Dr. Aritra Roy Choudhury will be joining Montana State University’s Plant Sciences in mid-October to begin transitioning into his role as director of the Seed Potato Certification Program and MSU Extension Associate Specialist.
Current director Dr. Nina Zidack plans to retire March, 2025 and will help Choudhury learn the complex processes involved in ensuring Montana’s seed potatoes remain disease free.
Choudhury joins MSU from Colorado State University where he has focused on the environmental and microbial community associated with potato powdery scab disease incidence. While at Colorado State, he collaborated with growers, policy makers and researchers from five major potato growing states.
He earned his Ph.D. in Agricultural Chemistry from Chungbuk National University, South Korea, a M.Tech degree in Biotechnology from KIIT University, India, and an M.S. in Agricultural Biology from Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland. Choudhury has authored 33 research articles and has years of supervisory and mentoring experience.
Regarding his new role, Choudhury said, “I am extremely excited to join MSU and lead the Seed Potato Certification team in ensuring that Montana seed potatoes remain disease free. My enthusiasm is driven by the opportunity to work with seed potato growers to investigate the underlying factors behind emerging threats in the potato industry. I am eager to continue the comprehensive year round testing program that addresses challenges to seed potato production. The potato lab has a history of developing and implementing advanced, cutting-edge technologies that support sustainable production practices and is at the forefront of innovation and problem-solving in the potato industry. Dr. Zidack and the rest of the potato lab team are amazingly capable and dedicated and I am honored to have been selected to lead them and work with them.”