Fields of Research

Horticultural crop protection (incl. pests, diseases and weeds)
Crop and pasture protection (incl. pests, diseases and weeds)
Plant pathology
Horticultural crop growth and development
Horticultural production
Post harvest horticultural technologies (incl. transportation and storage)
Agronomy
Plant physiology
Agriculture, land and farm management
Horticultural crop improvement (incl. selection and breeding)
Crop and pasture improvement (incl. selection and breeding)
Crop and pasture production
Sustainable agricultural development
Proteins and peptides
Soil biology
Crop and pasture post harvest technologies (incl. transportation and storage)
Crop and pasture biochemistry and physiology
Organic chemical synthesis
Food nutritional balance
Field organic and low chemical input horticulture
Agricultural land management
Land capability and soil productivity
Nutrition and dietetics

Research Objectives

Field grown vegetable crops
Horticultural crops
Tree nuts (excl. almonds and macadamias)
Stone fruit (excl. avocado)
Other plant production and plant primary products
Grain legumes
Other animal production and animal primary products
Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences
Control of pests, diseases and exotic species in terrestrial environments
Expanding knowledge in the chemical sciences
Other environmental management
Sown pastures (excl. lucerne)
Fresh fruits and vegetables (post harvest)
Protected vegetable crops
Berry fruit (excl. kiwifruit)
Wheat
Pome fruit, pip fruit
Nutrition

Career Best Publications

Auxin-Induced Resistance to Common Scab Disease of Potato Linked to Inhibition of Thaxtomin A Toxicity; Plant Disease
Plant Cell Growth and Ion Flux Responses to the Streptomycete Phytotoxin Thaxtomin A: Calcium and Hydrogen Flux Patterns Revealed by the Non-invasive MIFE Technique; Plant and Cell Physiology
Relationship of resistance to common scab disease and tolerance to thaxtomin A toxicity within potato cultivars; European Journal of Plant Pathology

