Plant Sciences, Crop Development Centre

My main focus is plant breeding of pea cultivars for western Canada and the northern tier states, as well as research related to improving the pea crop in terms of disease resistance and end-use quality.  I also collaborate on soybean breeding for the short season regions of western Canada.

• Plant breeding
• Pulse crops
• Disease resistance
• End-use quality
• Genomics

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

As reflected in the University of Saskatchewan (USask) Mission, Vision and Values, the institution is committed to diversity, inclusion, and equity in the workplace and believes that our workforce should reflect the diversity of our students and community. Awareness of these intrinsic values is actively promoted at all levels of the university, including by the President and senior leadership.

Present in our laboratory environment and thus our project team composition is a deep respect and awareness of the value and contribution of equity, diversity and inclusion. When assembling our research teams we strive to overcome inherent bias present in the workplace and overcome any potential barriers to inclusion by considering all qualified individuals, including women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minority/racialized groups and members of LGBTQ2+ communities. Inequalities with age, education, parental status/responsibility, immigration status, religion, language, place of origin, ethnicity, culture, and socio-economic status are also taken into consideration.  The pulse crop breeding team at the University of Saskatchewan is diverse; within our team are people who were born in many countries and of this team ~40% are women.   

• We offer LBGTQ2+ Safe Zone Certification for our lab members
• Our lab is Accessibility-friendly for those with physical disabilities or limitations
• Team members have taken the Bias in Peer Review module and/or the online Status of Women Canada GBA+ training course.
• We follow human resources equity, diversity, and inclusion recruitment practices.

Froese, S., Wiens, J.T., Warkentin, T.D., and Schoenau, J.J. (2020) Response of canola, wheat and pea to foliar phosphorus fertilization at a phosphorus deficient site in eastern Saskatchewan.  Can. J. Plant Sci (accepted) IF: 0.9

Pursley, AA, Biligetu, B, Warkentin, TD, Lardner, HA, and Penner, GB (2020) Effect of incorporating forage pea (Pisum sativum L.) into cereal hay on ruminal fermentation and apparent digestibility when fed to beef heifers. Can. J. Animal Sci (accepted) IF: 0.5

Dissanayaka D, Gali KK, Jha AB, and Warkentin TD (2020) Genome-wide association study to identify SNPs associated with Fe, Zn, and Se concentration in field pea (Pisum sativum L.) Crop Sci (accepted) IF:1.6

Tafesse, EG, Gali, KK, Lachagari, VBR, Bueckert, RA, and Warkentin, TD (2020) Genome-wide association mapping for heat stress responsive traits in field pea. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (accepted) IF: 4.2

Smitchger, J., Weeden, N., Akin, I.D., and Warkentin, T.D. (2020) Stress equation for a cantilever beam: a model of lodging resistance in field pea. International Agrophysics doi.org/10.31545/intagr/118318. IF: 1.2

Ashokkumar K, Govindaraj M, Karthikeyan A, Shobhana VG, and Warkentin TD (202X) Genomics integrated breeding for carotenoids and folates in staple cereal grains to reduce malnutrition. Frontiers in Genetics, https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2020.00414  IF: 3.8

Pursley, AA, Biligetu, B, Warkentin, TD, Lardner, HA, and Penner, GB (2020) Effect of stage of maturity at harvest for forage pea (Pisum sativum L.) on eating behavior, ruminal fermentation, and digestibility when fed as hay to yearling beef heifers. Translational Animal Science, https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txz167. IF: 1.0

Jha, AB and Warkentin, TD (2020) Biofortification of pulse crops: status and future perspectives.  Plants 9:73, doi:10.3390/plants9010073.  IF: 2.6

Rezaei, MK, Deokar, AA, Arganosa, GA, Roorkiwal, M, Pandey, SK, Warkentin, TD, Varshney, RK, and Tarʼan B (2019) Mapping of QTLs for carotenoid concentration in three F₂ populations of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).  The Plant Genome. doi:10.3835/plantgenome2019.07.0067.  IF: 4.0

