About me
I am an experienced plant scientist with 30 years experience specialising in plant pathogens that impact horticultural and agricultural crops. I have a particular interest in the development of non-chemical methods of disease control and my team currently work on two different aspects related to this.
The first is the use of cold plasma, an ionised gas (we use air) that contains antimicrobial properties that reduce infection by pathogens, especially at the postharvest stage. We have used cold plasma to treat fruit and vegetables and also grain, with significant improvements in shelf life due to reduction of microbial contaminants, leading to international interest and collaborations.
We are also working on the manipulation of the crop microbiome, similar to the human gut microbiome this has an important role in the health of our crops, and promotes resilience to biological and environmental stresses. Our team has shown the microbiome can be manipulated to improve tolerance to plant pathogens and pests such as nematodes, and is working to develop novel products to improve crop growth and yield.
My research is widely used in my teaching, where I coordinate our postgraduate degrees in Biosecurity and Food Security. I also teach undergraduates in Plant Protection and Biosecurity.
It is my belief that we can reduce the amount of global food waste by improving disease control in the field and postharvest, thereby making more food available for more people.