Dr. Takato Koba born in Omuta-City, Fukuoka Pref., Kyushu Island. Graduated from Kyoto University in 1976 and obtained Doctor’s degree from the same institution in 1985. The title of the thesis was “Studies on the Chromosomal Localization and Pleiotropic Effects of the Major Genes in Common Wheat”. From 1984 to 1992, he worked at the Research Institute of Agricultural Resources, Ishikawa Agricultural College on the subjects of anther culture of rice, production of wheat-barley hybrids and barley chromosome addition lines of common wheat. After transferring to Faculty of Horticulture, Chiba University, in 1992, he has been teaching Genetics and Breeding. His studies are focused on molecular cytogenetics and genome sciences of plants.

Molecular analysis of crossability of common wheat with alien species, karyotype analyses of horticultural plants using condensation patterns of chromosomes and FISH (fluorescent in situ hybiridization) method, phylogeny of horticultural plants using DNA sequences, and utilization of molecular markers in plant breeding.