Martin Bohn, Ph.D.

Dr. Martin Bohn (he/him) breeds corn lines that contribute to economically efficient and sustainable, high-yielding production. He studies the genetic basis of biotic and abiotic stress responses, root development, and grain processing characteristics of corn using innovative, high-throughput phenotyping tools and genomic information.
More information:
Bohn is a crop breeder and researcher passionate about developing and studying innovative and sustainable maize production. As an associate professor at the University of Illinois, Bohn leads a maize breeding program focused on developing improved maize germplasm that contributes to economically efficient and sustainable maize production under restricted and “organic” growing conditions. He develops and employs innovative high-throughput phenotyping tools, quantitative genetic theory, and deep genomic information to study the genetic basis of biotic and abiotic stress responses, root development, and grain processing in maize as well. Before joining the University of Illinois faculty, Bohn grew up in West Germany, where he studied agronomy at the Universities of Bonn and Hohenheim in Germany, motivated by the growing ecological movement in Europe. After spending a year working on a very diverse dairy family farm, Bohn received his MSc at the University of Hohenheim and continued his studies there, completing his Ph.D. in plant breeding and genetics. For his thesis research, Bohn spent two years in Mexico, working at the International Center for Wheat and Maize Improvement. Soon after, he also became assistant professor and Habilitant at the University of Hohenheim.
Affiliations:
Dr. Bohn is an associate professor in the Department of Crop Sciences in the College of Agricultural, Consumer Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.