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Dr. Mohsen Yoosefzadeh Najafabadi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph, Ontario Agricultural College. He holds a PhD in Plant Breeding from the University of Guelph (2022), following M.Sc. and B.Sc. degrees from the University of Tehran. His research focuses on dry bean breeding, computational biology, and integrating omics technologies to enhance crop resilience and productivity. Key areas include developing stress-tolerant dry bean varieties, leveraging remote sensing for trait prediction, and optimizing genomic selection methods. He leads the Dry Bean Breeding & Computational Biology Program and has contributed to over 30 peer-reviewed publications since 2017. Education : PhD, Plant Breeding, University of Guelph (2022) M.Sc., University of Tehran B.Sc., University of Tehran Research interests emphasize computational tools development (e.g., AllInOne preprocessing framework), omics-based selection strategies, and non-Mendelian heredity mechanisms. His lab combines machine learning with field phenotyping to address agricultural challenges such as disease resistance and climate adaptation. Collaborative projects include soybean cold stress analysis and cannabinoid profile prediction in cannabis. Publications span genomic approaches to crop improvement, remote sensing applications, and transcriptomic studies. He teaches courses in plant breeding methodologies and actively engages in technology transfer initiatives. Lab activities include developing high-yielding dry bean cultivars resistant to biotic/abiotic stresses and advancing data-driven pipelines for crop breeding. Future work aims to synergize AI with multi-omics data to enhance crop resilience in diverse environments.

• Dry Bean Breeding
• Computational Biology
• Omics-Based Selection
• +5 more

Andrew Riseman serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Biology within the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia. His academic work bridges sustainable agricultural systems, plant breeding, and educational innovation, with particular emphasis on integrated crop-livestock models and urban farming applications. His educational background includes: PhD from Pennsylvania State University (1997) MSc from Pennsylvania State University (1990) BSc from Pennsylvania State University (1984) Riseman's research program investigates plant genetics for sustainable production systems, focusing on intercrop interactions, nutrient use efficiency, root physiology, and biotic/abiotic stress resistance. He develops germplasm specifically for multi-trophic production environments and urban agriculture contexts. Complementing his biological research, he actively engages in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and Community Based Action Research, with interests in critical thinking pedagogy and technology-enhanced educational environments. Analysis of his 2011-2015 publications reveals consistent investigation into intercropping dynamics (wheat-bean, barley-pea), nutrient cycling, and water management across diverse cropping systems. Key contributions include evaluations of organic production methods, root architecture variation, and sustainable rice intensification techniques, demonstrating a systems-oriented approach to agroecological challenges. No scientific awards or honors were documented in the provided source material. As a graduate supervisor, Riseman mentors students in UBC's Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems and Plant Science programs. His research portfolio includes funded projects on bioactive agricultural formulations, plant genetics in intercropping systems, and nitrogen source evaluations in organic production. Educational grants have supported his development of computer simulations for plant breeding education and scaffolded experiential learning initiatives within Land and Food Systems curriculum. Riseman maintains active affiliation with the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm and the Diversified Agroecosystem Cluster. He champions the UBC Farm as a vital academic resource for sustainable food system research, teaching, and community outreach, viewing its continued evolution as essential to advancing land and food systems scholarship.

• Sustainable Agriculture
• Plant Breeding
• Agroecology
• +6 more

Hugh J. Earl serves as Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Plant Agriculture within the College of Biological Science at the University of Guelph. His research program focuses on the physiological basis of yield determination in major Canadian agronomic crops including soybean, corn, and canola, with emphasis on abiotic stress tolerance and canopy-level analysis. Dr. Earl holds a B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. from the University of Guelph. His research investigates physiological traits that enhance tolerance to drought, chilling, and heat stress, with particular attention to whole-crop canopy dynamics rather than individual plant characteristics. Current projects examine respiratory carbon losses in maize, boron application effects in canola, manure vs. inorganic fertilization, seeding rate impacts on drought resilience, and physiological traits underlying chilling tolerance in maize. His recent publications (2018-2004) demonstrate consistent focus on crop physiology, with 15 key articles spanning maize respiration dynamics, canola nutrient responses, soybean water use efficiency, and cotton stress interactions. Keyword analysis reveals predominant themes in Crop Science (67%), Plant Physiology (87%), and Stress Biology (60%), with subfield specialization in respiratory carbon loss, nutrient application effects, and stomatal conductance mechanisms. Dr. Earl actively supervises graduate students including Javier DiMatteo (maize respiration), Laxhman Ramsahoi (canola boron response), Meagan Griffiths (canola seeding rates), Bridget Visser (soybean water use efficiency), Wisam Obeidat (maize chilling tolerance), and Luis Avila Bolivar (maize gene expression). Field technicians Godfrey Chu and Laxhman Ramsahoi contribute to Swede midge infestation research. Based in Crop Science Building Room 314, his laboratory employs canopy reflectance spectroscopy for nutrient deficiency detection and develops precise gravimetric methods for drought simulation. His work bridges fundamental physiological understanding with practical agronomic recommendations, particularly regarding stress-tolerant crop varieties and optimized nutrient management practices.

