ORCID Profile
0000-0001-5139-9822
Current Organisation
University of Tasmania
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Food Packaging, Preservation and Safety | Food Processing | Ecology | Crop and Pasture Biochemistry and Physiology | Plant Improvement (Selection, Breeding And Genetic Engineering) | Higher Education | Horticultural Production | Plant Growth And Development | Food Sciences | Ecological Physiology | Biological Adaptation
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Management of Water Consumption by Plant Production | Vegetables | Effects of Climate Change and Variability on Australia (excl. Social Impacts) | Plant Extract Crops (e.g. Pyrethrum, Jojoba) | Processed Food Products and Beverages (excl. Dairy Products) not elsewhere classified | Food Safety |
Related Links
Publications
Removal of grit from baby leafy salad vegetables by combinations of sanitiser and surfactant
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 04-08-2019
DOI: 10.1155/2019/6209806
Abstract: Grit composed of dirt, sand, and small stones adheres to baby leafy salad vegetables during the growing period and can sometimes be difficult to remove with sanitiser only or tap water. For the first time, the effect of a surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), alone (0.025, 0.05, and 0.1% SDS) and in combination (0.05% SDS) with peroxyacetic acid (40 mg·L −1 , PAA), on grit removal, quality, shelf-life, and taste of baby spinach was investigated. Increasing SDS from 0.025 to 0.1% resulted in a 21–50% increase in grit removal from spinach and coral lettuce. Overall, SDS treatments had no effect on microbial growth, colour, and electrolyte leakage during shelf-life. An increase in bruising, sliming, and yellowing scores was also observed regardless of the treatment, reaching an unacceptable score ( ) by d12 for all s les however, yellowing scores were still within the acceptable range ( ) on d14. There were no differences in sensorial attributes, namely, flavour, aroma, and texture, between baby spinach s les treated with PAA alone or in combination with SDS. These results demonstrate that SDS treatment can be used to increase grit removal from baby leafy salad vegetables without compromising quality.
Effects of wildlife grazing on the production, ground cover and plant species composition of an established perennial pasture in the Midlands region, Tasmania
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2012
DOI: 10.1071/WR11032
Abstract: Context Management of grazing wildlife on private land in Tasmania is a contentious issue for landowners, animal-welfare groups and the Tasmanian Government. Wildlife species known to graze pasture include Tasmanian pademelon (Thylogale billardierii), Bennett’s wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus rufogriseus), forester kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) and fallow deer (Dama dama). Understanding the spatio-temporal patterns of wildlife grazing is important when considering wildlife-control options to mitigate pasture loss however, limited research has been undertaken. Aims To quantify the impact of wildlife grazing on pasture production and to assess the spatial and temporal pasture biomass loss from an established pasture to investigate the effect of protecting pastures from wildlife grazing on species composition of an existing perennial pasture to determine whether wildlife grazing contributes to a decline in the composition of improved pasture species over time and an increase in-ground cover of less desirable grasses and broadleaf weeds and to examine whether protecting pastures from wildlife grazing could increase ground cover. Methods Pasture biomass loss to wildlife grazing was determined by a paired exclusion-cage method over a 26-month period from February 2008 to April 2010. A quantitative pasture model was used to simulate pasture growth at the study site. Changes in the botanical composition of the sward in response to wildlife grazing were determined by hand-separation, drying and weighing of harvested material, and also by visual estimation of the ground cover of in idual plant species. A wildlife faecal-pellet survey was used to develop an index of wildlife feeding activity. Key results Pasture loss to wildlife grazing varied spatially and temporally. Pasture loss decreased with increasing distance from the edge of cover vegetation. The proportion of pasture lost increased during periods of slow pasture growth. Visual estimates of ground cover showed that grazing by wildlife resulted in an increase in bare ground in unprotected swards, whereas protection from grazing resulted in an increase in production of perennial and annual species, as determined by hand-separation of harvested material, and a decrease in bare ground as determined by visual estimate. Faecal-pellet surveys were found to be strongly correlated with pasture biomass losses. Conclusions The proportion of pasture loss to wildlife grazing was found to be influenced by distance from native vegetation and also by pasture availability, which was seasonal. Wildlife can alter the composition of pastures by reducing the ground cover and yield of improved grasses. Continual grazing of pastures by wildlife in addition to rotational sheep grazing may increase the amount of bare ground. Implications Wildlife-control methods need to be carefully chosen if the intended benefits of alleviating pasture biomass losses are to be achieved. Quantifying the loss of pasture is important because it enables the extent and significance of losses to be determined and may inform decisions about the most appropriate wildlife control measures to adopt. Controlling wildlife during periods of slow pasture growth may be important in preventing damage and yield loss of plant species actively growing during these times. Failure to control wildlife may result in a decrease in the composition of desirable plant species.
