Capacity & Expertise
The Waite employs more than 1,100 of Australia’s best researchers and technical people in a wide range of plant and agriculture-related disciplines.
These disciplines include microbiology, genetics, phenomics, entomology, molecular biology, plant physiology, soil, water, climate and biosecurity specialists, precision agriculture and remote sensing, weed management and others.
Between them, they cover the full spectrum of fundamental to applied research in a wide range of crops and specialisations. If you can’t find the expert you are looking for, call the general enquiries number on our Contact page and we’ll put you in touch with the right group or person.
Capability directory
Agronomy & Farming Systems
- Crop Physiology: Glenn McDonald, The University of Adelaide
- New Variety Agronomy: Rob Wheeler, SARDI
- Agronomy: Gurjeet Gill, The University of Adelaide
- Agroforestry & Extension: Ian Nuberg, The University of Adelaide
- Farming Systems: Nigel Wilhelm, SARDI
- Legumes and Nitrogen: Matt Denton, The University of Adelaide
- Integrated Agricultural Systems Group: Rick Llewellyn, CSIRO
- Mixed Farming & Cropping Systems: Therese McBeath, CSIRO
Biometry
- Applied Statistics: Olena Kravchuk, The University of Adelaide
Carbohydrates
- Vincent Bulone, ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls
Cereals
- Durum Wheat Breeding: Jason Able, The University of Adelaide
- National Oat Breeding Program: Pamela Zwer, Crop Improvement, SARDI
- Hybrid Breeding: Ryan Whitford, ACPFG
- Bioinformatics: Ute Baumann, ACPFG
- Cell Walls: Rachel Burton, The University of Adelaide
- Drought Tolerance: Delphine Fleury, The Wheat Hub
- Genetics: Diane Mather, The University of Adelaide
- Frost Tolerance: Tim March, The University of Adelaide
- National Variety Trials: Rob Wheeler, SARDI
- Salinity Tolerance: Stuart Roy, ACPFG
- Structural Biology: Maria Hrmova, The University of Adelaide
- Pathology: Hugh Wallwork, Plant Health & Biosecurity, SARDI
- Crop Physiology: Victor Sadras, Climate Adaptation, SARDI
- Wheat Grain Biochemistry, Genetics and Quality: Daryl Mares, The University of Adelaide
Climate
- Climate Adaptation: Peter Hayman, SARDI
Environment
- Life Cycle Analysis: Tadro Abbott, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Environmental certification (Entwine Australia ): Mardi Longbottom, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Contaminant Biogeochemistry & Environmental Toxicology: Anu Kumar, CSIRO
- Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry: Jason Kirby, CSIRO
- Emerging Contaminants & Risk Assessment: Rai Kookana, CSIRO
- Managed aquifier recharge, Joanne Vanderzalm, CSIRO
- Wastewater and stormwater recycling: Declan Page & Joanne Vanderzalm, CSIRO
- Environmental Tracers, Noble Gas Laboratory, Geochronology: Axel Suckow, CSIRO
- Environmental Tracers & Applications: Dirk Mallants, CSIRO
- Environmental Tracers & Applications, Groundwater: Sebastien Lamontagnè, CSIRO
Extension
- Winemaking problem-solving, wine education, winemaking and viticulture extension: Con Simos, The Australian Wine Research Institute
Food & Nutrition
- Healthy Food: John Carragher, The University of Adelaide
- Lipids, Functional Foods: Bob Gibson, The University of Adelaide
- Nutrigenomics: Tina Bianco-Motto, The University of Adelaide
- Obesity & Metabolic Health: Bev Muhlhausler, The University of Adelaide
- Functional Foods, Early Life Nutrition and Long-term Health: Jo Zhou, The University of Adelaide
Genomics
- Drought tolerance in cereals: Delphine Fleury, ARC Wheat Hub
- Reproductive biology and genome editing: Ryan Whitford, University of Adelaide
