Pre-Prints & Submitted Manuscripts Rasmussen A*, Erndwein L, Stager A, Reneau JW and Sparks EE*. “Bigger is better: Thicker maize brace roots are advantageous for both strength and nitrogen uptake” bioRxiv, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.10.01.510439 *Co-corresponding authors. Henrickson MG, Reneau JW, Sparks EE, and Betts AK. “Development of Pythium graminicola inoculation methods and rhizoboxes for greenhouse corn research” Submitted, 2025.
Wei X, Guo X, Ren T, Sparks EE, Li B, and Zhou H. “Soil bulk density and water content influence maize brace root development” Submitted, 2025.
Ikiriko II, Hostetler AN,and Sparks EE. “Approaches for assessing mechanical properties of maize roots: A review” Under Review at CSH Protocols and the Cold Spring Harbor Maize Collection, 2025.
Pierce E, Hostetler AN, and Sparks EE. “3-point bend testing of maize brace roots for quantification of mechanics” Under Review at CSH Protocols and the Cold Spring Harbor Maize Collection, 2025.
Hazelwood OS, Delpit G, Do HLT, Sparks EE, Best NB, and Ashraf MA. “Lead, a toxic metal, alters auxin-mediated root growth and gravitropic responses in maize and Arabidopsis” bioRxiv, 2025.
Adak A, DeSalvio AJ, Murray SC, De Leon N, Bohn M, Edwards J, Ertl D, Hirsch CN, Holland J, Kaeppler S, Knoll JE, Sekhon RS, Singh MP, Sparks EE, Thompson A, Tuinstra MR, Washburn JD, and Weldekidan T. “Phenomics-derived Temporal Maize Health Signals and Enviromics Enhance Physiology-Informed Prediction of Yield Across Environments” Submitted, 2025.
Hostetler AN, Kennebeck E, Reneau JW, Caldwell DL, Iyer-Pascuzzi AS, and Sparks EE. “Vascular anatomy changes in tomato stems grown under simulated microgravity” bioRxiv, 2025.
2025 Ikiriko II*, Hostetler AN*, Reneau JW, Betts AK, and Sparks EE. “A biphasic trajectory for maize stalk mechanics shaped by internal and external factors” Accepted at The Plant Journal, 2025.
Wei X, Guo X, Sparks EE, Gao W, Ren T, Li B, and Zhou H. “Conservation tillage increases maize (Zea mays L.) root lodging resistance through improving brace root development”Soil & Tillage Research, 2025 Dec; 254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2025.106719
Ozair F, Adak A, Murray S, Alpers R, Lima D, Edwards J, Ertl D, Gore M, Hirsch C, Knoll J, Schnable J, Singh M, Sparks EE, Thompson A, Weldekidan T, and Xu W. “Phenotypic Plasticity in Maize Grain Yield: Genetic and Environmental Insights of Response to Environmental Gradients” Accepted at The Plant Genome, 2025.
Esterhuizen L, Ampimah N, Yandeau-Nelson M, Nikolau BJ, Sparks EE, and Saha R. “AraRoot - A Comprehensive Genome-Scale Metabolic Model for the Arabidopsis Root System” In Silico Plants, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1093/insilicoplants/diaf003
Hostetler AN*, Reneau JW*, Cristiano J, Weldekidan T, Kermani TA, Kim TT and Sparks EE. “A Tool to Measure Maize Root System Stiffness That Fills a Gap in Our Understanding of Plant Mechanics and Lodging” Journal of Experimental Botany, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erae465 *Equal contribution.
2024 Thomas H, Gevorgyan A, Hermanson A, Yanders S, Erndwein L, Norman-Ariztía M, Sparks EE, and Frank M. “Graft incompatibility between pepper and tomato elicits an immune response and triggers localized cell death” Horticulture Research, 2024 Dec; 11(12). https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhae255 Kamei T*, Ikiriko II*, Abernathy SM, Rasmussen A and Sparks EE. “Brace Roots” WikiJournal of Science, 2024. https://doi.org/10.15347/WJS/2024.007 *Equal contribution.
Rasmussen A, Vidoz ML and Sparks EE. “Stem-borne Roots as a Framework to Study Trans-organogenesis and Uncover Fundamental Insights into Developmental Biology'' Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 2024 Oct; 81: 102604 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2024.102604
Reneau JW, Ouslander N and Sparks EE. “Quantification of maize brace root formation after vertical stalk displacement” microPublication Biology, 2024. https://doi.org/10.17912/micropub.biology.001189
2023 Hostetler AN, Morais de Sousa Tinoco S and Sparks EE. “Root responses to abiotic stress - a comparative look at maize and sorghum” Journal of Experimental Botany, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erad390
Siosiou A, Sparks EE* and Tsialtas IT* “Brace roots in C3 Poaceae: where have they gone?” Submitted to microPublication Biology, 2023. https://doi.org/10.17912/micropub.biology.000939 *Co-corresponding authors.
Sparks EE* and Rasmussen A*. "Trade-offs in plant responses to the environment" Editorial Plant, Cell & Environment, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.14689 *Co-corresponding authors.
