Eminent genetic researcher to lead Tamworth durum wheat program
Note: This content is stored on an archive website and may not be current or accurate. Contact us to clarify.
A newly-appointed Department of Primary Industries research scientist will lead the Australian Durum Wheat Improvement Program.
He is Dr Bertrand (Bert) Collard, who recently joined DPI and will work at the Tamworth Agricultural Institute.
"This is a collaborative research alliance between NSW DPI, the University of Adelaide and the Grains Research and Development Corporation," Dr Collard said.
"The principal objectives of the program will be to develop improved varieties that will underpin increased production to a least one million tonnes annually.
"Improving crown rot resistance in durum wheat will be a top priority."
Dr Collard has more than 10 years research experience in crop molecular genetics and breeding.
He completed his doctoral degree from the University of Melbourne studying the genetics of resistance to ascochyta blight in wild relatives of chickpea.
This is the most devastating fungal disease of chickpea that can lead to major yield losses.
His further research into grains saw him involved in studying genetics and identifying DNA markers for crown rot resistance in bread wheat at the University of Southern Queensland at Toowoomba as a postdoctoral fellow in 2003-2004.
"I followed this up with more genetics and breeding work implementing DNA markers in the rice molecular breeding program at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines in 2005-2006," Dr Collard said.
He also worked on enhancing popular rice varieties with abiotic stress tolerances using marker assisted selection and optimizing and developing DNA marker genotyping protocols.
He was a research scientist at the Hermitage Research Station, Warwick, within Queensland DPI in molecular breeding and genetic analysis in barley and sorghum before moving back to Melbourne as a research scientist.
His role was to implement cutting-edge high throughput DNA marker platforms and use bioinformatics resources to study important bovine traits.
Dr Collard has also lectured in genetics and molecular biology at RMIT University.
He moved to Tamworth to take up the new position with his wife, who also has a background in crop genetics research, and their identical twin three-year-old sons.
Email: