Dr. Arshdeep Singh Gill is a Research Associate in Crop Production at the Olds College Centre for Innovation (OCCI), where he leads greenhouse and field research focused on sustainable crop management technologies. His work focuses on evaluating and optimizing biostimulants, elemental sulphur fertilizers, and soil conditioners to enhance soil health, nutrient efficiency, and crop productivity in Western Canadian agroecosystems. Originally from a farming family in India, Dr. Gill grew up accompanying his father to the fields, which sparked his lifelong interest in solving practical challenges faced by farmers.
Motivated by this passion, he pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Punjab Agricultural University, India, before moving into research and teaching. Dr. Gill holds a Ph.D. in Plant Agriculture (Plant Breeding and Genetics) from the University of Guelph, Ontario, where his research explored transcriptomic responses underlying freezing tolerance in asparagus. He also earned his M.Sc. in Plant and Environmental Sciences from New Mexico State University, USA, investigating salt tolerance in alfalfa using genome-wide association studies.
His research bridges plant physiology, genetics, and applied agronomy to support the development of climate-resilient and resource-efficient farming practices.
At Olds College, Dr. Gill works closely with industry partners to support small-plot applied research that evaluates emerging agricultural technologies under replicated, field-scale conditions. His work involves designing and managing multi-factorial experiments on cereals, oilseeds, and specialty crops to assess product/variety performance, fertilizer optimization, and soil improvement strategies. These trials play a key role in generating regionally relevant data that help Alberta producers make informed decisions about sustainable crop inputs and management practices. His recent projects include field evaluation of pea lines, testing seaweed- based biostimulants on cereal and oilseed crops, assessing elemental sulphur effects on canola, and exploring soil improvement through organic soil conditioner products and biostimulants. Dr. Gill aims to integrate genomic tools into applied agricultural research to develop sustainable solutions for farmers in Alberta and beyond.
Dr. Gill is deeply passionate about teaching and knowledge sharing. He actively contributes to knowledge transfer through public outreach, research showcase events, and mentoring students involved in applied agricultural research. During his graduate studies, he taught several plant science and agronomy lab courses, where he discovered his enthusiasm for guiding and inspiring the next generation of agricultural scientists.
New to Alberta, Dr. Gill lives in Red Deer with his wife, their one-year-old daughter, and his sister. Outside of work, he enjoys cooking, gardening, hiking, and watching Netflix. His favorite pastimes include experimenting with new recipes and shopping for unique houseplants. He and his wife love travelling, exploring new places, trying new restaurants, and he takes great pride in his growing indoor plant collection, along with his curated assortment of Starbucks destination mugs and city magnets. One of his personal goals is to visit every province in Canada and every state in the United States.
Crop Research