Opium poppy capsule growth and alkaloid production is constrained by shade during early floral development
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-02-2020
DOI: 10.1111/AAB.12581
The latex capacity of opium poppy capsules is fixed early in capsule development and is not a major determinant in morphine yield
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-02-2009
Partial defoliation treatments to reduce carrot (Daucus carota L.) taproot splitting
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2004
DOI: 10.1071/AR02160
Abstract: Carrot taproots with longitudinal tissue fractures (splits) are commonly deemed unsaleable. This study examined the use of partial leaf defoliation treatments to reduce the incidence of taproots that fracture during growth of the crop (growth splitting) and susceptibility to splitting during harvest (harvest splitting). Two leaf-trimming treatments, vertical and vertical plus horizontal leaf trimming, were compared with untreated control plots. The vertical plus horizontal trimming was the most effective treatment at reducing both harvest and growth splitting. Harvest splitting was significantly reduced by partial leaf defoliation the day prior to commercial harvest. The effectiveness of the treatments declined with time from treatment application. Growth splitting occurred mainly in the weeks prior to commercial harvest and the application of partial defoliation treatments during that period significantly reduced their incidence in crops predisposed to the disorder. A positive correlation between taproot splitting susceptibility and growth splitting was also identified, supporting previous assumptions that both harvest and growth splitting were induced by the same underlying mechanism. The leaf trimming treatments did not preclude mechanical harvesting.
Effects of climatic factors, fluctuating water availability and partial defoliation on the diurnal radial growth pattern of carrot (Daucus carota) taproots
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2004
DOI: 10.1071/EA03040
Abstract: Carrot taproots are prone to radial longitudinal tissue fractures (splitting). The longitudinal alignment of the fractures is consistent with the tangential stress induced by radial growth in the annular cambium. In this study linear variable differential transformers were used to monitor the diurnal radial growth pattern of mature carrot taproots. The diurnal growth pattern was characterised by rapid expansion during the night (dark) period and small shrinkage during the light period. The magnitude of the daily shrinkage was positively correlated with both vapour pressure deficit and global radiation. A positive correlation between the rate of taproot expansion during the night period and global radiation level the preceding day was also recorded. Water stress reduced the taproot night time expansion rate, but the taproot of water stressed plants expanded rapidly when watered to field capacity. Partial defoliation of plants at midday resulted in immediate expansion of the taproot, however, the daily growth rates of the partially defoliated plants was less than untreated control plants over the following 3 days. It was concluded that the short-term changes in taproot diameter could be used to infer changes in tangential stresses and therefore taproot splitting propensity.
Incidence and type of cracking in sweet cherry (Prunus aviuim L.) are affected by genotype and season
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2009
DOI: 10.1071/CP08410
Abstract: Rain induced fruit cracking in sweet cherries takes 3 distinct forms: stem end cuticular fractures, calyx end cuticular fractures, and large cracks usually deep into the pulp on the cheek of the fruit. A 4-year study of sweet cherry varieties from a commercial orchard in Tasmania, Australia, was conducted to investigate the incidence of crack type and its relative likelihood, as influenced by both genotype and season. Although all 3 crack types developed in the 3-week period before commercial harvest, the extent of cracking was strongly controlled by season. While initial development of cracks coincided with rainfall, no relationship between amount of rain and incidence of cracking was found for crack type. A significant relationship was found between the tangential stress experienced by fruit skin from fruit at harvest maturity and the incidence of cracking recorded in the orchard. No other fruit property (pulp osmotic potential, fruit diameter, weight) explained the differences in incidence of cracking in the field between seasons or varieties. The results suggest that management of cracking needs to consider both varietal and seasonal factors. The development of turgor in maturing fruit also needs further investigation.
