Postdoctoral Researcher

Research

Irsa Ejaz is a plant scientist with a PhD in Agronomy and Crop Science, specializing in stress detection and management in agronomic crops, with a primary focus on wheat and maize. Her research integrates morpho-physiological traits, hyperspectral imaging, thermal imaging, chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, and spectroscopy-based approaches to detect, quantify, and manage crop stress responses. She has developed and applied advanced imaging and biochemical techniques to identify abiotic stresses, particularly cold, heat, drought, and nitrogen stress, including the assessment of antioxidant enzyme activities and reactive oxygen species (ROS). These approaches enable early, non-destructive stress diagnosis and support precision phenotyping for crop improvement.

Irsa also has strong expertise in grain quality assessment, with experience in characterizing and grading sorghum grain quality for food, feed, and biofuel applications. She has developed predictive models using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to classify grain quality components, thereby supporting sustainable optimization of the value chain. Her current research focuses on the interactions of multiple stresses, particularly the combined effects of biotic stresses (stem borer infestation and Setosphaeria turcica) and abiotic stresses (drought and nitrogen limitation) in maize. By integrating controlled-environment experimentation, imaging technologies, machine learning (ML), and physiological measurements, she aims to improve understanding of stress interactions and plant response mechanisms under complex environmental conditions.

More recently, Irsa has developed a growing interest in the impacts of microplastics in agro-ecosystems, particularly their effects on plant physiology, soil–plant interactions, and crop stress responses. Her work reflects a strong commitment to sustainable and precision agriculture, using innovative technologies to address emerging challenges in crop production systems.

Teaching

M.Agr.0001 -- Acker- und pflanzenbauliche Übungen (Practical course in agronomy)
M.Agr.0005 -- Allgemeiner Pflanzenbau und Graslandwirtschaft (Crop production and grassland management)
B.Agr.0357 -- Einführung in GIS (Introduction to GIS)
P.AG.0020 -- Scientific Writing and Publishing in Crop Sciences

Selected publications

Ali, M.F., Ejaz, I., Ma, L. and Wang, D. (2025). Automated High-throughput Plant Phenotyping Systems. In Custom-Designed Crop Breeding (eds S.M. Jain, J.M. Al-Khayri, S.K. Sopory and M.A. Wani).
DOI:10.1002/9781394192595.ch10

Tang, C., Li, M., Jiang, B., Ejaz, I., Ameen, A., Mo, X., Zhi, M., & Wang, Z. (2025). High-throughput profiling of sweet potato vine biomass for cellulosic ethanol production using near-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics. Microchemical Journal, 213, 113679.
DOI:10.1016/j.microc.2025.113679

Tang, C., Jiang, B., Ejaz, I., Ameen, A., Zhang, R., Mo, X., Li, M., & Wang, Z. (2024). High-throughput near-infrared spectroscopy analysis of nutritional composition in sweet potato stem tips. Microchemical Journal, 205, 111267.
DOI:10.1016/j.microc.2024.111267

I. Ejaz, W. Li, M. A. Naseer, Z. Sun, W. Qin, M. Farooq, Y. Zhang, F. Li, Z. Wang, K. Yu, (2023) Detection of Combined Frost and Drought Stress in Wheat using Hyperspectral and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Imaging, Environmental Technology and Innovation. DOI:10.1016/j.eti.2023.103051

I. Ejaz, X. Pu, M. A. Naseer, Y. N. Bohoussou, Y. Liu, M. Farooq, J. Zhang, Y. Zhang, Z. Wang, Z. Sun, (2023) Cold and Drought Stresses in Wheat: A Global Meta-Analysis of 21st Century. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation.
DOI:10.1007/s00344-023-10960-x

Ali, M.F., I. Ejaz, M.A. Naseer, Z. Sun (2023) Alkamides and Plant-Microbe Interactions in Rhizosphere In book: Strigolactones, Alkamides and Karrikins in Plants. Taylor & Francis Group, CRC Press.
DOI:10.1201/9781003224525-13

Ishfaq M., Y. Wang, J. Xu, M. U. Hassan, H. Yuan, L. Liu, B. He, I. Ejaz, P. J. White, I. Cakmak, W. S. Chen, J. Wu, W. van der Werf, C. Li, F. Zhang, X. Li. (2023) Improvement of nutritional quality of food crops with fertilizer: a global meta-analysis. Agronomy for Sustainable Development. 43(74):1-35. DOI:10.1007/s13593-023-00923-7

Tang C., B. Jiang, I. Ejaz, A. Ameen, R. Zhang, X. Mo, Z. Wang (2023) Rapid quality evaluation and elite germplasm selection of sweet potato using near-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics. Food Chemistry: X. 20:100916.
DOI:10.1016/j.fochx.2023.100916

Xu R., C. Du, Y. Gao, X. Zhou, I. Ejaz, J. Guo, K. Chen, J. Ma, Y. Zhang, Z. Wang, Z. Sun. (2023) Watering shapes a robust and stable microbial community and makes winter wheat resistant to crown rot. Agronomy.
DOI:10.3390/agronomy13051356

Xuechen X., H. Zang, Y. Liu, Z. Zhang, Y. Liu, I. Ejaz, C. Du, Z. Wang, Z. Sun, Y. Zhang. (2023) Promoting winter wheat sustainable intensification by higher nitrogen distribution in top second to fourth leaves under water-restricted condition in North China Plain. Agricultural Water Management. 289: 108551. DOI:10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108551

Ying, L., X. Zhou, C. Du, Y. Liu, X. Xu, I. Ejaz, N. Hu, X. Zhao, Y. Zhang, Z. Wang, Z. Sun (2023) Trade-off between soil carbon emission and sequestration for winter wheat under reduced irrigation: the role of soil amendments. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. DOI:10.1016/j.agee.2023.108535

Yves N. B., S. Han, H. Li, D. Y. Kouadio, I. Ejaz, A. L. Virk, Y. P. Dang, X. Zhao, H. Zhang (2023) Effects of fertilizer application strategies on soil organic carbon and total nitrogen storage under different agronomic practices: A meta‐analysis. Land Degradation and Development. DOI:10.1002/ldr.4885

Naseer, M. A., Z. Nengyan, I. Ejaz, S. Hussain, M. A. Asghar, M. Farooq, C. Xiaoli, R. Xiaolong, (2022) Physiological mechanisms of grain yield loss under combined drought and shading stress at the post-silking stage in maize. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition.
DOI:10.1007/s42729-022-01108-z

Naseer, M. A., S. Hussain, Z. Nengyan, I. Ejaz, S. Ahmad, M. Farooq, X. Ren. (2022) Shading under drought stress during grain filling attenuate photosynthesis, grain yield and quality of winter wheat in the Loess Plateau of China. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science. DOI:10.1111/JAC.12563

I. Ejaz, S. He, W. Li, Na. Hu, C. Tang, S. Li, M. Li, B. Diallo, G. Xie, K. Yu, (2021) Sorghum grains grading for food, feed, and fuel using NIR spectroscopy. Frontiers in Plant Science.
DOI:10.3389/fpls.2021.720022

Ahmad L. V., M. S. Farooq, A. Ahmad, T. Khaliq, M. I. A. Rehmani, F. U. Haider, I. Ejaz (2020) Effect of seedling age on growth and yield of fine rice cultivars under alternate wetting and drying system. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 44:1, 1-15. DOI:10.1080/01904167.2020.1812642

Additional information

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Irsa-Ejaz
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7622-9309
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-irsa-ejaz-8132ab124/