Dr. Cheema is a Professor in the School of Science and the Environment, member of Environment and Sustainability and the Boreal Ecosystem and Agricultural Sciences program (BEAS). The focus of his research program is to develop productive and sustainable cropping systems to enhance soil quality and health, yield and quality of produce under climate change scenario. In recent years, he has developed strong research collaborations with industry and investigated use of industrial waste by-products (anaerobic digestate, biochar, wood ash, wood sludge and rock dust) to develop growth media; microbial community structure, liming and mineral properties and their effects on crop growth, yield and phytochemical profile of horticultural and agronomic crops under controlled environment and field conditions. Current research focus is to develop management practices that mitigate greenhouse gases and nitrogen losses, enhance soil quality and health in different cropping systems. Impact of climate change on global food security, particularly rising atmospheric CO2 and its impact on crop growth, yield and produce quality. He has developed seed priming techniques to induce stress tolerance in plants under abiotic stresses (cold/chilling, drought and salinity). Impact of climate change on global food security, particularly rising atmospheric CO2 and its impact on crop growth, yield and produce quality. Dr. Cheema has supervised and co-supervised 40 Master, and 10 PhD theses. Prior to joining the Memorial University, Dr. Cheema was a Professor in the department of Agronomy, and Director Graduate Studies (2008 – 2011), at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
using hydrological modelling. Mitacs Accelerates and Growing for Life [(30,000) (2023-2024).
PI, Formulation and Testing of Seafood Compost. Mitacs Accelerate and 3F Waste recovery [($60,000) (2023-2024)].
PI, Developing greenhouse gases fluxes pedotransfer functions and quantifying spatio‐temporal structure of soil quality under different management practices in boreal ecosystems. Mitacs Accelerate and Akin Agrifood Technologies Inc. [($120,000) (2023 – 2025)].
PI, Cropping, fertilization, and soil conditioning strategies for climate change mitigation in NL (NL-LL). Agriculture climate solutions (AAFC), NL-LL model [($3.8 millions) (2022 - 2027)].
PI, Assessing cover cropping options for improved forage yield, quality, and soil health in a boreal climate. Industry, Energy and Technology (IET), Government of NL – Leverage R&D application [($568,418.00) (2022 -2027)].
PI, Newfoundland, and Labrador living laboratories Initiative (creating a collaborative network). Associate Vice-President (Research) Special Award [($26,500) (2021- 2022)].
PI, Newfoundland, and Labrador living laboratories Initiative (NL-LL). Agriculture and Agri-Food, Canada – Agriculture and Climate Solution program [($99,240) (2021 – 2022).
COAP, Repurposing marine by-products or raw materials for the development and production of functional food and bioactive to improve human health and coastal community sustainability. New Frontiers in Research Fund – Transformation (NFRF-T) [($15.8 Millions) (2021-2027)].
COAP, Collaborative research program on Cannabis edibles as functional foods. NSERC, Fanshawe College, MUN, Beehive Inc. and Wake Inc. [($505,913) (2021-2024)].
PI, Low-input Agriculture in Cool Climate Boreal Ecosystems. Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, NL - contribution agreement [($55,000) (2021 - 2022)].
PI, Effects of medium-term dairy manure and biochar application on the growth, forage production and quality, soil quality and health in a silage corn monocropping system in boreal climate. Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) [($24,915.00) (2021-2022)].
External collaborator, Improving the health of northern soils. AAFC [($300,000) (2021-2023)]. PI - Vicky Lévesque, Research Scientist, Kentville Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, NS, Canada.
PI, Assessing cover cropping options for improved forage yield, quality and soil health in a boreal climate. NSERC DG [($165,000) (2021 – 2026)].
COPI, Design, fabrication, and evaluation of a small scale and low-cost vertical garden hydroponic system. Mitacs Accelerate [(75,000) (2020-2023)].
COPI, Bridging the divide: Connecting and preparing refugees for work in the province's agriculture industry, Newfoundland, and Labrador Department of Advance Skills & Labour - Workforce Innovation Centre (WIC), and Mitacs [($438,139) (2018-2023)].
COPI, Rock dust from mine waste as a natural media amendment in forest reclamation and the production of high value agronomic and horticultural crops. Total funding $ 383,800 [Anaconda Mining Inc. Memorial University of Newfoundland, NSERC-CRD, Tourism, Culture, Industry, and Innovation (TCII)] (2019-2023).
PI, Study of Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited (CBPPL) by-products and potential uses for food production. Mitacs, $200,000 (2019-2023).
