Fields of Research

Plant physiology
Plant developmental and reproductive biology
Plant cell and molecular biology
Horticultural crop growth and development
Horticultural production
Crop and pasture nutrition
Plant pathology
Proteomics and intermolecular interactions (excl. medical proteomics)
Analytical biochemistry
Microbial ecology
Crop and pasture biochemistry and physiology
Plant biochemistry
Characterisation of biological macromolecules
Gene expression (incl. microarray and other genome-wide approaches)
Developmental genetics (incl. sex determination)
Agricultural marine biotechnology

Research Objectives

Environmentally sustainable plant production
Other plant production and plant primary products
Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences
Horticultural crops
Grain legumes
Expanding knowledge in the agricultural, food and veterinary sciences
Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences
Expanding knowledge in the health sciences
Wheat
Stone fruit (excl. avocado)
Pome fruit, pip fruit
Grains and seeds
Climate adaptive plants
Field grown vegetable crops
Clinical health
Biodiversity in Antarctic and Southern Ocean environments

Career Best Publications

Common and divergent shoot-root signalling in legume symbioses; New Phytologist
Determining the site of action of strigolactones during nodulation; Plant Physiology
Feedback regulation of xylem cytokinin content is conserved in pea and Arabidopsis; Plant Physiology
Gibberellins promote nodule organogenesis but inhibit the infection stages of nodulation; Journal of Experimental Botany
Long-distance signaling and the control of branching in the rms1 mutant of pea; Plant Physiology
MAX4 and RMS1 are orthologous dioxygenase-like genes that regulate shoot branching in Arabidopsis and pea; Genes and Development
Plant hormones in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses: An emerging role for gibberellins; Annals of Botany
Relationship between gibberellin, ethylene and nodulation in Pisum sativum; New Phytologist
Strigolactones and the regulation of pea symbioses in response to nitrate and phosphate deficiency; Molecular Plant
Strigolactones in plant interactions with beneficial and detrimental organisms: The yin and yang; Trends in Plant Science
Strigolactones promote nodulation in pea; Planta: An International Journal of Plant Biology
The branching gene RAMOSUS1 mediates interactions among two novel signals and auxin in pea; The Plant Cell

