Fields of Research

Forest health and pathology
Genetics
Horticultural crop protection (incl. pests, diseases and weeds)
Plant pathology
Horticultural crop growth and development
Tree nutrition and physiology
Tree improvement (incl. selection and breeding)
Mycology
Forestry management and environment
Conservation and biodiversity
Agroforestry
Crop and pasture protection (incl. pests, diseases and weeds)
Horticultural production
Microbial ecology
Photogrammetry and remote sensing
Food safety, traceability, certification and authenticity
Environmental assessment and monitoring
Terrestrial ecology
Crop and pasture improvement (incl. selection and breeding)
Pollution and contamination
Biosecurity science and invasive species ecology
Environmental management
Wildlife and habitat management
Sustainable agricultural development
Forestry sciences
Plant biology

Research Objectives

Hardwood plantations
Native forests
Stone fruit (excl. avocado)
Other environmental management
Softwood plantations
Other plant production and plant primary products
Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences
Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences
Ornamentals, natives, flowers and nursery plants
Environmentally sustainable plant production
Energy services and utilities
Pome fruit, pip fruit
Control of pests, diseases and exotic species in terrestrial environments
Assessment and management of coastal and estuarine ecosystems
Food safety
Assessment and management of Antarctic and Southern Ocean ecosystems
Grain legumes
Forestry
Terrestrial biodiversity
Clinical health
Environmental policy, legislation and standards
Public health (excl. specific population health)
Soils
Tropical fruit
Horticultural crops

