Deus’s primary research focuses on uncovering genetic mechanisms that control resistance to white mold disease in Canadian grown soybean. His study aims to develop resources that will accelerate breeding of white mold resistant soybean varieties. The research has important implications that include environmental benefits due to reductions of fungicides, and greater economic returns to Canadian soybean growers due to improved yields and reduced expenses on disease control. Deus is also pursuing a collaborative specialization in International Development Studies (IDS) with The Guelph Institute of Development Studies. This part of his Ph.D. program seeks to understand how plant breeding and genetics technologies ca improve food security and overall livelihoods of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. He expects the IDS specialization will equip him with interdisciplinary approaches to ensure his crop science expertise is developed into more useful and applicable tools for solving food insecurity.

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