Research Publications

2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid induced resistance to common scab of potato; 6th Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium
8th Australasian soil-borne diseases symposium; IMA Fungus
In planta transcriptome and proteome profiles of Spongospora subterranea in resistant and susceptible host environments illuminates regulatory principles underlying host-pathogen interaction; Biology
In vitro cell selection techniques for enhancing disease resistance - case study: common scab resistance in Russet Burbank; Sustainable Potato Production: Global Case Studies
In vitro development of common scab resistance in processing potatoes; Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on the Biology of Actinomycetes
A comparison of potato seed-tuber sampling strategies using visual and DNA analyses to estimate incidence of major seed tuber-borne pathogens; European Journal of Plant Pathology
A comparison of the performance and growth of a range of turfgrass species under shade; Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture
Abundance of Poleroviruses within Tasmanian pea crops and surrounding weeds, and the genetic diversity of TuYV isolates found; Viruses
Assessing sequence diversity of groundnut rosette disease agents and the distribution of Groundnut rosette assistor virus in major groundnut-producing regions of Ghana; Tropical plant pathology
Auxin-Induced Resistance to Common Scab Disease of Potato Linked to Inhibition of Thaxtomin A Toxicity; Plant Disease
Biology and genetic diversity of phasey bean mild yellows virus, a common virus in legumes in Australia; Archives of Virology
Comparative proteomic analysis of potato roots from resistant and susceptible cultivars to Spongospora subterranea zoospore root attachment in vitro; Molecules: A Journal of Synthetic Organic and Natural Product Chemistry
Delaying Spongospora induced root infection in potato roots by altering inoculation dates and chemical treatment; 8th Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium 2014
Determination of optimal timing of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid foliar applications for common scab control in potato; Annals of Applied Biology
Determining specific window period for common scab disease infection in potato tubers; Journal of Nepal Agricultural Research Council
Development and validation of a novel rapid in vitro assay for determining resistance of potato cultivars to root attachment by Spongospora subterranea zoospores; Plant Pathology
Development of extreme resistance to common scab in potatoes - use of a cell selection approach to fast track clonal line development
Differential resistance to tuber-invading pathogens in somaclonal variants of Russet Burbank potato tubers linked to suberin production; 10th International Congress of Plant Pathology
Distribution of native psyllid populations and phytoplasmas in Australian potato crops
Do all lenticels on potato tubers form from stomata?; Nepal Agricultural Research Journal
Does planting dirty potato seed really matter?; 7th Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium 2012
Early ion signalling events in thaxtomin toxicity of plant cells; Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on the Biology of Actinomycetes
Effects of Streptomycete Phytotoxin Thaxtomin A on Morphological and Ion Flux Responses from Arabidopsis and Tomato Tissues; ComBio 2004
Enhanced resistance to common scab of potato through somatic cell selection in cv. Iwa with the phytotoxin thaxtomin A; Plant Pathology
Enhanced resistance to the cellulose biosynthetic inhibitors, thaxtomin A and isoxaben in Arabidopsis thaliana mutants, also provides specific co-resistance to the auxin transport inhibitor, 1-NPA; BMC Plant Biology
Enhanced suberin production in novel potato somaclones provides protective bio-barrier against two key scab diseases; 7th Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium 2012
Enhancing resistance to common scab by somaclonal selection; The Australian Vegetable Industry Conference (AusVeg) 2009
Enhancing resistance to common scab by somaclonal selection and to tomato spotted wilt virus through marker development; 4th Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposiu
Enhancing resistance to common scab by somaclonal selection and to tomato spotted wilt virus through marker development; World Potato Congress, USA
Enhancing resistance to common scab disease of potato in commercial cultivars; World Potato Congress
Enhancing resistance to common scab in commercial potato cultivars; National Potato and Vegetable Conference (AusVeg) 2007
Evaluation and Commercialisation of Common Scab Resistant Clones of Commercial Potato Varieties
Foliar treatment of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid for control of common scab in potato have beneficial effects on powdery scab control; The Scientific World Journal
Genomic characterisation of an isolate of Brassica Yellows Virus associated with Brassica weed in Tasmania; Plants
Germinate to exterminate: chemical stimulation of Spongospora subterranea resting spore germination and its potential to diminish soil inoculum; Plant Pathology
Grading seed potato lots to remove tubers with powdery scab damage may not eliminate the pathogen threat; American Journal of Potato Research
Hydroponics enables precise identification of infection window in common scab disease of potato; Australasian Soilborne Disease Symposium 2010
Impact of groundnut rosette disease on nutritive value and elemental composition of four varieties of peanut (Arachis hypogaea); Annals of Applied Biology
Infection of Potato Tubers with the Common Scab Pathogen Streptomyces scabiei in a Soil-less System; Journal of Phytopathology
Key events in pathogenesis of spongospora diseases in potato: a review; Australasian Plant Pathology
Knowing our psyllids
Large-scale protein and phosphoprotein profiling to explore potato resistance mechanisms to Spongospora subterranea infection; Frontiers in Plant Science
Low-dose foliar treatments of the auxin analog 2,4-D reduce potato common scab and powdery scab for multiple potato cultivars and enhance root development; Crop Protection
Management of Major Fungal and Fungal-Like Soilborne Diseases of Potato; Sustainable Management of Potato Pests and Diseases
Managing soil health and crop productivity in potato: A challenging test system; Soil Research
Mechanisms of thaxtomin A-induced root toxicity revealed by a thaxtomin A sensitive Arabidopsis mutant (ucu2-2/gi-2); Plant Cell Reports
Metabolomes of potato root exudates: compounds that stimulate resting spore germination of the soil-borne pathogen Spongospora subterranea; Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Modeling pathogen DNA content and visual disease assessment in seed tubers to inform disease in potato progeny root, stolon and tubers; Plant Disease
Moments of weaknesses - exploiting vulnerabilities between germination and encystment in the Phytomyxea; Biological Reviews
Monitoring Spongospora subterranea development in potato roots reveals distinct infection patterns and enables efficient assessment of disease control methods; PLoS One
Monitoring for incursions of the tomato potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli) in Australian potato fields; 43rd AGM & Scientific Conference and Australasian Arachnological Society 2012
Multi‑omics reveals mechanisms of resistance to potato root infection by Spongospora subterranea; Scientific Reports
Native psyllid populations and the distribution of Candidatus phytoplasma australiense