Saha R, R. Thomas, K. Hawboldt, M. Nadeem, M. Cheema, and L. Galagedara. 2023. Biochar applications to boreal podzol improve soil hydraulic properties and control nitrogen dynamics. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, 00: 1-9, https://doi.org/10.1139/cjss-2022-008
Saeed M. T, M. A. Wahid, U. Riaz, M. Nadeem, M. F. Saleem, T. Aziz, S. Kausar & M. Cheema. 2023. Nutrient accumulation during vegetative and reproductive growth affected by endogenous and exogenous phosphorus applications in maize crop, Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 54:7, 895-909, DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2022.2137180
Javed R, Zia M and M. Cheema. 2023. Editorial: Capping agents encapsulated nanoparticles in plant biotechnology. Front. Plant Sci. 14:1158624. doi:10.3389/fpls.2023.1158624
Faran M, M. Nadeem, C. Manful, L. Galagedara, R. Thomas, M. Cheema. 2023. Agronomic performance and phytochemical profile of lettuce grown in anaerobic dairy digestate. Agronomy,13, 182. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010182
Wu J, M. Nadeem, L. Galagedara, R. Thomas and M. Cheema. 2022. Recent insights into cell responses to cold stress in plants: Signaling, defense, and potential functions of phosphatidic acid. Environ. and Experi. Botany, 203:105068; doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2022.105068
Wahid M. A, Irshad M, Irshad S, Khan S, Hasnain Z, Ibrar D, Khan A. R, Saleem M. F, Bashir S, Alotaibi S. S, Matloob A, Farooq N, Ismail M. S and M. Cheema. 2022. Nitrogenous fertilizer coated with zinc improves the productivity and grain quality of rice grown under anaerobic conditions. Front. Plant Sci. 13:914653; doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.914653
Sobze Jean-Marie, Galagedara Lakshman, Cheema Mumtaz, Thomas Raymond, Inoue Sahari. 2022. The potential of carbon nanoparticles as a stimulant to improve the propagation of native boreal forest species. Front. For. Glob. Change, 5; https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2022.872780
Yurgel, S.N, M. Nadeem and M. Cheema. 2022. Microbial consortium associated with crustacean shells composting. Microorganisms, 10, 1033; https://doi.org/10.3390/ microorganisms10051033
Virk Ahmad Latif, Wen-Sheng Liu, Zhe Chen, Yves N´Dri Bohoussou, Mumtaz Cheema, Khuram Shehzad Khan, Xin Zhao, Hai-Lin Zhang. 2022. Effects of different tillage systems and cropping sequences on soil physicochemical properties and greenhouse gas emissions. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 335, 108010, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2022.108010.
Wu J, M. Nadeem, L. Galagedara, R. Thomas and M. Cheema. 2022. Effects of chilling stress on morphological, physiological, and biochemical attributes of silage corn genotypes during seedling establishment. Plants, 11, 1217; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11091217
Nadeem M, J. Wu, H. Ghaffari, A. J. Kedir, S. Saleem, A. Mollier, J. Singh and M. Cheema. 2022. Understanding the adaptive mechanisms of plants to enhance phosphorus use efficiency on podzolic soils in boreal agroecosystems. Front. Plant Sci.,13, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.804058
Rajakaruna A, C. F. Manful, I. M. Abu-Reidah, A. L. Critch, N.P. Vidal, T.H. Pham, M. Cheema, R. Thomas. 2022. Application of solvent pH under pressurized conditions using accelerated solvent extraction and green solvents to extract phytonutrients from wild berries. Food Bioscience 47, 101471; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbio.2021.101471
Irshad M, M.A. Wahid, M. F. Saleem, S. Khan, S. Irshad, A. Matloob, M. Sarwar, M. Ali, Z. Hasnain & M. Cheema. 2022. Zinc coated urea enhanced the growth and quality of rice cultivated under aerobic and anaerobic culture, Journal of Plant Nutrition, 45:8, 1198-1213, doi:// 10.1080/01904167.2021.2005803
Farhain, M., M. Cheema., Katanda, Y., Nadeem, M., Javed, B., Thomas, R., Saha, R., Galagedara, L. 2022. Potential of developing podzolic soil-based potting media from wood ash, paper sludge and biochar. Journal of Environmental Management, 301(1), 113811. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113811
