Kristian Johnson

Plant science, sustainable agriculture, abiotic stress, ecophysiology

I am fascinated by plants and how to grow them. This is a space where I can share my thoughts and research.


About Me

For many in the urban, modern world, agriculture has receded into a faint background hum of distant, sometimes difficult but ultimately solvable logistical problems. Of course, this is only true as long as yields continue to match population growth. However, a fundamental shift in global agriculture is underway. We are entering an era when there are few new areas to exploit, but a population that is still growing. This means that we have to maintain the land already under cultivation and increase its productivity, despite the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation. I aim to contribute in any way I can to make agriculture both more sustainable but also productive in an increasingly uncertain environment.


I was initiated into the world of agriculture working on a small organic vegetable farm in Hong Kong as an apprentice to an experienced organic farmer, Fai Hui. Simply said, it was hard work. Apart from growing vegetables, I helped conduct urban agriculture workshops for universities and schools.

After two years, I decided to pursue a Masters at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, Germany to learn more about the theory of agriculture with a focus on the subtropics and tropics. I ended up staying for a doctorate under Prof. Dr. Folkard Asch. The objective of the PhD is to increase the sustainability and resilience of rice production in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta in the face of climate change.


Titles and abstracts of my research can be found on the research page. For a closer look at research published in peer-reviewed journals, links are provided. I also enjoy writing about plants or more broadly agriculture. You can read some of my writing in the blog.