Michael Pumphrey

Michael Pumphrey is a Professor and O.A. Vogel Chair of Spring Wheat Breeding and Genetics at Washington State University (WSU), within the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. His research focuses on developing high-yielding, pest-resistant spring wheat varieties and enhancing agronomic traits through genomic tools. He teaches courses in crop growth, development, and advanced plant breeding.

• Education: B.S. (2000, Oklahoma State University), M.S. (2003, University of Minnesota), Ph.D. (2007, Kansas State University).

Research interests include wheat disease resistance (e.g., stripe rust, Hessian fly), genomic selection, and improving grain quality. Key contributions include releasing varieties like Ryan and Dayn, which are widely adopted in the Pacific Northwest. Awards include the 2015 Jeanie Borlaug Laube Mentor Award and the 2019 Early Career Excellence Award.

His work integrates phenomics, remote sensing, and genetic analysis to address challenges like climate change impacts on wheat production. Collaborations involve WSU’s Wheat Research Greenhouse Phenomics and industry partners like AgriPro.