NSW Department of Primary Industries

WOOD, Jenny

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Jenny Wood

Research interests

  • Grain quality (cereal chemistry) of pulses and chickpea breeding for quality
  • Physical, physiochemical and biochemical aspects of grain quality, processing and functionality
  • Chickpea physiology and agronomic approaches to improving pulse quality
  • Harvesting unique grain qualities from ‘wild’ chickpea species
  • Understanding the bioactive health benefits of pulses and their potentially protective actions against lifestyle diseases (such as cancer, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc)
  • Food science
  • Sensory analysis
  • Utilisation of pulses and pulse ingredients in new food products (including functional foods)
  • Multidisciplinary approaches to solving complex research problems

Background

Jenny Wood heads the pulse quality research program for the NSW Department of Primary Industries, located at the Tamworth Agricultural Institute.

Jenny joined the Department in 1995 and has over 26 years of experience in grain quality research, first in barley, then wheat and since 1997 in pulses (chickpea, faba bean, mungbean, field pea and lupin).

She has led many industry funded research projects and collaborated nationally and internationally (GRDC, ARC, PIIC, CRC).  Her research is multidisciplinary and focussed on all things grain quality from the paddock to the plate, particularly regarding pulses. This includes the impact of genetics, agronomy and the environment on grain quality, and how that resulting grain quality then impacts processing, foods and market/consumer demand.

Her Pulse Quality Laboratory (ISO9001 Accredited: Certificate no. FS603588) performs all the grain quality evaluation screening annually for the Australian chickpea breeding program and evaluation of NSW National Variety Trials (NVT). Her lab has contributed towards the development of more than 30 new pulse varieties from pulse breeding programs nationally (including desi chickpea, kabuli chickpea and faba bean).

Jenny has supervised post graduate students researching a range of grain quality topics including chickpea cooking, puffing and frying qualities, sensory attributes, health benefits of phenolics from pulses and the prevention of adipose (fat) cell formation in vitro.

Jenny and her team recently created Hidden Treasures®, a range of convenient, healthy, allergen-friendly and tasty snacks created from pulses that are good for farmers and good for families. NSW DPI is now commercialising the biscuit from this range. You can watch Jenny’s pitch at the Ag-Tech Innovation GATEway Showcase here.

Jenny has an interest in expanding the potential of pulses as plant-protein ingredients and in fermentation science. She is also interested in methodology improvement and developing simple, non-destructive tools that can speed up the grain quality evaluation process for breeding, phenotyping, research activities and the wider pulse industry.

Qualifications, positions and awards

  • BSc (Chemistry) – University of New England, Armidale
  • PhD Cum Laude (Environmental and Rural Science) – University of New England, Armidale
  • 2009; GRDC travel award (Canada); 2009
  • 2009 – current; Adjunct Research Fellow, Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University
  • 2012 – 2015; Secretary, Australasian Grain Science Association (AGSA)
  • 2015; Australasian Grain Science Association (AGSA) Service Award – The Megazyme Award
  • 2016 – 2018; Vice Chair, Australasian Grain Science Association (AGSA)
  • 2019 – current; Technical Adviser to the Australian Pulse Grain Standards Committee
  • 2019 – current; Editorial Board, International Journal of Food Science & Technology

Current projects

  • Genetics of the blotch/tiger stripe seed marking defect in desi chickpeas
  • Management strategies to mitigate the environmental triggers of the blotch/tiger stripe seed marking defect in desi chickpeas
  • Biochemical changes attributed to the blotch/tiger stripe seed marking defect in desi chickpeas
  • Chickpea reproductive development and plant architecture
  • Food functionality changes caused by weather-damage in pulses
  • Methodology improvements using new innovative technologies
  • Evaluation of pulse grain quality for pulse breeding programs and National Variety Trials (NVT)

Publications

Jenny has published over 115 articles (Scholar) that have attracted almost twice the number of citations as other authors in her field (NCI = 1.7). Selected articles are listed here, but please refer to Dr Jennifer Wood’s Google scholar page for her full list of publications.

Wood JA, Egan NE, Keir CF, Miller JC, Pengilley GC and Hobson KB (2020). Characterisation of seed marking types in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.): Tiger stripe and other blemishes. Legume Science, e29 (open access online). doi:10.1002/leg3.29.

Wood JA, Knights EJ, Harden S and Hobson KB (2019). Seed quality and the effect of introducing Cicer echinospermum to improve disease and pest resistance in desi chickpea. Legume Science, e22 (open access online).  doi:10.1002/leg3.22.

Siah S, Blanchard C, Agboola S, Konczak I and Wood J (2019). A comparison study of phenolic contents and in vitro antioxidant activities of Australian grown faba beans (Vicia faba L.) varying in seed coat colours as affected by extraction solvents. American Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 10:227-245.

Wood JA, Tan HT, Collins HM, Yap K, Khor SF, Lim WL, Xing X, Vincent B, Burton RA, Fincher GB and Tucker MR (2018) Genetic and environmental factors contribute to variation in cell wall composition in mature desi chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cotyledons. Plant, Cell & Environment, 1-14 (open access online). doi:10.1111/pce.13196.