Non-invasive microelectrode ion flux measurements to study plant adaptive responses to adverse soils; Genetic Solutions for Hostile Soils (Workshop Proceedings)
Optimal rates of 2,4-dichlophenoxyacetic acid foliar application for control of common scab in potato; Annals of Applied Biology
Optimisation of rates, timing and assessment of new compounds for control of common scab disease of potato through foliar applied treatments; 4th Asian Conference on Plant Pathology concurrent with the 18th Biennial Australasian Plant Pathology Society Conference
Optimisation of rates, timing and assessment of new compounds for control of common scab disease of potato through foliar applied treatments; New Frontiers in Plant Pathology for Asia and Oceania
Optimisation of sporosori purification and protein extraction techniques for the biotrophic protozoan plant pathogen Spongospora subterranea; Molecules
Plant Cell Growth and Ion Flux Responses to the Streptomycete Phytotoxin Thaxtomin A: Calcium and Hydrogen Flux Patterns Revealed by the Non-invasive MIFE Technique; Plant and Cell Physiology
Plant cell response to thaxtomin A and amelioration of toxic effect by auxin; Phytopathology
Potato diseases: Success and threat
Potato root exudates stimulate zoospore release of Spongospora subterranea; 8th Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium 2014
Potato root exudation and release of Spongospora subterranea resting spore germination stimulants are affected by plant and environmental conditions; Journal of Phytopathology
Potato tuber greening risk is associated with tuber nitrogen content; American Journal of Potato Research
Potato tuber greening: a review of predisposing factors, management and future challenges; American Journal of Potato Research
Pre Seed Funding - Common Scab Disease of Potatoes
QPCR testing seed potato tuber for pathogens – identifying hidden threats; 29th International Horticultural Congress 2014
QPCR testing seed potato tubers for pathogens – what value for potato seed certification?; XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes: International Symposium on Root and Tuber Crops: Sustaining Lives and Livelihoods into the Future
Quantifying risk factors associated with light-induced potato tuber greening in retail stores; PLoS One
Quantitative proteomics provides an insight into germination-related proteins in the obligate biotrophic plant pathogen Spongospora subterranea; Environmental Microbiology Reports
Rapid tissue culture production of hazelnut cultivar germplasm; 29th International Horticultural Congress 2014
Relationship between the application of foliar chemicals to reduce common scab disease of potato and correlation with thaxtomin A toxicity; Plant Disease: An International Journal of Applied Plant Pathology
Relationship of resistance to common scab disease and tolerance to thaxtomin A toxicity within potato cultivars; European Journal of Plant Pathology
Report on effects of wildlife on pasture growth at Elliott Research and Demonstration Station, 2000-2001
Resistance to multiple tuber diseases expressed in somaclonal variants of the potato cultivar Russet Burbank; The Scientific World Journal
Resting spore dormancy and infectivity characteristics of the potato powdery scab pathogen Spongospora subterranea; Journal of Phytopathology
Seed tutber-borne inocula; Growing Toegether - McCain Agriculture Conference
Selection of clones of commercial potato cultivars with enhanced common scab disease resistance; International Potato Common Scab Conference
Selection of clones of commercial potato cultivars with enhanced common scab disease resistance; 16th Biennial Conference of the Australasian Plant Pathology Society
Selection of Potato Somoclones with possible broad spectrum resistance to tuber-invading diseases; New Frontiers in Plant Pathology for Asia and Oceania
Session chair - IPM/cultural control; 8th Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium 2014
Shade Adaptation of Established Turfgass Improved by Plant Growth Regulator; Proceedings of the Xth Australian Agronomy Conference
Shade Adaptation of Established Turfgrass
Shade performance of a range of turfgrass species improved by trinexapac-ethyl; Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture
Shotgun proteomics as a powerful tool for the study of the proteomes of plants, their pathogens, and plant-pathogen interactions; Proteomes
Soil microbial community dynamics during ryegrass green manuring and brassica biofumigation; Applied Soil Ecology
Somaclonal selection in potato for resistance to common scab provides concurrent resistance to powdery scab; Plant Pathology
Somatic cell selection as a tool for developing resistance against soil-borne potato pathogen, Spongospora subterranea; 8th Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium 2014
Spore germination of the obligate biotroph Spongospora subterranea: transcriptome analysis reveals germination associated genes; Frontiers in Microbiology
Spray away common scab disease of potato : Research toward an alternative for control of this recalcitrant disease
Spraying away Common Scab: Optimising simple folia tratments for scab control; New Frontiers in Plant Pathology for Asia and Oceania, Potato Disease workshop
Stable and Extreme Resistance to Common Scab of Potato Obtained Through Somatic Cell Selection; Phytopathology
Students take fight up to powdery scab
Suberin a mechanism of resistance against key potato soilborne diseases and light induced tuber greening; Global Potato Conclave 2020
Suberin deposition in potato periderm: a novel resistance mechanism against tuber greening; New Phytologist
Subversion of phytomyxae cell communication with surrounding environment to control soilborne diseases; a case study of cytosolic Ca²⁺ signal disruption in zoospores of Spongospora subterranea; Frontiers in Microbiology
Susceptibility of opium poppy and pyrethrum to root infection by Spongospora subterranea; Journal of Phytopathology
Synthesis and phytotoxicity of structural analogues of thaxtomin natural products; Australian Journal of Chemistry
Temporal association of potato tuber development with susceptibility to common scab and Streptomyces scabiei-induced responses in the potato periderm; Plant Pathology
Thaxtomin A Toxicity in Plant Cells (Studies Associated with Common Scab Disease of Potato)
Thaxtomin A, the key phytotoxin associated with common scab disease of potato, and its interaction with auxin; 4th Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium
The importance of tuber-borne inoculum in seed potato health
The tomato potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc, 1909) (Hemiptera: Triozidae): a review of the threat of the psyllid to Australian solanaceous crop industries and surveillance for incursions in potato crops; Austral Entomology
Tissue culture production of hazelnut – disinfestation and impact of agar content; XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes: International Symposium on Nut Crops
Toughing it out—disease-resistant potato mutants have enhanced tuber skin defenses; Phytopathology
Tuber structural attributes and common scab infection in potato; National and Trans Tasman Horticultural Science Conference
Varietal response to groundnut rosette disease and the first report of Groundnut ringspot virus in Ghana; Plant Disease
Yield and cooking qualities of somaclonal variants of cv. Russet Burbank selected for resistance to common scab disease of potato; Annals of Applied Biology
Zoosporangial root infection of tomato by Spongospora subterranea in hydroponic and glasshouse culture results in diminished plant growth; Journal of Phytopathology