The relationship of the female reproductive success of Eucalyptus globulus to the endogenous properties of the flower
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-12-2009
DOI: 10.1007/S00497-008-0089-5
Abstract: Low capsule and seed set is a major factor limiting seed production in Eucalyptus globulus seed orchards. Controlled pollination studies showed that the reproductive success (number of seeds produced per flower pollinated) was primarily determined by the female. We aimed to identify the factors contributing to the differences in reproductive success between female genotypes in terms of the physical and anatomical properties of the flower. We studied pairs of genotypes of high and low reproductive success from each of three races (Furneaux Group, Strzelecki Ranges and Western Otways) growing in a seed orchard. Controlled pollinations were performed on six females and along with flower physical measurements, pollen tube growth and seed set were assessed. Overall tree reproductive success was positively correlated with flower size, ovule numbers, style size, cross-sectional area of conductive tissue within the style (all of which were inter-correlated) and the proportion of pollen tubes reaching the bottom of the style. Significant positive correlations of reproductive success and flower physical properties between different ramets of the same genotypes across seasons suggests a genetic basis to the variation observed. The majority of pollen tube attrition occurred within the first millimetre of the cut style and appeared to be associated with differences in style physiology. When examined as pairs within races the difference in reproductive success for the Western Otways pair was simply explained by differences in flower size and the number of ovules per flower. Physical features did not differ significantly for the Strzelecki Ranges pair, but the proportion of pollen tubes reaching the bottom of the style was lower in the less reproductively successful genotype, suggesting an endogenous physiological constraint to pollen tube growth. The difference in reproductive success between the females from the Furneaux Group was associated with a combination of these factors.
The impact of flower density and irrigation on capsule and seed set in Eucalyptus globulus seed orchards
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-07-2010
Genetic control of Eucalyptus globulus seed germination
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 22-01-2015
Combined heat and water stress leads to local xylem failure and tissue damage in pyrethrum flowers
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 16-06-2023
Abstract: Flowers are critical for angiosperm reproduction and the production of food, fiber, and pharmaceuticals, yet for unknown reasons, they appear particularly sensitive to combined heat and drought stress. A possible explanation for this may be the co-occurrence of leaky cuticles in flower petals and a vascular system that has a low capacity to supply water and is prone to failure under water stress. These characteristics may render reproductive structures more susceptible than leaves to runaway cavitation—an uncontrolled feedback cycle between rising water stress and declining water transport efficiency that can rapidly lead to lethal tissue desiccation. We provide modeling and empirical evidence to demonstrate that flower damage in the perennial crop pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium), in the form of irreversible desiccation, corresponds with runaway cavitation in the flowering stem after a combination of heat and water stress. We show that tissue damage is linked to greater evaporative demand during high temperatures rather than direct thermal stress. High floral transpiration dramatically reduced the soil water deficit at which runaway cavitation was triggered in pyrethrum flowering stems. Identifying runaway cavitation as a mechanism leading to heat damage and reproductive losses in pyrethrum provides different avenues for process-based modeling to understand the impact of climate change on cultivated and natural plant systems. This framework allows future investigation of the relative susceptibility of erse plant species to reproductive failure under hot and dry conditions.
Rhizome dormancy and shoot growth in myoga (Zingiber mioga Roscoe
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2000
Tree water relations: flow and fruit
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2014
Paternal and maternal effects on the response of seed germination to high temperatures in Eucalyptus globulus
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-03-2012
Microbial communities associated with resin canal discoloration in mango fruit
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 09-2023
An alternative view on rain-induced cracking of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.)
