Istvan Rajcan

Dr. Istvan Rajcan is a Professor and Graduate Coordinator in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph, Ontario Agricultural College. His research focuses on soybean breeding and genetics, particularly developing high-yielding, disease-resistant cultivars for short- and medium-season environments. He leads efforts to enhance seed quality traits, such as protein and isoflavones, using genomic tools like GWAS and genomic selection.

Education: B.Sc. (Agr.) from the University of Novi Sad and Ph.D. in Plant Agriculture from the University of Guelph.

Research Interests: Soybean seed quality (nutraceuticals), disease resistance (Sclerotinia, soybean cyst nematode), genomic technologies, and breeding innovation. His work integrates molecular markers, quantitative genetics, and phenotyping to address challenges in soybean production. Collaborative projects include the SoyaGen initiative, advancing genomic resources for breeders.

Publications highlight advancements in soybean genetics, remote sensing applications, and sustainable breeding strategies. His contributions span trait dissection, disease management, and the application of machine learning in genomics.

Advising and Grants: While specific grants are not detailed, his extensive publication record indicates sustained research funding. He mentors graduate students and collaborates widely with institutions like the Ontario Oil & Protein Seed Crop Committee.

Labs/Teams: Research activities are based in the Crop Science Building, with involvement in the SoyaGen project and collaborations on soybean diversity panels.