Jianyu Li
Undergraduate and Graduate Faculty—Extension Assistant Professor of Sustainable Fruit and Vegetable Production
Jianyu Li is an Extension Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst focused on advancing sustainable fruit and vegetable production through improved nutrient management, environmental optimization, and crop quality research. His program integrates plant nutrition, plant physiology, and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) to develop science-based strategies that improve crop productivity, resource-use efficiency, and product quality for specialty crop growers in Massachusetts and the Northeast. His research aims to bridge fundamental plant biology with practical agricultural management to support resilient and sustainable horticultural production systems
WORK EXPERIENCE
Extension Assistant Professor, Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (August 2024 to Present)
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Plant Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (October 2023-Feb 2024)
Scientist III, Crop Research Lead, Plenty Unlimited Inc. (February 2022 to September 2023)
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Horticultural Science with a minor in Soil and Water Sciences (2021), University of Florida
M.S. in Plant Pathology (2016), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
B.S. in Plant Protection (2013), Hebei Agricultural University
RESEARCH INTERESTS
My research program focuses on advancing sustainable fruit and vegetable production by understanding how environmental conditions and nutrient management influence crop productivity, quality, and resilience. In particular, my work aims at understanding and managing how environmental conditions regulate secondary metabolites and fruit and vegetable quality in both field and controlled environment production systems. By integrating plant physiology, soil and nutrient management, and controlled environment agriculture, my research seeks to develop science-based strategies that enhance crop performance, resource-use efficiency, and food quality.
PUBLICATIONS
Y. Jing, Y. Liu, Y. Xu, Y. Su, Y. Tian, X. Ge, Y. Yu, J. Li* and H. Xie*. 2026. Genome-wide identification and functional characterization of six ERD6-like genes involved in soluble sugar accumulation and response to drought in peach (Prunus persica). Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 111173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111173
K. Li, Y. Duan, Y. Li, J. Li, Y. Han, Y. Cao, M. Sun, J. Wang, and Y. Yan. 2026. Integrating transcriptomics and metabolomics to reveal how PBAT/PLA humic acid biodegradable mulch film promotes tomato ripening and improves nutritional quality in protected cultivation. Horticultural Plant Journal.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpj.2025.11.005
Y. Zhu, J. Li, H. Wu, J. Wang, H. Wang, C. Xu, and T. Li. 2026. CmHY5-CmWRKY23/69-CmGH9B3 module mediates red light promoted graft union healing of melon grafted onto squash. Horticulture Research. 13: uhaf251. https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhaf251
Q. Zhang; J. Li1; Y. Ma; X. Wang; X. Wang, and X. Zhang. 2025. Substrate type modulates tomato yield and fruit quality under brackish water irrigation: insights from multivariate and structural equation modeling. Scientia Horticulturae. 354:114426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114426
Z. Li, Z. Tang, J. Song, J. Li, X. Wang, and X. Zhang. 2025. Melatonin stabilizes photosynthesis and scavenges ROS to enhance salt tolerance in cucumber. BMC Plant Biology. 25:1433. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07274-3