Lima DC, Castro Aviles A, Alpers RT, Perkins A, Schoemaker DL, Costa M, Kaeppler S, Ertl D, Cinta Romay M, Gage JL, Holland J, Beissinger T, Bucker E, Edwards J, Flint-Garcia S, Gore MA, Hirsch CN, Knoll JE, McKay J, Minyo R, Murray SC, Schnable J, Sekhon RS, Singh MP, Sparks EE, Thomison P, Thompson A, Tuinstra M, Wallace J, Washburn J, Weldekidan T, Xu W, and de Leon N. “2020-2021 Field Seasons of Maize G x E Project within Maize Genomes to Fields Initiative” Accepted at BMC Research Notes, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-023-06430-y
Lima DC, Washburn JD, Ignacio Varela JI, Chen Q, Gage J, Cinta Romay M, Holland J, Ertl D, Lopez-Cruz M, Aguate FM, de los Campos G, Kaeppler S, Beissinger T, Bohn M, Bucker E, Edwards J, Flint-Garcia S, Gore MA, Hirsch CN, Knoll JE, McKay J, Minyo R, Murray SC, Ortez OA, Schnable JC, Sekhon RS, Singh MP, Sparks EE, Thompson A, Tuinstra M, Wallace J, Weldekidan T, Xu W, and de Leon N. “Genomes to Fields 2022 Maize Genotype by Environment Prediction Competition” BMC Research Notes, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-023-06421-z
Hazelwood OS, Hostetler AN, Ikiriko II and Sparks EE. "Characterization of mechanosensitive MSL gene family expression in Zea mays aerial and subterranean brace roots” microPublication Biology, 2023. https://doi.org/10.17912/micropub.biology.000759 Méline V, Caldwell DL, Kim B-S, Khangura RS, Baireddy S, Yang C, Sparks EE, Dilkes B, Delp EJ and Iyer-Pascuzzi AS. “Image-based assessment of plant disease progression identifies new genetic loci for resistance” The Plant Journal,2023. https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.16101
Sparks EE. “Maize Plants and the Brace Roots that Support Them” Tansley Insight, New Phytologist, 2023 Jan. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18489
2022 Obayes S, Timber L, Head M, and Sparks EE. “Evaluation of Brace Root Parameters and Its Effect on the Stiffness of Maize” In Silico Plants, 2022 May. https://doi.org/10.1093/insilicoplants/diac008
Hostetler AH*, Erndwein LE*, Ganji E, Reneau JW, Killian ME and Sparks EE. “Maize brace root mechanics vary by whorl, genotype, and reproductive stage” Annals of Botany, 2022 Mar. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcac029 *Equal contribution.
Hostetler AN, Erndwein L, Reneau JW, Stager A, Cook DD and Sparks EE. “Brace root phenotypes predict root lodging susceptibility and the contribution to anchorage in maize” Plant, Cell and Environment, 2022 Feb.https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.14289
Stager A, Tanner HG and Sparks EE. “Design and Construction of Unmanned Ground Vehicles for Sub-Canopy Plant Phenotyping” Methods in Molecular Biology, 2022 Jul; 2539: 191-211. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2537-8_16
Contreras-López O, Vidal EA, Riveras E, Alvarez JM, Moyano TC, Sparks EE, Medina J, Pasquino A, Benfey PN, Coruzzi GM and Gutiérrez RA. “Spatiotemporal analysis identifies ABF2 and ABF3 as key hubs of endodermal response to nitrate” PNAS, 2022 Jan; 119(4):e2107879119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2107879119
2021 Hostetler AN*, Khangura RS*, Dilkes BP and Sparks EE. "Bracing for sustainable agriculture: the development and function of brace roots in members of Poaceae" Current Opinion in Plant Biology. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2020.101985 *Equal contribution.
