Rate My Professor John Hampton

Professor John Hampton is the Professor of Seed Technology in the Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Lincoln University, New Zealand. He serves as Director of the Lincoln University Seed Research Centre, which he established, a role he has held since 2008. His distinguished 48-year career in seed-based agricultural research has significantly advanced seed science, technology, product development, and postgraduate education for land-based industries. At Lincoln University, his appointments include Professor of Seed Technology since 1999, with previous positions as Associate Professor and scientist in research roles. Affiliated with the Bio-Protection Research Centre and Department of Agricultural Sciences, Hampton leads initiatives in collaboration with industry partners and supervises postgraduate students.

Professor Hampton's primary research specializations encompass the impacts of climate change on seed production and quality, biocontrol microbes transmitted via seeds, and mechanisms to enhance plant resilience to biotic and abiotic stressors. Key contributions include the discovery and development of bacterial biocontrol agents for black rot in brassicas and the diamondback moth pest, as well as a seed treatment utilizing the fungus Trichoderma to confer resistance to pathogens, currently in commercialization with an industry partner. In 2007, his team developed revolutionary “smart seeds” for forage and vegetable brassica crops that resist pests and diseases without genetic modification or chemical interventions. As a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science, he has directed seed enhancement projects for farmer cooperatives in Nepal and Afghanistan, more than doubling household incomes for participants. In recognition of these services to agricultural science, he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours. Hampton has produced nearly 200 peer-reviewed publications, cited over 2,600 times, including “Effects of elevated CO2 and temperature on seed quality” (2012), “Light Regulates Secreted Metabolite Production and Antagonistic Activity in Trichoderma” (2024), and “Uncovering the multifaceted properties of 6-pentyl-alpha-pyrone for control of plant pathogens” (2024). He also leads Lincoln University’s annual Seed Technology short course, contributing to professional development in the field.