Dr. Mohammad Akbari (born May 4, 1985) is a dedicated plant breeder and agricultural scientist specializing in the genetic engineering and biotechnology of horticultural crops. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Tabriz, in collaboration with Florida A&M University (FAMU) and Florida State University (FSU). Dr. Akbari began his career with the Pistachio Group at the Ministry of Agriculture in Iran, where he served as an advisor to the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, contributing to the advancement of pistachio cultivation. Currently, he leads Etook Green Tech Co., a trailblazing company that has introduced hydroponic cultivation of crops such as blueberries, ginger, turmeric, and pineapples in Iran, providing consultancy services in greenhouse and open-field hydroponic systems. He is also actively involved in pistachio breeding programs and works as a freelance consultant for pistachio farms. Notably, Dr. Akbari introduced Arota, a pioneering pistachio rootstock, to the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) in 2020. Arota, a Persian interspecific hybrid (Pistacia integerrima ♂ × Pistacia atlantica ♀), is the first Iranian pistachio rootstock and the second hybrid pistachio rootstock globally, following UCB1.