2020 Reneau JW, Khangura RS, Stager A, Erndwein L, Weldekidan T, Cook DD, Dilkes BP and Sparks EE. "Maize Brace Roots Provide Stalk Anchorage" Plant Direct, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1002/pld3.284
Erndwein L, Cook DD, Robertson DJ, and Sparks EE. “Field-based mechanical phenotyping of cereal crops to assess lodging resistance” Applications in Plant Sciences, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1002/aps3.11382
Clark NM, Van den Broeck L, Guichard M, Stager A, Tanner HG, Blilou I, Grossman G, Iyer-Pascuzzi AS, Maizel A, Sparks EE, and Sozzani R. “Novel Imaging Modalities Shedding Light on Plant Biology: Start Small and Grow Big” Annual Review of Plant Biology, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-arplant-050718-100038
2018 Drapek C, Sparks EE, Marhavy P, Taylor I, Andersen TG, Hennacy JH, Geldner N and Benfey PN. “Minimum requirements for reprogramming and maintaining cell fate in the Arabidopsis root” Nature Plants, 2018 Jul. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-018-0213-y
**Work from Dr. Sparks prior to the University of Delaware** 2017 Sparks EE and Benfey PN, “The contribution of root systems to plant nutrient acquisition” Plant macro-nutrient use efficiency: molecular and genomic perspectives, 2017, Eds. Mohammad Anwar Hossain, Takehiro Kamiya, David J. Burrit, Toru Fujiwara and Lam-Son Phan Tran. Elsevier Book. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-811308-0.00005-3
Drapek C, Sparks EE and Benfey PN, “Uncovering gene regulatory networks controlling plant cell differentiation” Trends in Genetics, 2017 Aug. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2017.05.002
Bucksch A, Atta-Boateng A, Azihou AF, Battogtokh D, Baumgartner A, Binder B, Braybrook SA, Chang C, Coneva V, DeWitt TJ, Fletcher AG, Gehan MA, Diaz-Martinez DH, Hong L, Iyer-Pascuzzi A, Klein LL, Leiboff S, Li M, Lynch JP, Maizel A, Maloff JN, Markelz RJ, Martinez CC, Miller LA, Mio W, Palubicki W, Poorter H, Pradal C, Price CA, Puttonen E, Reese J, Rellan-Alvarez R, Spalding EP, Sparks EE, Topp CN, Williams JH and Chitwood DH. “Morphological Plant Modeling: Unleashing geometric and topological potential within the plant sciences” Frontiers in Plant Science, Plant Biophysics and Modeling, 2017 Jun. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.00900
Balduzzi M, Binder B, Bucksch A, Chang C, Hong L, Iyer-Pascuzzi A, Pradal C and Sparks EE. “Reshaping plant biology: qualitative and quantitative plant morphology” Frontiers in Plant Science, Plant Biophysics and Modeling, 2017 Feb.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.00117
Sparks EE and Benfey PN, “Tissue-specific transcriptome profiling in Arabidopsis roots” Plant Genomics, Methods in Molecular Biology, 2017 Vol. 1610, Ed. Wolfgang Busch. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7003-2_8
2016 Sparks EE, Drapek C, Gaudinier A, Li S, Ansariola M, Shen N, Hennacy JH, Zhang J, Turco G, Petricka JJ, Foret J, Hartemink AJ, Gordân R, Megraw M, Brady SM and Benfey PN. “Establishment of expression in the SHORTROOT-SCARECROW transcriptional cascade through opposing activities of both activators and repressors.” Developmental Cell, 2016 Dec; 39(5):585-596. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2016.09.031
2015 Wachsman, G*, Sparks EE* and Benfey PN, “Genes and networks regulating root anatomy and architecture” New Phytologist, 2015 Oct; 208(1):26-38. *Authors contributed equally to this work. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.13469
Liberman LM, Sparks EE, Petricka JJ, Moreno-Risueño M and Benfey PN, “MYB36 regulates the transition from proliferation to differentiation in the Arabidopsis root” PNAS, 2015 Sept; 112(39):12099-12104. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1515576112
Sparks EE and Benfey PN, “Identifying gene regulatory networks in Arabidopsis by in silico prediction, Yeast-1-Hybrid and inducible gene profiling assays” Plant Cell Division, Methods in Molecular Biology, 2015 Vol. 1370, Ed. Marie-Cecile Caillaud. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3142-2_3
2014 Sparks EE, Imai A, Hasebe M and Benfey PN. “Developmental Regulation and De Novo Formation of Stem Cells in Plants” Stem Cells: From Basic Research to Therapy: Basic Stem Cell Biology, Tissue Formation during Development, and Model Organisms. Volume 1 of Stem Cells. Eds. Federico Calegari and Claudia Waskow. CRC Press, 2014. http://www.crcnetbase.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1201/b16487-18
2013 Sparks E*, Wachsman G* and Benfey PN, “Spatiotemporal signaling in plant development” Nature Reviews Genetics, 2013 Sept; 14:631-44. *Authors contributed equally to this work. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3541
2012 Walter TJ, Sparks EE and Huppert SS, “3-Dimensional resin casting and imaging of mouse portal vein or intrahepatic bile duct system” J. Vis Exp., 2012 Oct; 25(68):e4272. https://doi.org/10.3791/4272
Vanderpool CV, Sparks EE, Huppert KA and Huppert SS, “Genetic interactions between Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor-6 and Notch signaling regulate mouse intrahepatic bile duct development in vivo” Hepatology, 2012 Jan; 55(1):233-43. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.24631
2011 Sparks EE, Perrien DS, Huppert KA, Peterson TE and Huppert SS, “Defects in hepatic Notch signaling result in disruption of the communicating intrahepatic bile duct network in mice” Disease Models & Mechanisms, 2011 May; 4(3):359-67. https://doi.org/10.1242/dmm.005793
2010 Sparks EE, Huppert KA, Brown MA, Washington MK and Huppert SS, “Notch signaling regulates formation of the three-dimensional architecture of intrahepatic bile ducts in mice” Hepatology, 2010 Apr; 51(4):1391-1400. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.23431
2009 Hubchak SC, Sparks EE, Hayashida T and Schnaper HW, “Rac1 promotes TGF-beta-stimulated mesangial cell type I collagen expression through a PI3K/Akt-dependent mechanism” Am J Physiol Renal Physiol., 2009 Nov; 297(5):1316-23. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajprenal.00345.2009