Career Best Publications

Research Publications

Ganoderma steyaertanum as a root-rot pathogen of forest trees; Forest Pathology
Ganoderma and Amauroderma species associated with root-rot disease of Acacia mangium plantation trees in Indonesia and Malaysia; Australasian Plant Pathology
Ganoderma basidiospore germination responses as affected by spore density, temperature and nutrient media; Tropical Plant Pathology
In vitro interaction between Phlebiopsis sp. and Ganoderma philippii isolates; Forest Pathology
Lophodermium pinastri and an unknown species of Teratosphaeriaceae are associated with needle cast in a Pinus radiata selection trial; Forest Pathology
Puccinia psidii: a threat to the Australian environment and economy - a review; Australasian Plant Pathology
Uredo rangelii, a taxon in the guava rust complex, newly recorded on Myrtaceae in Australia; Australasian Plant Pathology
A latitudinal cline in disease resistance of a host tree; Heredity
A novel spore collection device for sampling exposure pathways: a case study of Puccinia psidii; Plant Disease
Acacia plantations in Indonesia facilitate clonal spread of the root pathogen Ganoderma philippii; Plant Pathology
An assessment of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities in Tasmanian temperate high-altitude Eucalyptus delegatensis forest reveals a dominance of the Cortinariaceae; Mycorrhiza
Basidiomycete root-rots of paper-pulp tree species in Indonesia - identity, biology and control; ICPP
Biology, spread and management of root rot in Acacia mangium plantations in Indonesia; Proceeding of International Conference on The Impacts of Climate Change to Forest Pests and Diseases in The Tropics 2012
Building better forest health and biosecurity capacity in Southeast Asia; 3rd IUFRO Acacia Conference
Causal pathogens of fruit rot in sweet cherry and weather-based infection risk; Science Protecting Plant Health
Ceratocystis wilt and canker - a disease that compromises the growing of commercial Acacia-based plantations in the tropics; Australian Forestry
Comparative genomics of Puccinia psidii
Detection of necrotic foliage in a young Eucalyptus pellita plantation using unmanned aerial vehicle RGB photography - a demonstration of concept; Australian Forestry
Development of Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection of Mycosphaerella spp. and Its Application to the Study of Leaf Disease in Eucalyptus Plantations; Phytopathology
Disease progression in plantations of Acacia mangium affected by red root rot (Ganoderma philippii); Forest Pathology
Disease-management strategies for the rural sector that help deliver sustainable wood production from exotic plantations; An Integrated Approach
Diversity and abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in native and managed landscape in Tasmania, Australia; 9th International Conference on Mycorrhiza
Diversity and identification of fungi associated with needles of Pinus radiata in Tasmania; Southern Forests
Ectomcycorrhizal community composition in relation to canopy health and udnerstorey vegetation in Tasmania Eucalyptus delegatensis forest; ESA Annual Conference
Ectomycorrhizal community composition in relation to canopy health and understorey vegetation in Tasmanian Eucalyptus delegatensis forest; ESA Annual Conference
Ectomycorrhizal fungal communities of rehabilitated bauxite mines and adjacent, natural jarrah forest in Western Australia; Forest Ecology and Management
Epitypification of Puccinia psidii, casual agent of guava rust; Tropical Plant Pathology
Eucalypt Decline in the Absence of Fire: Relationship to the Ectomoycorrhizal Fungal Community
Eucalyptus microfungi known from culture. 3. Eucasphaeria and Sympoventuria genera nova, and new species of Furcaspora, Harknessia, Heteroconium and Phacidiella; Fungal Diversity
Evidence for different QTL underlying the immune and hypersensitive responses of Eucalyptus globulus to the rust pathogen Puccinia psidii; Tree Genetics and Genomes
Exploring functional applications of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in sweet cherry and links to fruit quality; 9th International Conference on Mycorrhiza
Genetic diversity of the myrtle rust pathogen (Austropuccinia psidii) in the Americas and Hawaii: Global implications for invasive threat assessments; Forest Pathology
Host factors related to fruit rot of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) caused by Botrytis cinerea; Australasian Plant Pathology
How far is too far for saproxylicbeetles?; 3rd Combined Australian and New Zealand Entomological Societies Conference
Identification of basidiomycete fungi in Indonesian hardwood plantations by DNA barcoding; Forest Pathology
Identification of several Ganoderma species causing root rot in Acacia mangium plantation in Indonesia; Proceeding of International Conference on The Impacts of Climate Change to Forest Pests and Diseases in The Tropics 2012
Interactions of waterlogging and fungal infection in lentil (Lens culinaris) cultivars; Science Protecting Plant Health
Management of fungal root rot in plantation acacias in Indonesia
Management of fungal root-rot pathogens in tropical Acacia mangiumplantations; Forest Pathology
Microsatellite analysis indicates that Puccinia psidii in Australia is mutating but not recombining; Australasian Plant Pathology
Microsatellite analysis of rust species found on Myrtaceae in Australia
Microsatellite analysis of rust species found on Myrtaceae in NSW
Molecular diagnosis of Puccinia psidii (guava rust) – a quarantine threat to Australian eucalypt and Myrtaceae biodiversity; Plant Pathology
Molecular tools for differentiating Cyclaneusma minus morphotypes and assessing their distribution in Pinus radiata forests in New Zealand; New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science
Multi-gene phylogeny and taxonomy of Amauroderma s.lat. (Ganodermataceae); Persoonia
Multigene phylogenetic study of Cyclaneusma species; Forest Pathology
Needle fungi in young Tasmanian Pinus radiata plantations in relation to elevation and rainfall; New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science
Optimising silvicultural management and productivity of high-quality acacia plantations, especially for sawlogs
PCR detection of Mycosphaerella species in early lesion developmental stages of Mycosphaerella leaf disease; 8th International Mycological Congress
Phyllode inoculation provides a rapid protocol for preliminary screening of Acacia species for tolerance to Ceratocystis wilt and canker disease; European Journal of Plant Pathology
Phylogenetic trait conservatism predicts patterns of plant-soil feedback; Ecosphere
Quantifying stem discoloration and decay following pruning and thinning an Acacia hybrid plantation; Forest Pathology
Quest to elucidate the life cycle of Puccinia psidii sensu lato; Fungal Biology
Rapid and robust identification associated with Acacia Mangium root disease using DNA analyses; An Integrated Approach
Rapid collapse of a sub-Antarctic alpine ecosystem: the role of climate and pathogens; Journal of Applied Ecology
Real-time PCR detection of Mycosphaerella spp. infecting eucalypts; ICPP
Screening for host responses in Acacia to a canker and wilt pathogen, Ceratocystis manginecans; Forest Pathology
Sexuality and mating types of Ganoderma philippii, Ganoderma mastoporum and Ganoderma australe, three basidiomycete fungi with contrasting ecological roles in south-east Asian pulpwood plantations; Australasian Plant Pathology
Signs and identification of fungal root-rot pathogens in tropical Eucalyptus pellita plantations; Forest Pathology
Species-specific PCR for rapid identification of Ganoderma philippii and Ganoderma mastoporum from Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus pellita plantations in Indonesia; Forest Pathology
Structural host responses of Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus pellita to artificial infection with the root rot pathogen, Ganoderma philippii; Forest Pathology
Survey of the needle fungi associated with Spring Needle Cast in Pinus radiata; An Integrated Approach
Taxonomy and phylogeny of polypores with ganodermatoid basidiospores (Ganodermataceae); Mycological Progress
Temperate eucalypt forest decline is linked to altered ectomycorrhizal communities mediated by soil chemistry; Forest Ecology and Management
The uncertain impact of climate change on forest ecosystems - How qualitative modelling can guide future research for quantitative model development; Environmental Modelling and Software
Tolerance of Acacia populations following inoculation with the Ceratocystiscanker and wilt pathogen in Vietnam; Tree Genetics & Genomes
Understanding infection pathways and tree factors for integrated disease management of brown rot and grey mould in sweet cherry; International Horticultural Congress 2014
Understanding infection risk factors for integrated disease management of brown rot and grey mould in sweet cherry; XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: International Symopsia on Innovative Plant Production in Horticulture, Biosecurity, Quarantine Pests, and Market Access
Wood-inhabiting fungi found within living Eucalyptus obliqua trees in southern Tasmania; Australasian Mycologist
Wood-rotting basidiomycetes are a minor component of fungal communities associated with Acacia hybrid trees grown for sawlogs in South Vietnam; Forest Pathology