Paul Mukhopadhyay S, Saliba AJ, Carr BT, Blanchard CL, Wood JA and Prenzler PD (2018) Sensory profiling and preference mapping of Australian puffed desi chickpeas. LWT – Food Science and Technology, 89 (supplement C), 229-236.

Wang N, Wood JA, Panozzo JF, Argansoa GC, Chen L, Hall C, Singh M and Nickerson M (2017) AACCI Approved Methods Technical Committee Report: Collaborative Study on a Method for Determining Water Holding Capacity of Pulse Flours and Protein materials (AACCI Method 56-37.01). Cereal Foods World. Doi:10.1094/CFW-62-5-0227.

Wood JA, Knights EJ, Campbell GM and Choct M (2017) Near-isogenic lines of desi chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) that differ in milling ease: differences in chemical composition. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 54(4 – Special Issue: Pulses):1002-1013.

Harden S and Wood JA (2017). A single parameter for within-sample uniformity of seed size in grain, with an emphasis on pulses. Cereal Chemistry, 94(3):430-436.

Wood JA (2016). Evaluation of cooking time in pulses: A Review. Cereal Chemistry, 94(1 – Focus Issue: Pulses):32-48.

Wood JA, Knights EJ and Choct M (2016). Topography of the cotyledon surfaces and adjoining seed coat of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes differing in milling ease. Cereal Chemistry, 94(1 – Focus Issue: Pulses):104-109.

Reynolds K, Wood J, Wang F, Zhou Z, Blanchard C and Strappe P (2016). Extracts of common pulses demonstrate potent in vitro anti-adipogenic properties. International Journal of Food Science & Technology 51:1327-1337.

Paul Mukhopadhyay S, Wood JA, Saliba A, Blanchard CL, Carr TB & Prenzler PD (2015). Evaluation of puffing quality of Australian desi chickpeas by different physical attributes. LWT - Food Science and Technology, 64(2), 959-965.

Wood JA, Knights EJ, Campbell GM & Choct M (2014). Differences between easy- and difficult-to-mill chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes. Part III: Free sugar and non-starch polysaccharide composition. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 94(7), 1454-1462.

Wood JA, Knights EJ, Campbell GM & Choct M (2014). Differences between easy- and difficult-to-mill chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes. Part II: Protein, lipid and mineral composition. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 94(7), 1446-1453.

Wood JA, Knights EJ, Campbell GM & Choct M (2014). Differences between easy- and difficult-to-mill chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes. Part I: Broad chemical composition. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 94(7), 1437-1445. [and Erratum: JSFA, 94(15), 3305-3306].

Siah SD, Wood JA, Agboola S, Konczak I & Blanchard C (2014). Effects of soaking, boiling and autoclaving on the phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of faba beans (Vicia faba L.) differing in seed coat colours. Food Chemistry 142, 461-468.

Siah S, Konczak I, Wood JA, Agboola S & Blanchard C (2014). Effects of Roasting on Phenolic Composition and In vitro Antioxidant Capacity of Australian Grown Faba Beans (Vicia faba L.). Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 69(1), 85-91.

Wood JA, Knights EJ, Harden S & Choct M (2012). Milling performance and other quality traits are affected by seed shape in isogenic lines of desi chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 4(10), 244-252.

Wang N, Panozzo JF, Wood JA, Malcolmson LJ, Arganosa GC, Baik B-K, Driedger D & Han J (2012). AACCI Approved Methods Technical Committee Report: Collaborative Study on a Method for Determining Firmness of Cooked Pulses (AACCI Method 56-36.01). Cereal Foods World, 57(5), 230-234.

Siah SD, Konczak I, Agboola S, Wood JA & Blanchard CL (2012). In vitro investigations of potential health benefits of Australian grown faba beans (Vicia faba L.): chemopreventative capacity and inhibitory effects on the angiotensin converting enzyme, a-glucosidase and lipase. British Journal of Nutrition, 108, S123-S134.

Wood JA, Knights EJ & Choct M (2011). Morphology of chickpea seeds: Comparison between desi and kabuli types. International Journal of Plant Sciences, 172(5), 632-643.

Wood JA & Malcolmson L (2011). Milling Technologies (Chapter 8). In B Tiwari, A Gowen & B McKenna (Eds.), Pulse Foods: Processing, Quality and Nutraceutical Application (pp. 193-222). Maryland Heights, MO, USA: Elsevier.

Knights EJ, Wood JA and Harden S (2010) A gene influencing seed shape of desi type chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Journal of Plant Breeding129:1-3.

Wood JA (2009) The texture, processing and organoleptic properties of chickpea fortified spaghetti with insights to the underlying mechanisms of traditional durum pasta quality. Journal of Cereal Science 49:128-133.

Wood JA, Knights EJ and Harden S (2008) Milling performance in desi type chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.): Effects of genotype, environment and seed size. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture88:108-115.

Wood JA and Grusak MA (2007) Nutritional Value of Chickpea. In: Yadav, S.S., et al (eds) Chickpea Breeding and Management. CABI, Wallingford, pp 101-142.

Wood JA. Contributing author of the Winter Crop Variety Sowing Guide. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange, (Annually).

Contact details

Email: jenny.wood@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Location: Tamworth Agricultural Institute

The Pulse Quality Laboratories at Tamworth are ISO9001 accredited: Certificate no. FS603588.

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au