Martin Steyn is a Professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Pretoria (UP). His research focus is on the agronomy and water requirements of field crops. He specializes in potatoes and has been involved in potato research for the past 39 years, first at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), and the last 25 years at UP. 

His current research focus is on the improvement of effective irrigation and nutrient management, potato production in a changing climate and the development of more sustainable crop production practices. Prof Steyn collaborates with scientists, research organisations and companies nationally and internationally.

He has presented numerous lectures as speaker and invited speaker at national and international congresses, and presented training in sustainable irrigation practices to potato agronomists, field staff and growers in Australia, Egypt, Russia, India, the Middle East and various African countries. Prof Steyn has served on the council of the South African Society of Crop Production in various positions, including that of President. He is also a member of the European Association for Potato Research, and currently acts as a processing editor for the European Journal of Potato Research. 

Over the past 25 years he supervised and co-supervised 75 postgraduate students, who successfully completed their master’s and doctoral degrees. He authored and co-authored 83 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals, 11 book chapters and 69 semi-scientific and popular articles.