Research Projects

Developing a biosecurity network in SE Asia - project scoping; Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
Diversity and abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in native and managed landscapes in Tasmania; Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment (HWRE)
Improved Australian apple and pear orchards soil health and plant nutrition; Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
Increasing Productivity and Profitability of Indonesian Smallholder Plantations; Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
Managing for Persistence of the Saproxylic Biota in Production Forest Landscapes; Australian Research Council (ARC)
Managing Risk in South East Asian Forest Biosecurity; Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
Microbial changes associated with improved or reduced soil health; CRC for High Performance Soils Ltd (HPS CRC)
Optimal management of pre-harvest rot in sweet-cherry; Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
An Audit of Forest Biosecurity Arrangements and Preparedness in Australia
Baiting for Rosellinia sp. on Macquarie Island
Comparative genomics of Puccinia psidii
DNA extraction from Heard Island soil and plant samples
Identification and detection of soft rot decay fungi in eucalypt power poles samples
Identification of soft rot decay fungi in eucalypt power poles samples
Microsatellite Analysis of Uredo Rangelii and Puccinia Psidii
Molecular Investigation of Fungal Communities Associated with Healthy and Diseased Azorella Macquariensis
Mould Identification
Pathways Risk Analysis
Testing DNA samples from Heard Island and Macquarie Island for Rosellinia

Research Candidate Supervision

Characterization of Needle Fungi Associated with Pinus Radiata
Coarse Woody debris, Macrofungal Assemblages, and Sustainable Forest Management in a Eucalypt Obliqua Forest of Southern Tasmania
Eucalypt Dieback and Ectomycorrhizal Community Ecology of Eucalyptus Delegatensis Forest, Tasmania, Australia.
Forest Diseases- FTA Cards and DNA Sampling
Managing for Persistence of the Saproxylic Biota in Production Forest Landscapes
Resistance Screening to Fungal Diseases for Plantation Eucalypts in Vietnam; Molecular Tools to Assist Fungal Detection and Identification
Root-rot Disease
Silvicultural strategies for improving the health and vigour of Acacia plantations in Vietnam
Study on the Millipedes (Diplopoda) and their Role in Soil Ecosystems in North Vietnam
The Improvement of Sawlog Quality in Acacia Plantations by Reducing Stem Defects caused by Fungi