Current responsibilities

• Horticulture – production systems for temperate and tropical perennial crops, citrus germplasm evaluation, protected cropping, vegetables, post-harvest management, market access, ornamental native plants.
• Aquaculture Research – hatchery and breeding technologies for oysters and molluscs, marine and freshwater finfish breeding and farming technologies, fish feeds and nutrition.
• Viticulture – vine enviro-physiology, sustainable vineyard management, vine health and environment, and,
• Animal Production – dairy production systems, pig and beef carcase quality, ruminant nutrition and management, stock feed technologies.

Background

Trevor Gibson leads the Production Research Branch, which researches and develops technologies that improve the productivity and competitiveness of primary industries in NSW.

He joined the then NSW Agriculture* as a Trainee in 1970 and in 1974 commenced a research career at the Biological and Chemical Research Institute at Rydalmere in plant nutrition and biochemistry, and in biochemical aspects of quality parameters in cereal products. During his research career he completed an MSc Agr (Syd U) and PhD (Macq) in 1980 and 1984 respectively.

In 1996 he was appointed research manager of the Department’s Organic Waste Recycling Unit, and then Program Leader, Waste Management and Remediation to lead the Department’s research programs on the agricultural use of biosolids and environmental remediation. In 2002 this role was expanded to include soils research. In this role, Trevor was responsible for the establishment of the Centre for Recycled Organics in Agriculture in 2002 and led the research program for the Centre in collaboration with the recycled organics industry until the formation of the Department of Primary Industries in 2004.

In his current role, Trevor has led two reviews on aquaculture and dairy research in NSW DPI.

*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.Sc. Agric. Agricultural Chemistry – University of Sydney 1973.
• M. Sc Agric. Plant Nutrition – University of Sydney 1980. 
• Ph. D. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry  – Macquarie University 1984.

Select publications

Michalk D, Whatmuff MS, Eamens G, Osborne G and Gibson TS (2003) Benefits and risks associated with biosolids application to agricultural production systems – experience from NSW Australia. In ‘Waste Management’, Oxford Press and IBH, pp 157-201.

Bishop AL, Powell KS, Gibson TS, Barchia IM and Wong PTW (2002) Mortallity of grape phylloxera in composting organics. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research. 8, 48-55.

McCleary BV, Gibson TS and Mugford DC (1997) Development and collaborative evaluation of a simplified assay for total starch in cereal products. Cereal Foods World 42, 476-480.

Gibson TS, McCleary BV and Solah V (1997) A simplified assay to measure amylose in cereal starches and flours based on the precipitation of amylose by concanavalin A. Journal of Cereal Science 25, 111-119.

Gibson TS, Glennie-Holmes M, Solah V and Taylor HB (1995) Diastatic power in malting barley: contributions of malt parameters to its development and the potential of barley grain beta-amylase to predict malt diastatic power. Journal of the Institute of Brewing 101, 277-280.

McCleary BV, Solah V and Gibson TS (1994) Quantitative measurement of total starch in cereal flours and products. Journal of Cereal Science 20, 51-58.

Gibson TS, Al Qalla H and McCleary BV (1992) An improved enzymic method for the  measurement of starch  damage in flour. Journal of Cereal Science 15, 15 27.

Gibson TS (1988) Carbohydrate metabolism and phosphorus/ salinity interactions in wheat. Plant and Soil 111, 25 35.

Gibson TS, Speirs J and Brady CJ (1984) Salt tolerance in plants. II. In vitro translation of m RNAs from salt tolerant and salt sensitive plants on wheat germ ribosomes. Responses to ions and compatible organic solutes. Plant, Cell and Environment 7, 579 587.

Brady CJ, Gibson TS, Barlow EWR, Speirs J and Wyn Jones RG (1984). Salt tolerance in plants. I. Ions, compatible organic solutes and the stability of plant ribosomes. Plant, Cell and Environment 7, 571 578.

Gibson TS and Leece DR (1981) Estimation of physiologically active zinc in maize by biochemical assay. Plant and Soil 63, 395 406.

Membership of statutory bodies and inter-departmental committees  

• National Horticulture Research Network, Chair 2008-, Member 2004-2008
• Riverlink Council, Member 2004-
• Aquaculture Research Advisory Committee, Member 2004-
• Winegrowing Futures Steering Committee, Member 2005-
• FutureDairy Steering Committee, Member 2004-
• Horticultural Market Access Committee, Member 2006-
• National Dairy Alliance, Member 2004-
• Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment Management Forum, Member 2001-2004
• Biosolids Taskforce, Member 2001-2004
• National Cadmium Action Committee, Member 2002-2004
• Recycled Water Committee, Member 1996-2000
• Working Group on NSW Effluent Management Policy, Member 2001
• Acid Soil Action Management Committee, Member 2002-2003
• Acid Sulfate Soils Management Action Committee, Member 2002-2003
• Recycled Organics Expert Reference Group, Member 2001-2002
• PSIC Fertiliser working Group, Member 2003-2004