Jha, AB, Gali, KK, Zhang, H, Purves, RW, Tar’an, B, Vandenberg, A, and Warkentin, TD (2020) Folate profile diversity and associated SNPs using genome wide association study in pea.  Euphytica DOI: 10.1007/s10681-020-2553-8.  IF: 1.5

Ashokkumar, K, Murugan, M, Dhanya, MK, Raj, S, and Warkentin, TD (2020) Traditional uses, phytochemisty and biological activities of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum L. Maton) essential oil – A critical review. Journal Ethnopharmacology doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2019.112244. IF: 3.4

Jiang, Y, Lindsay, D, Davis, AR, Wang, Z, MacLean, DE, Warkentin, TD, and Bueckert, RA (2019) Impact of heat stress on pod based yield components in field pea. J. Agron Crop Sci. DOI: 10.1111/jac.12365. IF: 3.0

Karunakaran, C, Vijayan, P, Stobbs, J, Bamrah, R, Arganosa, G, and Warkentin, TD (2019) High throughput nutritional profiling of pea seeds using Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy. Food Chemistry doi 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125585. IF: 5.4

Jiang, Y, Davis, AR, Warkentin, TD, and Bueckert, RA (2020) Pea pollen viability and seed set response in high night temperatures.  Can. J. Plant Sci. 100:332-335. IF: 0.9

Tafesse, E, Warkentin, TD, and Bueckert, RA (2019) Canopy architecture and leaf type as traits of heat resistance in pea.  Field Crops Research doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2019.107561. IF: 3.1

Jha, AB, Purves, RW, Elessawy, FM, Zhang, H, Vandenberg, A. and Warkentin, TD (2019) Polyphenolic profiles in seeds of white and purple flower pea lines.  Crop Sci 59:2711-2719. IF: 1.6

Gali, KK, Sackville, A, Tafesse, EG, Lachagari, RVB, McPhee, K, Hybl, M, Mikic, A, Smykal, P., McGee, R., Burstin, J., Domoney, C., Ellis, THN, Tar’an, B., and Warkentin, T.D. (2019) Genome-wide association mapping for agronomic and seed quality traits of field pea (Pisum sativum L.). Frontiers in Plant Sci https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01538. IF: 4.3

Bamrah, R., Vijayan, P., Karunakaran, C., Muir, D., Hallin, E., Stobbs, J., Goetz, B., Nickerson, M, Tanino, K, and Warkentin, TD (2019) Evaluation of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy as a tool for nutrient analysis of pea seeds.  Crop Sci 59:2689-2700.  IF: 1.6

Kreplak, J., Madoui, M-A., Capal, P., Novak, P., Labadie, K., Aubert, G., Bayer, P.E., Gali, K.K., Symes, R.A., Main, D., Klein, A., Berard, A., Vrbova I., Fournier, C., d’Agata, L., Menguy, C., Berrabah, W., Toegelova, H., Milec, Z., Vrana, J., Lee, H.T.,Kougbeadjo, A., Terezol, M., Huneau, C., Turo, C.J., Mohellibi, N., Neumann, P., Falque, M., Gallardo-Guerrero, K., McGee, R., Tar’an, B., Bendahmane, A., Aury, J-M., Batley, J., Le Paslier, M-C., Ellis, T.N.H., Warkentin, T.D., Coyne, C., Salse, J., Edwards, D., Lichtenzveig, J., Macas, J., Dolezel, J., Wincker, P., and Burstin, J. (2019) A reference genome for pea provides insight into legume genome evolution. Nature Genetics, accepted July 10, 2019; doi.org/10.1038/s41588-019-0480-1; IF: 31.1

Rubiales, D., Gonzalez-Bernal, M.J., Warkentin, T.D., Bueckert, R., Vaz Patto, M.C., McPhee, K., McGee, R., and Smykal, P. (2019) Advances in breeding of peas (Fabaceae). In Achieving sustainable cultivation of vegetables, ed. G. Hochmuth, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing.  