• Crop Physiology
• Abiotic Stress Tolerance
• Yield Determination
• +3 more

Chris Gillard is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus, Department of Plant Agriculture. He previously held the position of Associate Professor (retired). His work focuses on dry bean agronomy and pest management, with an emphasis on optimizing crop yields and managing diseases like anthracnose and pests such as soybean cyst nematode. Gillard holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Agronomy and Crop Production from the University of Guelph. Education: B.Sc. Agronomy (University of Guelph), M.Sc. Crop Production & Management (University of Guelph). Research Interests: Dry bean production systems, integrated pest management, fungicide efficacy, and crop rotation strategies. Recent projects include studying sulfur fertilizer response in dry beans, SCN management, and optimizing planting dates and row widths to improve profitability. Advising & Grants: Currently supervises two M.Sc. students (Josee Kelly and Caio Rodrigues Correa). Collaborates with the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) and industry partners on pest management and agronomy research. Research technicians include Don Depuydt. Labs/Teams: Active in the Ridgetown Campus Research Group, focusing on field crop innovation and applied agricultural science.

• Dry Bean Agronomy
• Pest Management
• Plant Pathology
• +3 more

Hugh Earl is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph's Ontario Agricultural College. His research focuses on crop physiology, particularly the interplay between photosynthesis and respiration in yield determination across agronomic crops like soybean, corn, and canola. By studying plants at the community level, Earl investigates how abiotic stresses (drought, chilling, heat) and nutrient applications impact biomass production and stress tolerance. B.Sc., University of Guelph M.Sc., University of Guelph Ph.D., University of Guelph Current research questions in his lab explore respiratory carbon losses in maize hybrids, foliar nutrient applications in canola, manure vs. inorganic fertilizer effects, and gene expression patterns in chilling-tolerant maize. His work emphasizes whole-canopy dynamics over single-plant traits, using tools like canopy reflectance spectroscopy to address agronomic challenges. The articles in his portfolio reveal a consistent focus on carbon-water balance, stress physiology, and agronomic optimization. Techniques like chlorophyll fluorometry, gravimetric drought simulation, and spectral nutrient deficiency detection recur across his studies, reflecting his commitment to mechanistic understanding of crop yield at field-relevant scales. Hugh Earl advises multiple graduate students, including Javier DiMatteo (PhD), Laxhman Ramsahoi (MSc), and Meagan Griffiths (MSc), while conducting field experiments with technicians like Godfrey Chu. His lab operates in the Crop Science Building (Room 314 CRSC), integrating physiological measurements with agronomic practice recommendations for Canadian agroecosystems.

• Crop Physiology
• Plant Biology
• Agronomic Crops
• +7 more

Kirstin Bett is a Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and Crop Development Centre at the University of Saskatchewan's College of Agriculture and Bioresources. Her research focuses on pulse crop genomics and dry bean breeding, with an emphasis on leveraging wild lentil germplasm to improve cultivated varieties. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Saskatchewan and completed her M.Sc. and B.Sc. at the University of Guelph. Her work integrates genomic tools, phenotyping technologies, and breeding strategies to address challenges in crop adaptation, seed quality, and disease resistance. She has pioneered platforms like BELT and phenoSEED for seed trait analysis and developed UAV-based methods for crop growth monitoring. Dr. Bett has been recognized with awards including the 2019 North American Pulse Improvement Association Meritorious Service Award and the 2020 Dean’s Award for Research Excellence. Her teaching portfolio includes advanced courses in plant breeding, population genetics, and digital phenotyping. She actively contributes to international initiatives such as the LenGen lentil genome sequencing project and the INCREASE program for legume genetic resource mobilization.

• Pulse crop genomics
• Dry bean breeding
• Plant Breeding
• +3 more

Gale Bozzo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph, where she leads a research program focused on postharvest biochemistry and plant secondary metabolism. Her work addresses critical challenges in fruit quality preservation and metabolic pathways affecting agricultural commodities, particularly apples, pears, and dry beans. Education: B.Sc. from York University M.Sc. from York University Ph.D. from Queen’s University Dr. Bozzo's research spans three interconnected domains. Her postharvest physiology work investigates controlled atmosphere (CA) storage mechanisms, examining how oxidative stress and redox imbalances trigger disorders like senescent scald in pears and internal breakdown in apples. In secondary metabolism, she dissects the phenylpropanoid pathway to understand flavonoid catabolism in Arabidopsis and seed coat darkening in cranberry beans. Her laboratory employs biochemical assays, functional genomics, and metabolite profiling to identify key enzymatic steps and develop cultivar-specific storage protocols for Ontario-grown fruits. Current projects include developing strategies to prevent glutathione depletion in stored pears and characterizing polyphenol oxidase variants responsible for bean seed coat browning. Analysis of her 2014-2017 publications reveals a consistent emphasis on stress-induced metabolic shifts during postharvest handling. Her team has established critical links between GABA accumulation and CA injury in apples, glutathione dynamics and pear disorders, and transcriptional regulation of proanthocyanidin metabolism in beans. These studies demonstrate interdisciplinary approaches combining plant physiology, molecular biology, and food science to solve practical agricultural problems. Dr. Bozzo actively mentors students through undergraduate research opportunities and graduate programs (M.Sc. and Ph.D.), with her laboratory located in Room 4230 of the Edmund C. Bovey Building. She maintains strong collaborations with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture researchers like J.R. DeEll on fruit storage projects and with plant biochemists including B.J. Shelp on metabolic pathway analyses. The Bozzo lab operates at the intersection of fundamental plant science and applied postharvest technology, with ongoing work focused on extending marketability of Ontario fruits through redox metabolite management and developing bean varieties resistant to postharvest darkening through targeted breeding informed by RNAseq data.

• Postharvest Physiology
• Fruit Biochemistry
• Plant Stress Metabolism
• +3 more