Prof. J. Martin Steyn

Professor

BSc Agric (Hons) MSc Agric (UFS) PhD (UP)

Martin Steyn is a Professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Pretoria. His research focus is on the agronomy and water requirements of field crops and medicinal plants. He specializes in potatoes and has been involved in potato research for the past 37 years, first at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), and the last 23 years at UP.

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. Prof Steyn collaborates with scientists, research organisations and companies nationally and internationally.

He has presented numerous lectures as speaker and invited speaker at international congresses and also presented training in sustainable irrigation practices to potato agronomists, field staff and growers in countries such as Australia, Egypt, Russia, India, the Middle East and various African countries.

Prof Steyn has served on the council of the South African Society of Crop Production (various positions, including President) and currently acts as processing editor (Agronomy section) of the journal Potato Research. Over the past 23 years he supervised and co-supervised 70 postgraduate students, who successfully completed their masters and doctoral degrees. He currently acts as the supervisor and co-supervisor of a further 13 postgraduate students.

He authored and co-authored 80 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals, 11 book chapters and more than 65 semi-scientific and popular articles. Prof Steyn has a C1 rating from the NRF.