Prof J. Martin Steyn
University of Pretoria
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
Programme Leader: Water Research
Martin Steyn is Associate Professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Pretoria. He started his research carer at the Agricultural Research Council in 1987 and he has been involved in potato research for the past 29 years.
His research focus is on the agronomy and water requirements of field crops and medicinal plants, with special emphasis on the potato crop. He collaborates with several research organisations, nationally and internationally, and formal links were recently established with scientists at Wageningen, the Netherlands. His current research focus is on the improvement of effective irrigation water management, potato production in a changing climate and the development of more sustainable crop production practices.
In the past decade he has supervised and co-supervised more than 40 postgraduate students who have successfully completed their Masters and PhD degrees. He is currently the supervisor and co-supervisor of a further 13 Masters and PhD students. Martin currently holds a C2 NRF rating.
He has over many years received research funding from the potato industry (Potatoes South Africa), the Water Research Commission (WRC) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI THRIP programme).