Jared Zystro is Organic Seed Alliance’s Director of Programs. He has an M.S. and Ph.D. in plant breeding and plant genetics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he studied efficient methods of developing new organic sweet corn varieties. Jared has worked in the organic seed industry for over 15 years, managing seed production at two farms and conducting research and education projects with OSA. He currently manages OSA’s regional development in California, conducts participatory breeding projects and variety trials, and teaches farmers about seed production and plant breeding at workshops, conferences, and field days. He lives in the coastal town of Arcata, CA, with his wife and son.
Selected Publications
- Zystro, J., T. Peters, K. Miller, and W. Tracy. 2021. Classical and genomic prediction of synthetic open pollinated sweet corn performance in organic environments. Crop Science 61:1698-1708.
- Zystro, J., T. Peters, K. Miller, and W. Tracy. 2021. Inbred and hybrid sweet corn genotype performance in diverse organic environments. Crop Science 61:2280-2293.
- Zystro, J., T. Peters, K. Miller, and W. Tracy. 2021. Classical and genomic prediction of hybrid sweet corn performance in organic environments. Crop Science 61:1698-1708.
- Zystro, J. Efficient Methods to Develop New Sweet Corn Cultivars for Organic Systems. PhD Dissertation, The University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI.
- Lyon, A., W. Tracy, M. Colley, P. Culbert, M. Mazourek, J. Myers, J. Zystro, and E. Silva. 2018. Adaptability analysis in a participatory variety trial of organic vegetable crops. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems: 1-17.
- Zystro, Jared, Micaela Colley, and Julie Dawson. 2018. Alternative Experimental Designs for Plant Breeding. Plant Breeding Reviews 42: 87-117.
- Hoagland L., J. Navazio, J. Zystro, I. Kaplan, J. Vargas and K. Gibson. 2015. Key Traits and Promising Germplasm for an Organic Participatory Tomato Breeding Program in the US Midwest. HortScience 50:1301-1308.
- Buttala L., J. Zystro, M. Colley S. and Siegel. 2015. The Seed Garden. Seed Savers Exchange, Decorah.
- Lyon, E. Silva, J. Zystro and M. Bell. 2015. Seed and Plant Breeding for Wisconsin’s Organic Vegetable Sector: Understanding Farmers’ Needs. Agroecology and Food Systems 39: 601-624.
- Zystro, J., N. de Leon, and W. Tracy. 2012. Analysis of Traits Related to Weed Competitiveness in Sweet Corn (Zea mays L.). Sustainability, 4:543-560.
