Professor Chengyuan (Stephen) Xu

Professor Chengyuan (Stephen) Xu has a passion for enhancing the sustainability and resilience of farming communities. He is a leader in fostering regional industry development and establishing emerging crops to diversify rural economies. The group is at the forefront of multidisciplinary research aimed at enhancing the production, sustainability, and resilience of tropical cropping systems. With a strong foundation in crop physiology, agronomy, and soil science, we collaborate extensively with professionals from diverse fields such as ecology, environmental science, computer science, engineering, economics, rural supply chains, and policy development.

Research Interests:

• Crop Physiology: We investigate how crops respond to climatic factors and variations in resource availability in tropical regions, ensuring that farmers can make informed decisions to optimize their yields and manage risks effectively.
• Carbon Farming: We explore innovative approaches to enhance soil fertility and sustain cropping systems through carbon farming, contributing to the resilience of agricultural industries and mitigating the effects of climate change.
• Precision Agriculture: Our group pioneers the adoption of precision agriculture techniques and technologies to enhance the sustainability of horticultural farming systems. We aim to make agriculture smarter and more efficient.
• Circular Economy: We actively promote the use of agricultural waste in the creation of new products, thus contributing to a circular economy while integrating domestic agricultural supply chains. The crops we work on include cotton, sugarcane, tropical fruits (e.g., dragon fruit), ginger, berries, and exotic mushrooms.