Zaeem M, M. Nadeem, T.H. Pham, W. Ashiq, W. Ali, S. M. Gilani, E.R.D. Moise, H. Leier, V. Kavanagh, L. Galagedara, M. Cheema, R. Thomas. 2021. Data set showing the development of a hyperspectral imaging technique using LA-ICP-MS to determine the spatial distribution of nutrients in soil cores. Geoderma. 385, 114,831; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114831
Mustafa T, A. Sattar, A. Sher, S. Ullah, M. Ijaz, M. Irfan, M. Butt, Mumtaz Cheema. 2021. Exogenous application of silicon improves the performance of wheat under terminal heat stress by triggering physio-biochemical mechanisms. Nature Scientific Reports, 11:23170. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-02594-4
Abu-Reidah, I. M. Critch, A.L. Manful, C.F, Rajakaruna, A, Vidal, N.P, Pham, T.H, Cheema, M, Thomas, R. 2021. Effects of pH and Temperature on Water under Pressurized Conditions in the Extraction of Nutraceuticals from Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) Mushroom. Antioxidants,10, 1322. https://doi.org/10.3390/ antiox10081322
Wahid M A, M. Saleem, S. Khan, S. Irshad, M. Cheema, M. F. Saleem, H. Z. Khan, M. Ali, A. Bakhsh, Z. Hasnain, S. T. Alrashood and S. A. Alharbi. 2021. Foliar applied Boron not only enhances seed cotton yield but also improves fiber strength and fineness of cotton cultivars. Philipp Agric Scientist, 104 (2): 124-134
Arnott, A., L. Galagedara, M. Cheema, J. Sobze, R. Thomas. 2021. Seedling vigor of native species for mine site reclamation: A Review. Science of the Total Environment. 775, 145139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145139
Zaeem M, M. Nadeem, T.H. Pham, W. Ashiq, W. Ali, S.S.M. Gilani, E. Moise, S. Elavarthi, V. Kavanagh, M. Cheema, L. Galagedara, R. Thomas. 2021. Corn-soybean intercropping improved the nutritional quality of forage cultivated on podzols in boreal climate. Plants, 10 (5), 1015. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10051015
Waqar Ashiq, H. Vasava, Mumtaz Cheema, K. Dunfield, P. Daggupati, A. Biswas. 2021. Interactive role of topography and best management practices on N2O emissions from agricultural landscape. Soil & Tillage Research, 212; doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2021.105063
Kedir A. J, J. Nyiraneza, L. Galagedara, M. Cheema, K. A. Hawboldt, D. B. McKenzie and A. Unc. 2021. Phosphorus adsorption characteristics in forested and managed podzolic soils. Soil Science Society of American Journal, https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20180
Zaeem M, M. Nadeem, T.H. Pham, W. Ashiq, W. Ali, S. M. Gilani, E.R.D. Moise, H. Leier, V. Kavanagh, L. Galagedara, M. Cheema, R. Thomas. 2020. Development of a hyperspectral imaging technique using LA-ICP-MS to show the spatial distribution of elements in soil cores. Geoderma, 385,114831; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114831
Oludoyin Adeseun Adigun, M. Nadeem, T. H. Pham, L. E. Jewell, M. Cheema, R. Thomas. 2020. Recent advances in bio-chemical, molecular and physiological aspects of membrane lipid derivatives in plant pathology. Plant, Cell & Environ, 44 (408); doi: 10.1111/pce.13904
Ali M.H, J.M. Sobze, T. H. Pham, M. Nadeem, C. Liu, L. Galagedara, M. Cheema, R. Thomas. 2020. Carbon nanotubes improved the germination and vigor of plant species from peatland ecosystem via remodeling the membrane lipidome. Nanomaterials, 10, 1852; doi:10.3390/nano10091852
Wahid M.A, M. Saleem, S. Irshad, S. Khan, M. A. Cheema, M. F. Saleem and S. A. Tung. 2020. Foliar feeding of boron improves the productivity of cotton cultivars with enhanced boll retention percentage. Journal of Plant Nutrition 43(16): 2411-2424; doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2020.1783300
Ashiq W, M. Nadeem, W. Ali, M. Zaeem, J. Wu, L. Galagedara, R. Thomas, V. Kavanagh and M. Cheema. 2020. Biochar amendment mitigates greenhouse gases emission and global warming potential in dairy manure-based silage corn in boreal climate. Environmental Pollution, 265, 114869; doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114869
Sey A, T.H. Pham, V. Kavanagh, S. Kaur, M. Cheema, L. Galagedara, R. Thomas. 2020. Canola produced under boreal climatic conditions in Newfoundland and Labrador have a unique lipid composition and expeller press extraction retained the composition for commercial use. Journal of Advanced Research, 24:423-434; doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2020.05.002