Dr. Knott joined the faculty of the College of Agriculture in 1952 and became an internationally recognized expert in wheat stem and leaf rust resistance. He was also a successful plant breeder, developing a number of high yielding durum varieties.
He retired from the U of S in 1993 but maintained an active research program.
He received the Order of Canada in 1999 and was inducted into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame and the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame as a builder.