- Alien introgression, cereal cytogenetics and chromosome engineering: Ian Dundas, University of Adelaide
- Metagenomics: Anthony Borneman, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Grape Genomics: Mark Thomas, CSIRO
- Harley Smith, CSIRO
Horticulture
- Almond Breeding: Michelle Wirthensohn, The University of Adelaide
- Eucalypt Breeding: Kate Delaporte, The University of Adelaide
- Post-harvest Quality: Amanda Able, The University of Adelaide
- Wine Grape & Horticulture, Rob Walker, CSIRO
- Grapevine Breeding & Irregular Bearing, Harley Smith, CSIRO
Hydrology
- Regional Scale Groundwater Analysis: Russell Crosbie, CSIRO
- Environmental Tracers, Noble Gas Laboratory, Geochronology: Axel Suckow, CSIRO
Insects
- Bees: Katja Hogendoorn, The University of Adelaide
- Insect Behaviour and Ecology: Mike Keller, The University of Adelaide
- Integrated Pest Management: Greg Baker, Entomology, SARDI
- Collective Behaviour: Jerome Buhl, The University of Adelaide
Metabolomics
- Natoiya Lloyd and Markus Herderich: The Australian Wine Research Institute
Molecular Genetics
- Molecular genetics for plant breeding – Diane Mather, the University of Adelaide
- Molecular genetics for cereal breeding – Kenneth Chalmers, the University of Adelaide
- Crop Improvement: Tim Sutton, SARDI
- Wine Grape & Horticulture, Rob Walker, CSIRO
- Disease Resistance: Ian Dry, CSIRO
- Grapevine Function: Mandy Walker, CSIRO
- Hybrid seed yield mechanisms, Anna Koltunow, CSIRO
- Harley Smith, CSIRO
Natural Resource Management
- Managed aquifier recharge, Joanne Vanderzalm, CSIRO
- Wastewater and stormwater recycling: Declan Page & Joanne Vanderzalm, CSIRO
- Environmental Tracers & Applications: Dirk Mallants, CSIRO
- Environmental Tracers & Applications, Groundwater: Sebastien Lamontagnè, CSIRO
Nematology
- Genetics: Diane Mather, The University of Adelaide
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Pastures
- Crop Improvement: Alan Humphries, SARDI
Plant Cell Physiology
- Matt Gilliham, The University of Adelaide
- Ion and water transport: Steve Tyerman, The University of Adelaide
Plant Pathology
- Cereal Diseases: Hugh Wallwork, SARDI
- Plant Pathogen Interactions: Amanda Able, The University of Adelaide
- Pulse and Oil Seed Diseases: Jenny Davidson, Plant Health & Biosecurity, SARDI
- Soil Diagnostics: Alan McKay, SARDI
- Viruses: Nuredin Habili, AWRI
- Fungal diseases: Eileen Scott, The University of Adelaide
Plant Phenomics
- Bettina Berger, Australian Plant Phenomics Facility
- Trevor Garnett, Australian Plant Phenomics Facility
Plant Protection
- Integrated Pest Management: Greg Baker, SARDI
- Entomology: Jerome Buhl, The University of Adelaide
- Quarantine: Pauline Glocke, Plant Health & Biosecurity, SARDI
- Soil-borne diseases: Alan McKay, Soil Biology & Diagnostics, SARDI
Plant Reproductive Biology
- Matt Tucker, The University of Adelaide
- Dabing Zhang, The University of Adelaide/Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- Asexual Seed Formation: Anna Koltunow, CSIRO
- Hybrid Breeding: Ryan Whitford, ACPFG
Precision Agriculture
- Rob Bramley, CSIRO
Pulses
- Improvement: Tim Sutton, Crop Improvement, SARDI
- Pathology: Jenny Davidson, Plant Health & Biosecurity, SARDI
- Cowpea yield improvement, Anna Koltunow, CSIRO
Soil Science
- Contamination, fertilisers: Mike McLaughlin, The University of Adelaide
- Ecology: Tim Cavagnaro, The University of Adelaide
- Chemistry: Ron Smernik, The University of Adelaide
- Mixed Farming & Cropping Systems: Therese McBeath, CSIRO
- Organic Matter Characterisation: Jeff Baldock, CSIRO
- Nutrient Cycling: Mark Farrell, CSIRO
- Biological Processes: Lynne MacDonald, CSIRO