Research Publications

Rht18 semidwarfism in wheat Is due to increased GA 2-oxidaseA9 expression and reduced GA content; Plant Physiology
A role for ethylene in the phytochrome-mediated control of vegetative development; 8th International Congress on Plant Molecular Biology
A role for ethylene in the phytochrome-mediated control of elongation; ComBio2005
A role for ethylene in the phytochrome-mediated control of vegetative development; The Plant Journal
A role for ethylene in the phytochrome-mediated control of Vegetative Development; 3rd International Conference on Legume Genomics and Genetics
A shoot to root signal(s) that regulates strigolactone exudation is involved in arbuscular mycorrhizal formation; 1st International Congress on Strigolactones
A study of gibberellin homeostasis and cryptochrome-mediated blue light inhibition of hypocotyl elongation; Plant Physiology
Application of strigolactones to plant roots to influence formation of symbioses; Methods in Molecular Biology
Auxin influences strigolactones in pea mycorrhizal symbiosis; Journal of Plant Physiology
Auxin transport and stem vascular reconnection - has our thinking become canalised?; Annals of Botany
Blue and red photoselective shadecloths modify pea height through altered blue irradiance perceived by the cry1 photoreceptor; Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology
Brassinosteroids play multiple roles in nodulation of pea via interactions with ethylene and auxin; Planta
Common and divergent roles of plant hormones in nodulation and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses; Plant Signalling and Behavior
Common and divergent shoot-root signalling in legume symbioses; New Phytologist
Cryptochrome 1 contributes to blue-light sensing in pea; Plant Physiology
Cytokinins and the CRE1 receptor influence endogenous gibberellin levels in Medicago truncatula; Plant Signaling and Behavior
Determining the site of action of strigolactones during nodulation; 2nd International Congress on Strigolactones
Determining the site of action of strigolactones during nodulation; Plant Physiology
Determining the site of action of strigolactones during nodulation; 2nd International Congress on Strigolactones
Editorial: The Role of Plant Hormones in Plant-Microbe Symbioses; Frontiers in Plant Science
Ethylene signaling influences light-regulated development in pea; Plant Physiology
Exploring the interactions between gibberellin and strigolactones in branching control; XVIII International Botanical Congress
Farnesylation mediates brassinosteroid biosynthesis to regulate abscisic acid responses; Nature Plants
Feedback regulation of xylem cytokinin content is conserved in pea and Arabidopsis; Plant Physiology
Gibberellins promote nodule organogenesis but inhibit the infection stages of nodulation; Journal of Experimental Botany
Interactions between ethylene, gibberellins, and brassinosteroids in the development of rhizobial and mycorrhizal symbioses of pea; Journal of Experimental Botany
Investigating the roles for gibberellin, auxin and strigolactones in legume symbioses; COMBIO
Long-distance signaling and the control of branching in the rms1 mutant of pea; Plant Physiology
MAX4 and RMS1 are orthologous dioxygenase-like genes that regulate shoot branching in Arabidopsis and pea; Genes and Development
New roles for strigolactones in legume symbioses; International Conference on Molecular Plant Microbe Interactions
Nodulation Phenotypes of Pea Mutants; 8th International Congress on Plant Molecular Biology
Overgrowth mutants determine the causal role of gibberellin GA2oxidaseA13 in Rht12 dwarfism of wheat; Journal of Experimental Botany
PhyA and cry1 act redundantly to regulate gibberellin levels during de-etiolation in blue light; Physiologia Plantarum
phya and cry1 are both required for regulation of gibbereelin levels under blue light; IPGSA Conference on Plant Growth Substances
Plant hormones in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses: An emerging role for gibberellins; Annals of Botany
Plant hormones play common and divergent roles in nodulation and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses; The Model Legume <i>Medicago truncatula</i>
Relationship between gibberellin, ethylene and nodulation in Pisum sativum; New Phytologist
Responding to nutrient stress: new roles for gibberellin, auxin and strigolactones in legume symbioses; The 21st International Society of Plant Growth Substances Association
Role of plant hormones and small signalling molecules in nodulation under P stress; Legume Nitrogen Fixation in Soils with Low Phosphorus Availability
Something old, something new: Auxin and strigolactone interact in the ancient mycorrhizal symbiosis; Plant Signaling and Behavior
Strigolactones and the regulation of pea symbioses in response to nitrate and phosphate deficiency; Molecular Plant
Strigolactones in plant interactions with beneficial and detrimental organisms: The yin and yang; Trends in Plant Science
Strigolactones promote nodulation in pea; Planta: An International Journal of Plant Biology
Strigolactones promote nodulation in pea; XVIII International Botanical Congress
Strigolactones regulate early events in nodulation; The 21st International Society of Plant Growth Substances
Strigolactones, a new hormone group with roles in plant-microbe interactions; Australasian Soilborne Disease Symposium 2014
Strigolactones: Internal and external signals in plant symbioses?; Plant Signaling and Behavior
Strigolactones: new physiological roles for an ancient signal; Journal of Plant Growth Regulation
The art of self-control - autoregulation of plant-microbe symbioses; Frontiers in Plant Science
The branching gene RAMOSUS1 mediates interactions among two novel signals and auxin in pea; The Plant Cell
The cryptochrome gene family in pea includes two differentially expressed CRY2 genes; Plant Molecular Biology
The DELLA proteins influence the expression of cytokinin biosynthesis and response genes during nodulation; Frontiers in Plant Science
The impact of dormancy breakers on hormone profiles, fruit growth and quality in sweet cherry; Agriculture
The influence of ethylene, gibberellins and brassinosteroids on energy and nitrogen-fixation metabolites in nodule tissue; Plant Science
The potential roles of strigolactones and brassinosteroids in the autoregulation of nodulation pathway; Annals of Botany
The role of CLAVATA signalling in the negative regulation of mycorrhizal colonization and nitrogen response of tomato; Journal of Experimental Botany
The role of CLV1, CLV2 and HPAT homologues in the nitrogen-regulation of root development; Physiologia Plantarum
The role of gibberellins and brassinosteroids in nodulation and arbuscular mycorrhizal associations; Frontiers in Plant Science
The role of new and old plant hormones in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis; XVIII International Botanical Congress
The role of strigolactones and ethylene in disease caused by Pythium irregulare; Molecular Plant Pathology
The role of strigolactones during plant interactions with the pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum; Planta
The role of strigolactones in photomorphogenesis of pea is limited to adventitious rooting; Physiologia Plantarum
The role of strigolactones in plant disease; 1st International Congress on Strigolactones
The role of strigolactones in plant disease; 1st International Congress on Strigolactones
What drives interspecies graft union success? Exploring the role of phylogenetic relatedness and stem anatomy; Physiologia Plantarum

Research Projects

ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture; Australian Research Council (ARC)
Auxin biosynthesis and the role of phenylacetic acid in plant: non-plant interactions; Australian Academy of Science (AASc)
Decoding the signals in legume symbioses: investigating the role of plant hormones; Australian Research Council (ARC)
I can see clearly now: An Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry Imaging facility; Australian Research Council (ARC)
Plant defense against disease: the role of the new plant hormone strigolactone; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Regulation of nutrient Acquisition in Legumes; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Strigolactones and plant-microbe interactions; identifying new strigolactones in model legumes; Australian Academy of Science (AASc)
The Role of Plant Hormones in Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis; Australian Research Council (ARC)
The role of plant hormones in legume symbioses; Australian Research Council (ARC)
Unique plant hormone responses- the key to nitrogen-fixing nodules; Australian Research Council (ARC)
Bioplatforms Australia (BPA) - collaborative research
Investigating the viability of commercial mycorrhizal inoculum

Research Candidate Supervision

Hormonal Regulation of Pea Symbioses
Plant Hormones and Seed Development