Publisher: International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)
Date: 02-2014
Pyrethrum research in the high altitude highlands of Papua New Guinea
Publisher: International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)
Date: 02-2015
Xylem cavitation isolates leaky flowers during water stress in pyrethrum
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-04-2020
DOI: 10.1111/NPH.16516
Mitigation of stunted root abnormality in onion (Allium cepa L.) using seed priming treatments
Publisher: International Seed Testing Association
Date: 10-2004
The effect of time of harvest, irrigation treatments and kilning temperature on Eucalyptus globulus seed germination response to high temperature stress
Publisher: International Seed Testing Association
Date: 07-2012
Post-pollination capsule development in Eucalyptus globulus seed orchards
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2008
DOI: 10.1071/BT07126
Abstract: Low capsule set is a major factor limiting seed production in Eucalyptus globulus seed orchards. Trials were conducted in E. globulus seed orchards in Tasmania, Australia, to identify the timing of capsule development and abortion, as well as the influence of pollination type, the number of ovules fertilised and weather events on capsule set. Controlled pollination (CP), mass supplementary pollination (MSP), open pollination (OP) and isolated unpollinated control (UP) treatments were performed on 21 genotypes in an orchard in southern Tasmania in 2004–2005 and on six genotypes in a higher-altitude orchard in north-western Tasmania in 2005–2006. No capsules were set in the UP control treatment, and capsule set was significantly lower following CP than OP and MSP. The major period of capsule abortion occurred between 20 and 80 days after pollination for all pollination methods across both sites, coinciding with the period of capsule growth. A positive correlation between the number of fertilised ovules per aborted capsule and the length of time capsules were held on the tree was recorded. Given that capsule abortion occurred during a period of fruit growth and that capsules with the lowest number of fertilised ovules aborted first, it is argued that fertilisation level and the level of resource competition are major factors determining capsule abortion.
Related Organisations
Related Funding Activities
The National Biochar Initiative II - A Country Wide Approach To Biochar Systems (DAFF)
Start Date: 2012
End Date: 2014
Funder: Department of Agriculture
View Funded ActivityARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre For Innovative Horticultural Products: Adding Value To Horticulture Value
Start Date: 2014
End Date: 2016
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre For Innovative Horticultural Products: Adding Value To Horticulture Value
Start Date: 2015
End Date: 2017
Funder: Woolworths
View Funded ActivityAttendance At The International Horticulture Congress - Lisbon 2010
Start Date: 2010
End Date: 2010
Funder: Horticulture Innovation Australia
View Funded ActivityGlobal Master Class In Horticulture
Start Date: 2016
End Date: 2021
Funder: Horticulture Innovation Australia
View Funded ActivityMolecular Tools For Understanding, Predicting And Managing Flowering And Reproductive Development In Brassica Oleracea
Start Date: 2006
End Date: 2009
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityNational PhD Program: Horticulture
Start Date: 2016
End Date: 2020
Funder: Horticulture Innovation Australia
View Funded ActivitySoil Organic Carbon Balances In Tasmanian Agricultural Systems
Start Date: 2009
End Date: 2012
Funder: Department of Agriculture
View Funded ActivityIncreasing Vegetable Production In Central Province, Papua New Guinea, To Supply Port Moresby Markets
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End Date: 2014
Funder: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
View Funded ActivityCrawford Fund Training Award - Enopa Lindsay
Start Date: 2013
End Date: 2013
Funder: Crawford Fund Limited
View Funded ActivityIndustrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC140100024
Start Date: 05-2015
End Date: 09-2019
Amount: $2,061,605.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityLinkage Projects - Grant ID: LP0669503
Start Date: 07-2006
End Date: 12-2010
Amount: $145,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityLinkage Projects - Grant ID: LP170100103
Start Date: 07-2018
End Date: 07-2021
Amount: $263,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity