Centre for Horticultural Science - Summer Research Programs

Primary Supervisor: Dr Chris Brosnan | c.brosnan@uq.edu.au

Duration: 6 weeks (20 - 30 hours per week); On-site (St Lucia Campus)

Root knot nematodes pose a serious treat to a wide variety of horticultural crops. Current control measures involve chemical treatments that are both non-selective and harmful to the environment. This project will involve using both RNA and nano-particle technology to create a sustainable and targeted approach to controlling root knot nematodes. 

Expected outcomes: The scholars will gain an introduction to RNA-based molecular biology along with plant pathology. The research will contribute not only a publication but also to future granting opportunities. At the conclusion there will be a small oral presentation to the group.

Suitability: This project is open to 3rd and 4th year students with a fucus on genetics.

Primary Supervisor: Dr Eveline Kong | e.kong@uq.edu.au

Duration: 6 weeks (20 hours per week); On-site (Long Pocket)

In recent years, a disorder associated with yield loss in blueberry has been observed with symptoms of abnormal root andc crown growth. The incidence observed in Australia varies across varieties, propagation material, and production environment. However, preliminary estimates of $20K/ha/year in losses may occur from this disorder. Hence, this project aims to explore fundamental causes to the disorders through shoot and root phenotyping of treated and non-treated plants.

Expected outcomes: The student will gain skills in shoot and root phenotyping of plants, data collection and analysis at nursery scale. The student will also gain experience in nursery practises.

Suitability: This project is open to 3rd and 4th year student with a background in agronomy or plant physiology

Primary Supervisors: 

Dr Lilia Carvalhais | l.carvalhais@uq.edu.au
Prof Andre Drenth

Duration: 6 weeks (20 - 36 hours per week); On site (Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park)

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is the causal agent of Fusarium wilt in banana. Foc subtropical race four (STR4) is particularly difficult to taxonomically classify due to its high level of genetic diversity. Recently, new proposals have been made to taxonomically reclassify STR4 into new species based on nine independent genetic lineages. However, there is no link back to the previously defined and described classification systems. This project will contribute to defining how and if the old classification system fits into the new proposed species. This project will also involve assessing and evaluating in planta trials to assess levels of disease severity in environmentally stressed plants and utilising plant pathology techniques for pathogen identification.

Expected outcomes: In a PC2 lab, the scholar will learn laboratory plant pathology techniques, molecular methods, microscopy, imaging, and identification of structures. Scholar will also participate in glasshouse trials where they will gain experience in experimental design, plant and disease measurements, data collection, and experiment harvesting and processing.

Suitability: The project is open to applications from students with a background in plant sciences and/or microbiology.

Primary Supervisors: 

Prof Paul Gauthier | p.gauthier@uq.edu.au
Dr Anne Sawyer | a.sawyer@uq.edu.au

Please contact Prof Gauthier and Dr Sawyer before applying (p.gauthier@uq.edu.au, a.sawyer@uq.edu.au)

Duration: 6 weeks (20-36 hours per week); on site (Long Pocket)

Protected cropping environments are conducive to pest and disease epidemics due to favourable conditions for pests and pathogens, intense production practices and in some systems recirculation of water and air. The aim of this project is to investigate the feasibility of dsRNA-based control of diseases such as Phytophthora root rot in protected cropping environments. The project will involve fungal culturing, tissue culture, hydroponics and bioassays on plants such as avocado.

Expected outcomes: Scholars will be trained in a PC2 laboratory and learn plant pathology, tissue culture and hydroponic techniques. Students may be asked to give an oral presentation at the end of their project.

Suitability: The project is open to applications from students with a background in plant sciences and/or mycology.

Primary Supervisors: 

Dr Vivien Tsai | w.tsai@uq.edu.au
Dr Narelle Manzie

Duration: 6 weeks (20-36 hours per week); on site (St Lucia)

The project aims to investigate the potential of SIGS in combination with possible enhancements. This approach will involve applying priming chemicals and priming biomolecule cargos (siRNAs) with the assistance of nanoparticles to improve the efficacy of RNAi in combating begomoviruses. Whiteflies will be used to transmit the virus; Northern blotting and quantitive RT-PCR will be conducted for the analysis of dsRNA abundance and virus titre.

