Mohan Kumar

Mohan Kumar is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Physiology at Washington State University (WSU), affiliated with the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS). His research focuses on plant physiology, particularly in potato tuber biology, postharvest physiology, and medicinal plants. He holds a Ph.D. in Horticulture from the University of Alberta, Canada, and M.Sc./B.Sc. degrees from the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore, India.

• Education:
• Ph.D., Horticulture, University of Alberta (1992)
• M.Sc., Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore (1980)
• B.Sc., Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore (1978)

His research interests include vegetable crops, postharvest physiology, plant propagation, and nutraceuticals. Notably, his work explores protease inhibitors in potatoes, oxidative stress responses, and wound healing mechanisms. Over 20 years of publications highlight his contributions to understanding tuber aging, ethylene regulation in fruit, and RNA extraction techniques.

• Key Awards:
• Gold Medalist in B.Sc. and M.Sc. (Horticulture), University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
• Commonwealth Scholarship (Canada, 1987–1992)
• Robert Simonet Graduate Scholarship (University of Alberta, 1990 and 1992)

He advises graduate students in Ph.D. (Jacob Blauer, Daniel Zommick) and Master’s (Liana Suryaningsih) programs. His research bridges fundamental plant physiology with practical applications in crop science and postharvest management.