Research interests

• Improved storage and transport systems for vegetables
• Market research and consumer science
• Asian vegetable industry development
• Market access and quarantine treatments 
• Postharvest physiology of cut native flowers.

Background

Jenny Ekman joined NSW Agriculture* in 2002 following a Postdoctorate in the Pomology Department at the University of California, Davis. As a postharvest physiologist specialised in market access, she is passionate about improving all parts of the horticultural supply chain, from paddock to purchase and finally the consumer’s plate.

Jenny is part of the market access / postharvest team based at Gosford Horticultural Institute. She and the group conduct industry focussed research on the physiology of fruit, vegetables and flowers for domestic and international markets.  Jenny recently also became involved in the fascinating area of consumer research and marketing.

Jenny chaired and was principal organiser of the 2007 Australasian Postharvest conference. She is also a member of the scientific committee for the International CA conference and has strong linkages with other postharvest groups within Australia and Internationally. 

*NSW Department of Primary Industries was formed on July 1, 2004 through an amalgamation of NSW Agriculture, NSW Fisheries, State Forests of NSW and the NSW Department of Mineral Resources.

Qualifications

• B. Hort. Sci. (Hons) – University of Western Sydney, 1996
• PhD Postharvest Physiology – CSIRO Plant Industry / University of Western Sydney, 2001

Current projects

• Improving market access for Asian vegetables
• New shipping technologies for vegetables
• Sea freight of Australian wildflowers to Japan
• Dielectric heating as a quarantine treatment
• Postharvest at Work - the 2007 Australasian Postharvest Conference.

Recent Publications

Ekman JH, Eyre J and Joyce D (2007) Flowers by Sea: Improving market access for Australian wildflowers. RIRDC publication.

Ekman JH and Golding JB (2006) Preliminary evaluation of storage technologies for broccoli, cauliflower and head lettuces. Acta Horticulturae: 712:201-208.

Ekman JH, Golding JB, Tanner D and Smale N (2006) Evaluation of new shipping technology for Australian vegetables. Horticulture Australia Ltd. Final report.

Ekman JH, Golding JB, and McGlasson WB (2005) Innovations in cold storage technologies. Stewart Postharvest Review: 3:6.

Golding JB, Ekman JH and McGlasson WB (2005) Regulation of fruit ripening. Stewart Postharvest Review: 3:5.

Ekman JH and Worrall R (2005) Getting the best from the bush - factors affecting postharvest quality of pink waxflower (Eriostemon australasius) and NSW Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum). Acta Horticulturae: 687: 193-200

Ekman JH and Patterson BD (2005) Why fruits and vegetables are good for health. In “Environmentally friendly technologies for produce quality”. Ed. S. Ben-Yehoshua, CRC Press: pp. 333-396.

Watkins CB and Ekman JH (2005) How postharvest technologies affect quality. In “Environmentally friendly technologies for produce quality” Ed. S. Ben-Yehoshua, CRC Press: pp. 447-492.

Quadir M, Boulton A, Ekman JH, Hickey M and Hoogers R (2005) Mild onion irrigation. Horticulture Australia Ltd.  Final report.

Ekman JH, Clayton M, Biasi WV and Mitcham EJ (2004) Interactions between 1-MCP Concentration, Treatment Interval and Storage Time for Bartlett Pears. Postharvest Biology and Technology: 31: 127-136

Professional associations and activities

• International Society for Horticultural Science

Fields of Research

• 060705 Plant physiology

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Postharvest physiology 
• Asian vegetables
• Consumer research
• Quarantine treatments