I am a Master’s student in the field of agronomy, and I am studying under the supervision of Dr. Robert Mangani and Prof. Michael van der Laan.

I completed my BSc Honours degree in Agronomy in 2024, at The University of University of Zululand. My Honours project was titled " Evaluating Response of soybean plants to exogenously applied 3,4-methylenedioxycinnamic acid (MDCA) under salinity stress''. The study showed that MDCA restricted soybean growth by reducing shoot length, fresh weight, and dry weight measurements. In addition, NaCl enhanced carotenoid content, superoxide content, and cell death level, with MDCA + NaCl treatment resulting in a significant increase in superoxide content and cell death. These results suggest that inhibition of p-CA synthesis contributes to salinity stress-induced damage in soybean plants.

Currently, I am working on my MSc project titled "Compound extreme heat and elevated carbon dioxide effect on the growth, yield and quality of determinate and indeterminate soybean cultivars''. This objective is part of a larger project investigating the impacts of climate change on soybean production in South Africa. This research aims to evaluate the potential impact of individual and combined effects of elevated temperature and CO2 on determinate and indeterminate soybean cultivars. The findings from this research will enhance our understanding of soybean physiological and biochemical responses to these extreme weather conditions caused by climate change.