Zhang, H., Jha, A.B., Silva, D., Purves, R.W., Warkentin, T.D., and Vandenberg, A. (2019)  Folate monoglutamate quantification from wild lentil seeds by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-selective reaction monitoring mass spectrometry.  J. of Chromatography B,  doi.org/10.1016/j.jchromb.2019.05.007. (IF 2.7)

Guindon, F.M., Martin, E., Cravero, V., Gali, K.K., Warkentin, T.D., and Cointry, E. (2019) Linkage map development using GBS, SSR and SRAP techniques and localization of yield-related traits QTLs in pea. Molecular Breeding 39:54. (IF 1.9)

Gali, K.K., Tar’an, B., Madoui, M-A., van der Vossen, E., van Oeveren, J., Labadie, K., Berges, H., Bendahmane, A., Burstin, J., and Warkentin, T.D. (2019) Development of a sequence-based reference physical map of Pisum sativum L. Front. Plant Sci. doi:10.3389/fpls.2019.00323. (IF 4.3) 

Ashokkumar, K., Pandiyan, A., Sathyan, T., Raj, S., Dhanya, M.K., Sivakumar, P., Murugan, M., and Warkentin, T.D. (2019) Profiling bioactive flavonoids and carotenoids concentration in select south Indian spices and nuts.  Natural Product Research DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2018.1557179. (IF1.8)

Jha, A.B., Gali, K.K., Banniza, S. and Warkentin, T.D. (2019) Validation of SNP markers associated with ascochyta blight resistance in pea. Can. J. Plant Sci.  https://doi.org/10.1139/CJPS-2018-0211. (IF 0.9)

Jiang Y, Lahlali R, Karunakaran C, Warkentin TD, Davis AR, and Bueckert RA (2019) Pollen, ovules and pollination in pea: success, failure and resilience in heat. Plant Cell Environment. 42:354-372. (IF 6.2)

Gali, K.K., Liu, Y., Sindhu, A., Diapari, M., Shunmugam, A.S.K., Arganosa, G., Daba, K., Caron, C., Lachagari, R.V.B., Tar’an, B., and Warkentin, T.D. (2018) Construction of high-density linkage maps for mapping quantitative trait loci for multiple traits in field pea (Pisum sativum L.). BMC Plant Biology 18:172. (IF 3.9)

Elsayed Abdelaal, E., Ragaee, S., Rabalski, I., Warkentin, T.D. and Vandenberg, A. (2019) Nutrient content and viscosity of Saskatchewan grown pulses in relation to their cooking quality. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 99: 67–77. (IF 0.9) 

Liu, N., Karunakaran, C., Lahlali, R., Warkentin, T.D., and Bueckert, R.A. (2019) Genotypic and heat stress effects on leaf cuticles of field pea using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy.  Planta 249:601-613. (IF 3.2)

Zhang, H., Jha, A.B., Warkentin, T.D., Vandenberg, A., and Purves, R.W. (2018) Folate stability and method optimization for folate extraction from seeds of pulse crops using LC-SRM MS.  J. Food Composition and Analysis 71:44-55.

Jiang, Y., Diapari, M., Bueckert, R.A., Tar’an, B., and Warkentin, T.D. (2017) Population structure and association mapping of traits related to reproductive development in field pea. Euphytica doi.org/10.1007/s10681-017-2006-1. 

Tanino, K., Willick, I.R., Hamilton, K., Vijayan, P., Jiang, Y., Brar, G., Yu, P., Kalcsits, L., Lahlali, R., Smith, B., Fowler, B., Kutcher, R., Bueckert, R., Warkentin, T.D., and Karunakaran, C. (2017) Chemotyping using synchrotron mid-infrared and X-ray spectroscopy to improve agricultural production. Can. J. Plant Sci. 97:(6), 982 – 996.

Yang, C., Bueckert, R., Schoenau, J., Diederichsen, A., Zakeri, H., and Warkentin, T.D. (2017) Symbiosis of selected Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae strains with diverse pea genotypes: effects on biological nitrogen fixation. Can J Microbiol. doi: 10.1139/cjm-2017-0281.

• Dean’s Award for Research Excellence, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, 2016
• North American Pulse Improvement Award Outstanding Achievement award 2013
• Pulse Promoter Award, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, 2014