Zehra EKIN was born in Turkey in 09.09.1976. She completed her high school education in Van in TURKEY, and then she entered the University of Yuzuncu Yil, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Field Crops in 1992 and finished it in 1996. She entered the same department as "Research Assistant" in 1997.
After, completing her Master (M.Sc) Science with the thesis entitled "The effects of the nitrogen fertilizer applied at different growth stages on growing, yield and quality characteristics of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) plant in Van" between 1996 and 1998. Then, she completed her doctorate study with the (Ph.D) thesis with the title of "The effects of the different sowing date and plant density on the agronomical, physiological, yield and quality components of oilseed sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) cultivars in Van" between 1998 and 2005. In 2005, she was appointed as Dr. Research Assistant at the same Department. In 2010, she was appointed as Associate Researcher at the Field Crops Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Yuzuncu Yil University.



Since 1996, her research has focused on several issues including industrial crops growing and breeding as oil crops (sunflower, safflower and rape), starch crops (potato), medicinal and aromatic crops. Recently she focuses on the use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungi as biofertilizer for enhancing the yield and quality of sunflower and potato plants in organic agriculture.