成就及荣誉
讲授本科生课程——园艺科学（双语教学）、园艺植物有机栽培、植物的微生物伴侣；硕士生课程——果树学文献综述与专题讨论、高级果树栽培学、果树生理学；博士生课程——园艺学前沿理论与方法。2001年获华南农业大学“陈励文奖教金”，2003年获华南农业大学“教书育人一等奖”，副主编面向21世纪教材《果树栽培学各论（南方本）》。
目前的研究重点是果树的矿质营养生理与生草栽培、丛枝菌根生物学及其在园艺植物上的应用。先后主持和参加5项国家自然科学基金，1项“973”计划前期研究专项，2项公益性行业（农业）科研专项以及8项省、部级科研项目。在Soil Biology & Biochemistry，Plant & Soil，Scientia Horticulturae，园艺学报，微生物学报，生态学报等国内外刊物上发表论文60多篇。
近5年发表的主要论文
1. Yao Q, Gao JL, Zhu HH, Long LK, Xing QX, Chen JZ. A PCR-DGGE based strategy to evaluate the host potential to trap arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. (in press)
2. Yao Q, Zhu HH. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: A belowground regulator of plant diversity in grasslands and the hidden mechanisms. In: Grassland Biodiversity: Habitat Types, Ecological Processes and Environmental Impacts. Editors: Johan Runas & Theodor Dahlgren. New York: Nova Publisher, 2010. (in press)
3. Yao Q, Ohtomo R, Saito M. Nitrogen and phosphorus influence on polyphosphate accumulation in Gigaspora margarita during spore germination. Plant and Soil, DOI: 10.1007/s11104-009-0201-0.
4. Yao Q, Wang LR, Xing QX, Chen JZ, Zhu HH. Exogenous polyamines influence root system architecture and arbuscular mycorrhizal development of trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliataL. Raf.) seedlings. Plant Growth Regulation, DOI 10.1007/s10725-009-9415-7.
5. Long LK, Yao Q, Ai Y, Deng MR, Zhu HH. Detection of a novel bacterium associated with the spores of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Giagispora margarita. Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 2009, 55(6): 771-775.
6. Yao Q, Wang LR, Zhu HH, Chen JZ. Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculation on root system architecture of trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliataL. Raf.) seedlings. Scientia Horticulturae, 2009, 121: 458-461.
7. Li J, Zhang PP, Chen JZ, Yao Q, Jiang YM. Cellular wall metabolism in citrus fruit pericarp and its relation to creasing fruit rate. Scientia Horticulturae, 2009, 122: 45-50.
8. Yao Q, Wang LR, Chen JZ, Zhu HH. The effects of polyamines on root morphology and arbuscular mycorrhiza of citrus seedlings. Acta Horticulturae, 2008, 774: 151-158.
9. Yao Q, Lin FX, Zhu HH, Chen JZ, Lei XT. Responses of citrus seedlings and a leguminous herb, Stylosanthes gracilis, to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculation. Acta Horticulturae, 2008, 773: 63-67.
10. Long LK, Zhu HH, Yao Q, Ai YC. Analysis of the bacterial community associated with Gigaspora margarita spores. Pant and Soil, 2008, 320: 1-9.
11. Yao Q, Zhu HH, Hu YL, Li LQ. Differential influence of native and introduced arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on growth of dominant and subordinate plants. Plant Ecology, 2008, 196: 261-268.
12. Wang XL, Yao Q, Feng QR, Huang JL, Hu YL. Morphological characteristics of loquat mycorrhiza and inoculation effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on loquat. Acta Horticulturae, 2007, 750: 389-394.
13. Zhu HH, Guo J, Yao Q, Yang SZ, Deng MR, Le TBP, Vo TH, Matthew JR. Streptomyces vietnamensis sp. nov., a novel streptomycete with violet-blue diffusible pigment isolated from Vietnam. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 2007, 57: 1770-1774.
14. Yao Q, Zhu HH, Zen RS. Role of phenolic compounds in plant defence: Induced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Allelopathy Journal, 2007, 20(1): 1-14.
15. Zhu HH, Yao Q, Sun XT, Hu YL. Colonization, ALP activity and plant growth promotion of native and exogenous AM fungi in an acid soil. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2007, 39: 942-950.
16. Yao Q, Zhu HH, Chen JZ, Christie P. Influence of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus on competition for phosphorus between sweet orange and a leguminous herb. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 2005, 28(12): 2179-2192.
17. Yao Q, Zhu HH, Chen JZ. Growth responses and endogenous IAA and iPAs changes of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) seedlings induced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculation. Scientia Horticulturae, 2005, 105(1): 145-151.
18. Zhu HH, Yao Q. Localized and systemic increase of phenols in tomato roots induced by Glomus versiforme inhibits Ralstonia solanacearum. Journal of Phytopathology. 2004, 152(10): 537-542.