more on Student works to save endangered orchids with friendly fungi Read more on Professor developing new tool for plant parents and Scientists manage fertilizers to reduce environmental issues