Dr. Sivakumar Sukumaran is Acting Research Leader at Agriculture Science and Technology (AST), Agriculture Victoria. In this senior leadership role, Dr. Sukumaran shapes the strategic direction, scientific excellence and long-term impact of the Trait Physiology group, formerly known as Molecular Plant Breeding, within AST’s Plant Sciences branch. The group works with research partners, breeding programs and industry to deliver genetic gains in cereals, pulses and oilseeds through transdisciplinary, co-designed research.

Dr. Sukumaran’s international research and breeding experience spans multiple crops and countries. Across appointments at CIMMYT, The University of Queensland, Clemson University and the Australian Grains Genebank, Dr. Sukumaran has applied crop physiology, physiological breeding, quantitative genetics, and genomics to crop improvement.

At CIMMYT, Dr. Sukumaran led the spring wheat physiological pre-breeding pipeline, developing semi-elite lines for improved yield potential and tolerance to drought and heat using genetic resources from CIMMYT’s genebank. Through involvement in the International Wheat Yield Partnership (IWYP) and the Heat and Drought Wheat Improvement Consortium (HeDWIC), more than 300 pre-bred spring wheat lines were advanced and distributed to over 60 countries through international nurseries, including the Wheat Yield Consortium Yield Trial (WYCYT) and Stress Adaptive Trait Yield Nursery (SATYN). These lines contributed to varieties released by national partners, including MISR-7 and MISR-9 in Egypt, Kunar in Afghanistan, and WGE000006939945 in Pakistan, which contains landrace material originating from Mexico.

Dr. Sukumaran holds a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Kansas State University, a Master’s degree in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India, and a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Kerala Agricultural University, India.

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