Research interests

• Pasture, rangeland and weed ecophysiology and agronomy
• Improvement of plant persistence under drought
• Summer dormancy in temperate perennial grasses
• Dehydration avoidance / tolerance and plant water relations
• Climate-change impacts on productivity and persistence of pasture plants
• Improvement of pasture persistence by ameliorating low pH soils with lime
• Prospects for perennial wheat.

Background

Mark joined NSW Agriculture* in 1990 as a research agronomist and has undertaken research in pasture plant evaluation, management and physiology. He has over 20 years scientific research experience in a range of countries including Pakistan, France, Germany, temperate and tropical Australia, and has written extensively. Mark's Researcher ID is A-5927-2010.

Mark is currently a Research Scientist and the long-term visitor of NSW DPI based at CSIRO Plant Industry, Canberra, a position filled continuously by an NSW DPI research officer since the mid- 1960’s.

*NSW Department of Primary Industries (Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestries and Minerals) became part of Industry & Investment NSW on July 1, 2009.

Qualifications

• B.A. (Geography) – Flinders University 1977 
• B. App. Sc. Rural Tech (Hons) – Qld. Agric. College 1983
• M. Agr. St. - University of Qld. 1987 
• PhD. Agricultural Science – University of Qld. 2007

Current projects

• The role of summer dormancy in improving persistence of temperate perennial grasses
• Effects of phosphorus and surface-applied lime on production and sustainability of wool on the NSW tablelands
• Monaro Research, Development and Demonstration of Sustainable Grassland Management.

Recent Publications

Norton, Gertraud M., Lemerle, Deirdre., Pratley, James E., Norton, Mark R., (2011) Association between environmental factors and the occurrence of six fumitory species (Fumaria  spp. L.) in southern-eastern Australia. Plant Protection Quarterly, 26 (2) 57-66.

Norton, M.R., Lelievre, F., Volaire, F. (2011) Summer dormancy in Phalaris aquatica L., the influence of season of sowing and summer moisture regime on two contrasting cultivars. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science. In Press.

Khairo SA, Norton MR, Garden D, Graham P, Langford C, Armstrong P, Brassil T (2010) The profitability of wool production after surface application of lime and superphosphate on acid soils. AFBM Journal, 7, (1), 1-10.

West CP, Norton MR, Volaire F, Hopkins AA, Malinowski DP (2009) First International Workshop on Summer Dormancy in Grasses: Coping with increasing aridity and heat under climate change. Summary and Future Directions. Crop Science 49, (6), 2326-2327.

Nie Zhongnan, Norton M (2009) Stress tolerance and persistence of perennial grasses - the role of the summer dormancy trait in temperate Australia. Crop Science 49 (6) 2405-2411.

Volaire F, Norton MR, Lelièvre F (2009) Summer drought survival strategies and sustainability of perennial temperate forage grasses in Mediterranean areas. Crop Science 49, (6), 2386-2392.

Norton MR, Volaire F, Lelièvre F, Fukai S (2009) Identification and measurement of summer dormancy in temperate perennial grasses. Crop Science 49, (6), 2347-2352.

Lelièvre F, Norton MR, Volaire F (2008) Perennial grasses in rainfed Mediterranean farming systems. Current and potential role. Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes, 79, 'Sustainable Mediterranean grasslands and their multi-functions' pp 137 - 146.

Norton MR, Lelièvre F, Fukai S, and Volaire F (2008) Measurement of summer dormancy in temperate perennial pasture grasses. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 59, (6), 498-509.

Volaire F and Norton MR (2006) Summer dormancy in perennial temperate grasses. Annals of Botany, 98: 927-933.

Norton MR, Volaire F, and Lelièvre F (2006) Summer dormancy in Festuca arundinacea Schreb., the influence of season of sowing and a simulated mid-summer storm on two contrasting cultivars. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57, (12), 1267-1277.

Norton MR, Lelièvre F, Volaire F (2006) Summer dormancy in Dactylis glomerata L., the influence of season of sowing and a simulated mid-summer storm on two contrasting cultivars. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57, (5), 565-575.

Garden DL, Waters CM, Smith AB, Norton MR, Auricht GC and Kobelt E (2005) Performance of native and introduced grasses for low-input pastures. 2. Herbage production. The Rangeland Journal 27, (1), 41-53

Sanford P, Whalley RDB, Garden DL, Norton MR, Waters CM, Smith AB, Mitchell ML, Kobelt E, Friend DA, Hall E and Auricht G (2005) Identification of superior native and introduced grasses for low-input pastures in temperate Australia. The Rangeland Journal 27, (1), 55-71.

Norton MR, Mitchell ML, Kobelt E and Hall E (2005) Evaluation of native and introduced grasses for low-input pastures in temperate Australia: experimental approach, site and genotype descriptions. The Rangeland Journal 27, (1), 11-22.

Volaire F, Norton MR, Norton GM and Lelièvre F (2005) Seasonal patterns of growth, dehydrins and water-soluble carbohydrates in genotypes of Dactylis glomerata varying in summer dormancy. Annals of Botany, 95: 981 - 990.

Norton M, Koetz E and Stewart G (2004). Perennial grasses for waterlogging  prone, summer dry environments. In `Rangeland and Pasture Rehabilitation in Mediterranean Areas`. Cahiers Options Mediterraneennes, 62. 121-24.

Professional associations and activities

• Associate Editor-Grass & Forage Science
• Adjunct Senior Lecturer-Charles Sturt University
• Grassland Society of Southern Australia
• The Grassland Society of New South Wales.  

Fields of Research

• 070303 Crop and Pasture Biochemistry and Physiology
• 070302 Agronomy
• 070399 Crop and Pasture Production not elswhere classified 

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Plant ecophysiology
• Drought resistance
• Summer dormancy
• Climate-Change impacts on crops and pastures
• Soil pH and plant persistence
• Perennial wheat