- Soil ecology & biological function: Paul Harvey, Gupta Vadakattu, CSIRO
Water
- Irrigation and water use efficiency: Jim Cox, Water Resources, Viticulture and Irrigated Crops, SARDI
- Wastewater management: Jim Kelly, Arris
- Managed aquifier recharge, Joanne Vanderzalm, CSIRO
- Wastewater and stormwater recycling: Declan Page & Joanne Vanderzalm, CSIRO
Weed Science
- Chris Preston, The University of Adelaide
Wine Chemistry
- Flavour and aroma chemistry: Leigh Francis, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Flavour & Aroma, Paul Boss, CSIRO
- Aroma, flavour and phenolic compounds, tannins: David Jeffery, The University of Adelaide
- Analytical chemistry, natural products chemistry, oenology: Markus Herderich, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Polyphenols, proteins, polysaccharides, colloids: Jacqui McRae, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Metals, oxidation, reduction, analytical chemistry: Eric Wilkes, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Authenticity: Martin Day, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Grape berry metabolism of acids: Chris Ford, The University of Adelaide
- Oak-derived flavours, ‘green’ characters, smoke taint chemistry: Kerry Wilkinson, The University of Adelaide
Wine Microbiology
- Yeast development: Vladimir Jiranek, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide
- Microbial genetics, next-genome sequencing: Anthony Borneman, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Yeast nutrition: Simon Schmidt, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Wine production microbiology: Amy Rinaldo, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Winery wastewater: Paul Grbin, School of Agriculture, Food & Wine
Wine Sensory
- Quantitative descriptive analysis, wine quality assessments, multivariate data analysis, consumer testing: Leigh Francis, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Sue Bastian, The University of Adelaide
- Kerry Wilkinson, The University of Adelaide
Wine Supply Chain
- Winery engineering: Richard Muhlack, The University of Adelaide
- Winemaking technologies, winery refrigeration, wine transport, lees management, tank design: Simon Nordestgaard, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Sensors, packaging solutions: Neil Scrimgeour, The Australian Wine Research Institute
Viticulture
- Grapevine physiology, adaptation to climate warming: Steve Tyerman, The University of Adelaide
- Grapevine Physiology: Everard Edwards, CSIRO
- Wine Grape & Horticulture: Rob Walker, CSIRO
- Precision Agriculture: Rob Bramley, CSIRO
- Berry Development: Chris Davies, CSIRO
- Disease Resistance: Ian Dry, CSIRO
- Grapevine Function: Mandy Walker, CSIRO
- Flavour & Aroma: Paul Boss, CSIRO
- Genomics: Mark Thomas, CSIRO
- Breeding & Meristem Function: Harley Smith, CSIRO
- Climate research: Peter Hayman, Climate Adaptation, SARDI
- Fungal and bacterial diseases in grapevines: Eileen Scott, The University of Adelaide
- Eutypa dieback: Mark Sosnowski, SARDI
- Fruit quality, vine balance: Cassandra Collins, School of Agriculture, Food & Wine, The University of Adelaide
- Vine performance, viticulture extension: Paul Petrie, SARDI and The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Greenhouse gas emissions from viticulture, viticulture extension: Mardi Longbottom, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Agrochemicals, viticulture extension: Marcel Essling, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Quality markers: Keren Bindon, The Australian Wine Research Institute
- Grapevine ecophysiology, advanced sensing technologies: Vinay Pagay, The University of Adelaide