Research interests

• Mycology
• Fungal ecology and interactions between plants, insects and fungi
• Taxonomy and phylogeography of Rhizoctonia solani
• Nematology

Background

Chris Anderson completed First Class Honours in Biology (Mycology) at the University of Sydney in 2003. Since then, Chris has worked as a plant pathologist in cotton at Narrabri. Chris’s research has covered a range of diseases affecting cotton including Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt, black root rot, and seedling diseases. Chris has also investigated the role of root colonising nematodes in cotton in Australia. In his short time as a researcher, Chris has written several scientific papers and numerous posters and extension articles. 

Chris is currently studying for a doctorate of philosophy at the University of Sydney, examining the population biology of the cotton seedling pathogen Rhizoctonia solani in NSW.

Qualifications

BA (Hons) University of Sydney 2003

Current projects

• Monitoring diseases of cotton
• Investigating the impact of long fallows on mycorrhizal populations in cotton fields. 
• Monitoring the impact of rotation and biofumigation crops on seedling disease, black root rot and verticillium wilt of cotton.
• Investigating factors affecting the severity of Fusarium wilt of cotton.
• Surveying seedling pathogens of cotton in NSW.
• The phylogeography of Rhizoctonia solani associated with seedling disease of cotton in NSW.

Recent Publications

Anderson CMT, McGee PA, Nehl DB, Mensah RK (2007) The fungus Lecanicillium lecanii colonises the plant Gossypium hirsutum and the aphid Aphis gossypii. Australasian Mycologist 26(2), 65-70.

Knox GG, Anderson CMT, Nehl DB, Vadakattu VSRG (2006) Observation of Tylenchorhynchus ewingi in association with cotton soils in Australia. Australasian Plant Disease Notes 1, 47-48.

Knox OGG, Anderson CMT, Allen SJ, Nehl DB (2005) Helicotylenchus dihystera in Australian cotton roots. Australasian Plant Pathology 35, 287-288.

Professional associations and activities

• Australasian Plant Pathology Society
• Australasian Association of Nematologists

Fields of Research

• 070308 Crop and Pasture Protection (Pests, Diseases and Weeds)
• 060505 Mycology

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Plant Pathology
• Mycology

Contact details