Expected outcomes: The expected outcome is to mitigate TYLCV infection in a Ty1-resistant tomato variety. The student will gain skills in insect cultivation, virus transmission via whitefly, and RNA-related molecular biology techniques

Suitability: The project is open to applications from students with background in agronomy, entomology, or plant sciences

Primary Supervisor: 

A/Prof Craig Hardner | Students are welcome to conact A/Prof Hardner (c.hardner@uq.edu.au) to disucss further

Duration: 6 weeks (20-30 hours per week); on site (St Lucia)

This proejct will work with the Australian Macadamia Breeding Program to aggreagte data sets collected from the different generaitons of the breeding program to improve accruacy  and stability of prediciton of parental breeding values

Expected outcomes: Skills in quantiatative genetics, linear mixed models, GxE, macadamia breeding

Suitability: This project is suitable for students with a background in genetics, plant breeding, and coding in R

Primary Supervisors: 

Dr Vivian Rincon-Florez  | v.rinconflorez@uq.edu.au
A/Prof Femi Akinsanmi

Duration: 6 weeks (20-30 hours per week); on site (St Lucia)

The project aimed to decipher causal agents of the different types of husk rot hat affects macadami fruits and stablish the influence of climatic factor in disease development

Expected outcomes: the student will develop plant pathology, molecular and field techniques. Also will have the opportunity to contribute to publications from the research.

Suitability: The project is open to applications from students with a background in plant sciences and/or microbiology.

Primary Supervisors: 

Dr Vivian Rincon-Florez  | v.rinconflorez@uq.edu.au
A/Prof Femi Akinsanmi

Duration: 6 weeks (20-30 hours per week); on site (St Lucia)

The project will examine the impact of different composts on the soilborne Phytophthora cinnamomi and soil microbial populations in disease development

Expected outcomes: Students will contribute to understanding of biological control of plant diseases; gain experirence in plant pathology research; new skills in molecular and predictive tools. Also will have the opportunity to contribute to publications from the research.

Suitability: The project is open to applications from students with a background in plant sciences and/or microbiology.

Primary Supervisors: 

Mark Jackson | For any questions or further clarification, please reach out to Dr. Mark Jackson at m.jackson1@uq.edu.au
A/Prof Andrew Geering

Duration: 6 weeks (20-30 hours per week); on site (Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park)

Citrus tristeza virus is a pathogen of citrus that is predicted to have caused the loss of over 100 million trees worldwide. One proven approach to protect citrus from damaging CTV strains is through cross protection, where mild strains are purposely used to pre-infect citrus to prevent or delay infection with severe disease inducing CTV strains. In this Hort Innovation sponsored project, we aim to develop our understanding of viral cross protection with a focus on developing or identifying mild CTV strains to protect against potentially devastating orange stem pitting disease, which is thus far restricted in Australia to Queensland. For this, we will utilise the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana as an experimental host to fast track the detection or engineering of mild cross protective CTV strains for citrus.

Expected outcomes: The student will gain experience in plant molecular biology techniques including plant tissue culture, gene cloning, gene expression and functional validation. 

Suitability: This project is open to applicants from students with a background in plant sciences

Primary Supervisor: Dr Xiaoyi (Eva) Wang | For any questions or further clarification, please reach out to Dr Xiaoyi (Eva) Wang at xiaoyi.wang1@uq.edu.au

Duration: 6 weeks (20-30 hours per week); on site (Long Pocket)

This project will assess the cultivation of grapevines by comparing the growth and production using a hydroponics system and potted soil. The aim is to optimize vine growth and production through manipulation of environmental factors, nutrient components, and application of hormones and cultural practices. Key growth stages will be identified and compared between the hydroponic and conventional methods, and growth parameters will be measured, including vegetative and reproductive traits, as well as other physiological indices. 

Expected outcomes: The student will learn hydroponics techniques for grapevine growth and production, and gain experience in growth stage identification and measurements in vegetative and reproductive parameters, and training in phenoptying with image analysis.

Suitability: This project is open to applicants from students with a background in plant science or agricultural science.

Primary Supervisor: Miss Lily Whelehan | For any questions about the project, please email Lily at uqlwhele@uq.edu.au

Duration: 6 weeks (20-30 hours per week); on site (Long Pocket)

Myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii), is a fungal pathogen affecting the Myrtaceae family. Rust infection reduces reproductive capacity of host plants, leading to serious population decline within short periods of time. Inidividuals have been identified which show resistance to Myrtle rust infection. Myrtle rust spores germinate on and penetrate leaf surfaces. There may be a correlation with different leaf surface characteristics and the susceptibility of the plant to rust infection. Through various microscopy techniques, we hope to determine the mechanisms or morphologies which confer this resistance. 

Expected outcomes: Students will gain skills in experiment design and microscopy and PC2 lab practises. This will include light microscopy, use of histochemical staining, and image analysis. Depending on the direction of the project and time constraints, the project will also cover SEM and plant tissue culture protocols.

Suitability: The project is open to applications from students with a background in plant sciences.