Tom Warkentin

Tom Warkentin is a Professor at the University of Saskatchewan, holding the Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program (SRP) Chair in Pulse Crop Breeding and Genetics. He is affiliated with the Plant Sciences department and the Crop Development Centre within the College of Agriculture and Bioresources. His research focuses on plant breeding of pea and soybean cultivars for Western Canada, emphasizing disease resistance, end-use quality, and genomic approaches. He leads a soybean breeding program for short-season regions, addressing climate adaptation and crop resilience.

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Saskatchewan
• M.Sc., University of Manitoba
• B.S.A., University of Manitoba

Research Interests: Breeding and genomics of field pea and soybean, disease resistance mechanisms, end-use quality optimization, and genomic-assisted crop improvement. His work integrates conventional breeding with modern genomic tools to enhance crop productivity and sustainability.

Publications highlight advancements in pea and soybean genetics, including studies on starch modification, protein quality, and stress resilience. His research trends emphasize translational genomics and climate-smart crop development.

Awards:

• Dean’s Award for Research Excellence (2016)
• Pulse Promoter Award (2014)
• North American Pulse Improvement Association Outstanding Achievement Award (2013)

Funding Sources: Supported by organizations such as the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Saskatchewan Pulse Development Commission, and Genome Canada. His grants focus on pulse crop innovation and sustainable agriculture.

Labs/Teams: Active within the Crop Development Centre, collaborating on interdisciplinary projects to advance pulse crop breeding and genomics.