Glen Ritchie

Glen Ritchie is Professor of Crop Physiology and J.A. Love Endowed Chair at Texas Tech University, where he also serves as Chair of the Department of Plant and Soil Science within the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources. He leads an active research program focused on crop water relations in cotton and sorghum, with significant contributions to irrigation strategies and drought resilience in the Southern High Plains.

He earned his B.S. and M.S. in Crop Science from Utah State University and his Ph.D. in Agronomy from the University of Georgia. Joining Texas Tech in 2011 as an Assistant Professor, he has since advanced to full Professor and has chaired 29 Master’s and 8 doctoral committees, demonstrating strong mentorship and academic leadership.

His research interests center on developing sustainable and economical water management practices for crop production. Key areas include cultivar selection, irrigation scheduling, and understanding how persistent and episodic drought affects crop growth, yield, and quality. His lab employs advanced monitoring techniques and conducts large-scale field trials across multiple research farms. He is also involved in interdisciplinary collaborations, such as the Davis College Grand Challenges project on urban water conservation tools.

Ritchie teaches courses including Introduction to Agronomy (PSS 1321), Crop Physiology (PSS 3323), and Environmental Crop Physiology (PSS 5323). He is actively engaged in outreach, organizing the annual State FFA Agronomy Contest and hosting field days to connect research with producers and students.

• J.A. Love Endowed Chair
• Editor, Crop Science
• Recipient, Davis College Grand Challenges Catalyst Grant (Planning)

Dr. Ritchie advises numerous graduate students and leads the Crop Physiology Research Lab, which fosters collaboration among researchers, students, growers, and industry partners. His work is supported by internal and external grants, and he continues to expand research on water-use efficiency and climate-resilient cropping systems.

The Crop Physiology Research Lab conducts small-plot studies with hundreds of irrigation treatments annually, focusing on cotton and other field crops. The lab specializes in box and plant mapping to track cotton boll distribution and uses data-driven approaches to improve production practices in drought-prone regions.