Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Weslaco, TX

The Weslaco AgriLife Research Center’s facilities include: 55,000 ft² offices, labs, classrooms, auditorium, etc.; 74,000 ft² greenhouses, workshops, storerooms, walk-in seed storage room, sheds, etc.; and 360 acres of cropland, including on-site cropland experimental fields with already established system for different types of irrigation (flood, spray and drop). The Center has expert support personnel, including secretarial, human resources and accounting services

Breeding and Genetics Lab
Dr. Avila’s Breeding and Genetics Lab is located at the Weslaco Texas A&M AgriLife Vegetable Improvement Building. Dr. Avila’s has two 590 ft² labs (1,180 ft² total) equipped to perform molecular (genotyping, gene expression, etc) and conventional breeding research, two controlled temperature and automatic ferti-irrigation greenhouses (1,650 ft² and 1,250 ft²), five environmental growth chambers, and field lab. Molecular lab is equipped with two Thermal cyclers, horizontal electrophoresis systems, Gel documentation system, incubation ovens, orbital shakers, centrifuges, fume hood, three sterile hoods, sample storage fridge/freezers (4°C, -20°C, and -80°C with CO₂ backup), and analytical balance. In addition, the program has unrestricted access to the following equipment inside the research center: inverted compound microscope, tissue culture chamber, incubators, spectrophotometer, refrigerated centrifuges, chromatography system, autoclave,  desiccant dehumidifier,  portable photosynthesis system, Tissuelyser homogenizer, leaf area meter, scintillation counter system, fluorometer, light microscope, and water purification system.