Name: Phyllis Wambui Muturi
Title/Qualification: Dr.
Position: Senior Lecturer/Deputy Dean of Students
Department: Water & Agricultural Resource Management
School: Agriculture
Area of Specialization: Plant Breeding & Biotechnology
Contact Address: P.O. BOX 6-60100 Embu
E-Mail:
Google Scholar Account - Link
Orcid Account: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4170-8059
Short Biography
Dr. Muturi is a Crop Scientist specializing in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Crop Protection, Climate-Smart Agriculture, and Sustainable Seed Systems. She holds a PhD in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, an MSc. in Crop Protection, and a BSc. in Agriculture. Her research focuses on crop improvement, sustainable pest management, and the utilization of indigenous and underutilised crops to strengthen food and nutritional security in smallholder farming systems. She has received competitive fellowships and international research opportunities from institutions including RUFORUM, Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA), the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) programme, and the Carnegie Fellowship programme. She was a visiting scholar at Iowa State University in 2015 and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in 2019, and a Young Affiliate of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) from 2020 to 2025. Dr. Muturi has led and contributed to research projects addressing crop productivity, sustainable pest management, and resilient food systems. She has published in international peer-reviewed journals, presented at scientific conferences, supervised postgraduate and undergraduate research, and examined research theses at universities across East Africa. She also serves as an adjunct researcher with the African Institute for Capacity Development (AICAD) and has contributed to national technical committees in Kenya. At the University of Embu, she advises students in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Crop Protection, and Agricultural Resource Management. Her research interests offer opportunities for collaboration in crop improvement, agricultural biotechnology, indigenous crops, climate-resilient agriculture, and sustainable pest management
Research Interests
Her research interests span plant breeding and crop improvement, agricultural biotechnology, sustainable crop production, crop protection and integrated pest management, dryland agriculture and climate-resilient farming systems, indigenous and underutilised crops, sustainable seed systems and seed delivery, participatory research and farmer-led innovation, and the integration of indigenous knowledge into sustainable agricultural practices.
Grants
| S/No | Title of the Grant | Funding Agency | Amount | Start Date (Month and Year) | End Date (Month and Year) |
| 1 | Enhancing community resilience and adaptation to climate change through participatory evaluation and selection of elite Bambara groundnut genotypes for improved food and nutrition security in semi-arid lands of Eastern Kenya | VC's Grant UoEm | KES 699,580 | Aug-19 | Dec-21 |
| 2 | Integration of Smart Sustainable Integrated Pest Management Strategies from Selected Local Plants for Improved Food Security among Small Holder Farmers in Semi-Arid Lands of Eastern Kenya’ | Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) | $ 36,915.00. | Jan-21 | Nov-22 |
| 3 | Resistance to the African and spotted stem borers of sorghum in Kenya | Regional Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) | USD 100,000 | 2013 | 2014 |