Hugh J. Earl

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.