Research Projects

2012: 7th Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium, Aus; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
8th Australian Soilborne Diseases Symposium; Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC)
ASDS8 - Conference support for vegetable specialists.; Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
Common Scab Disease of Potatoes; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Field and laboratory trials for understanding disease risk in potatoes; Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
Investigating the soil pH and nutrition as possible factors influencing pink rot in potatoes - a pilot study; Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
Mechanisms and manipulation of resistance to powdery scab in potato roots; Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
Microbial endophytes and their potential for disease suppression in Australian potato production (APRP2); Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
Monitoring psyllids and psyllid predators in Australian potato crops; Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
Native Psyllid Populations and the Distribution of Candidatus Phytoplasma Australiense; Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
Navigating the wealth of soil health information and identification of opportunities; Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
Optimising cover crops for the Australian vegetable industry; Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
Spongospora infection of potato roots - ecology epidemiology & control; Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
Sustainably growing horticulture value in cool climate Australia; Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
The Importance of Tuber Borne Inoculum on the Health of Seed Potatoes and on the Storability of Processing Potatoes (APRP2); Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)
A scientific trial to measure the in-paddock and economic benefits of bio-fumigation on soil health, and on disease pest and weed levels on a range of annual crops under Tasmanian conditions
Germinate to Exterminate - Simplot
Lily the pink
Soil-borne disease management diagnostic

Research Candidate Supervision

Broad Spectrum Resistance to Tuber-invading Diseases of Potato
Detection, Distribution and Genetic Diversity of Viruses Causing Rosette Disease of Groundnut in Ghana
Optimisation of 2,4-D Treatments for the Control of Common Scab of Potato (and Related Studies)
Potato Tuber Anatomy and Susceptibility to Common Scab (Streptomyces Scabiei)
Selection of Potato Somaclones with Resistance to Powdery Scab Disease