Background

Melanie Weckert was appointed to NSW Agriculture in 2002 as a Research Plant Pathologist at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGVIC), Wagga Wagga. Prior to this position (as Melanie Whitelaw) she was a Wine Science Teaching Fellow at the School of Wine Sciences and then Viticulture Lecturer at Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga. She now has 16 years teaching and research experience in the wine industry. Prior to this Melanie’s research was based on phosphate solubilising fungi and wheat.

Qualifications

• B.Sc. Chemistry, Charles Sturt University - 1985
• Grad. Dip. Education, Hawthorn Institute - 1986
• PhD Charles Sturt University - 1999

Key research

• The role of fungi (Cylindrocarpon, Phaeomoniella, Phaeoacremonium, Botryosphaeria, Pestalotia-like fungi and Fusarium) and healthy soils in the decline of young Riverina grapevines.
• Vineyard soil health and microbial biodiversity under different cover crop and floor management practices.  
• Grapevine mycorrhizal fungi.
• Colletotrichum bunch rots of sub-tropical regions.
• The role of phosphate solubilising fungi in plant nutrition.
• Bacterial inflorescence rot (BIR) in cool climate viticulture caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae.

Current projects

• Theme leader of the NWGIC Vine Health, Winegrowing Futures project.
• Coordinator of  the Bacterial Inflorescence Rot (BIR) project, Tumbarumba.

Selected peer reviewed publications

Rahman L, Whitelaw-Weckert MA (2011) Consecutive applications of brassica green manures and seed meal enhances suppression of Meloidogyne javanica and increases yield of Vitis vinifera cv Semillon. Applied Soil Ecology 47, 195-203.

Whitelaw-Weckert MA, Whitelaw ES, Rogiers SY, Quirk L, Clark AC, Huang CX (2011). Bacterial inflorescence rot of grapevine caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. Plant Pathology 60, 325-357. 

Rahman L, Whitelaw-Weckert MA, Hutton RJ, Orchard B (2009). Impact of floor vegetation on the abundance of nematode trophic groups in vineyards. Applied Soil Ecology 42, 96–106.

Whitelaw-Weckert MA, Nair NG, Lamont R, Alonso M, Priest MJ and Huang R (2007) Root infection of Vitis vinifera by Cylindrocarpon liriodendri in Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology 36, 403-406.

Whitelaw-Weckert MA, Rahman L, Hutton R Coombes N (2007) Permanent swards increase soil microbial counts in two Australian vineyards. Applied Soil Ecology 36, 224-232.

Whitelaw-Weckert MA (2009) Biological control of Cylindrocarpon spp. on grapevine roots. Proceedings of the Fifth Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium. Thredbo, NSW, 5-7th February 2009.

Rahman L, Whitelaw-Weckert MA (2009) Association of pathogenic fungi and pest nematodes with young vine decline in Riverina of NSW. Proceedings of the Fifth Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium. Thredbo, NSW, 5-7th February 2009.

Whitelaw-Weckert MA (2008) Interactions between Cylindrocarpon macrodidymum, Streptomyces sp. MW555 and Vitis vinifera.  International Conference on Biotic Plant Interactions, Brisbane 27-29th March.

Whitelaw-Weckert MA, Rahman L, Hutton R, Coombes N (2007) Permanent swards increase soil microbial counts in two Australian vineyards. Applied Soil Ecology 36, 224-232.

Whitelaw-Weckert MA, Nair NG, Lamont R, Alonso M, Priest MJ and Huang R (2007) Root infection of Vitis vinifera by Cylindrocarpon liriodendri in Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology 36, 403-406.

Whitelaw-Weckert MA, Curtin S, Huang R, Steel CC, Blanchard CL and Roffey P (2007) Phylogenetic relationships and pathogenicity of grape isolates of Colletotrichum acutatum in sub-tropical Australia. Plant Pathology 56, 448-463.

Whitelaw-Weckert MA, Sergeeva V, Priest MJ (2006) Botryosphaeria stevensii infection of Pinot Noir grapevines by soil/root transmission. Australasian Plant Pathology 35, 369-371.

Rogiers SY, Whitelaw-Weckert M, Radovanonic-Tesic M, Greer LA, White RG, Steel CC (2005) ‘Effects of spray adjuvants on grape (Vitis vinifera) berry microflora, epicuticular wax and susceptibility to infection by Botrytis cinerea.’ Australasian Plant Pathology 34, 221-228.

Whitelaw-Weckert M, Hutton R, Rouse E, Lamont R (2004) ‘The effect of herbicides and permanent swards on soil microbial populations in the vineyard.’ In Supersoil 2004: Program and Abstracts for the 3rd Australian New Zealand Soils Conference, University of Sydney, Australia, 5 – 9 December 2004. (Ed Singh, B) ISBN (Handbook) 1 920842 25 X; ISBN (CD) 1 920842 26 8; ISBN (Web) 1 920842 27 6  www.regional.org.au/au/asssi/supersoil2004

Whitelaw-Weckert M (2004). ‘In vitro inhibition of grapevine root pathogens by vineyard soil bacteria and actinomycetes’, in Ophel Keller, K M and Hall, B H (eds), Proceedings of the Third Soilborne Diseases Symposium. South Australian Research and Development Institute, Adelaide, pp.129-130.

Melksham KJ, Weckert MA and Steel CC (2002) ‘An unusual bunch rot of grapes in sub-tropical regions of Australia caused by Colletotrichum acutatum’, Australasian Plant Pathology, 31, 193-194.

Whitelaw MA (2000) ‘Growth promotion of plants inoculated with phosphate solubilising fungi,’ Advances in Agronomy, 69, 99-151 (Review paper).

Whitelaw MA, Harden TJ and Helyar KR (1999) ‘Phosphate solubilisation in solution culture by the soil fungus Penicillium radicum,’ Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 31, 655-665.

Hocking AD, Whitelaw MA and  Harden TJ  (1998) "Penicillium radicum sp. nov. from the rhizosphere of wheat," Mycological Research 102, 801-806.

Whitelaw MA, Harden TJ and Bender GL (1997) “Plant growth promotion of wheat inoculated with Penicillium radicum sp. nov.,” Australian Journal of Soil Research 35, 291-300.

Robards K and Whitelaw MA (1986) "Chromatography of monosaccharides and disaccharides" Journal of Chromatography, 373, 81-110 (Review paper).