The WAARC Web

Guest: Rakshith Gowda Host: Mahnaz Afsar In the final episode of Season 2 of Cultivating the Future, Mahnaz Afsar speaks with Rakshith Gowda, a PhD researcher in crop genetics and pre-breeding, about the race to develop heat-tolerant barley for a changing climate.Originally from India, Rakshith completed his Bachelor of Agricultural Science and Master’s in Genetics and Plant Breeding before moving to Perth to pursue doctoral research focused on strengthening crop resilience. His work addresses one of the most pressing challenges facing grain production: rising temperatures and the increasing frequency of heat stress events that can significantly reduce yield and downgrade barley grain from malting to feed quality.The conversation explores how advances in physiology, pangenomics and haplotype stacking are being used to identify valuable genetic modules and accelerate the development of superior barley lines. By delivering improved haplotypes and pre-breeding materials to industry, this research aims to support the creation of more heat-tolerant, high-quality barley cultivars suited to Western Australian growing conditions.Stay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Ben Camer-PesciHost: Tarkjot Kaur In this episode of Cultivating the Future, host Tarkjot Kaur turns the microphone around to interview fellow Murdoch University PhD student Ben Camer-Pesci, exploring the interdisciplinary world of phycology and its emerging role in sustainable agriculture and bioproduct development.Now in the second year of his PhD, Ben’s research spans multiple disciplines, bringing together marine ecology, chemistry, ruminant nutrition and bioproduct generation to investigate how algae-based systems can contribute to more sustainable production pathways. The conversation highlights how cross-disciplinary research is opening new opportunities to connect marine science with agricultural innovation, particularly in areas such as livestock nutrition and value-added bio-based products.Alongside his research, Ben shares his passion for teaching and mentoring the next generation of scientists at Murdoch University, as well as the experiences that shape his life beyond academia, including diving and running.Stay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Tarkjot KaurHost: Ben Camer-PesciIn this episode of Cultivating the Future, Ben Camer-Pesci speaks with Tarkjot Kaur, a PhD student at Murdoch University, about advancing grain yield potential in barley and oats through genetics and data-driven breeding.Growing up in a Punjabi agricultural family in India, Tarkjot developed an early connection to farming systems and crop production, experiences that continue to shape her research perspective today. Her current PhD focuses on translating knowledge of grain-yield genetics from major cereal crops such as rice, wheat and maize into barley and oats, helping unlock new opportunities to improve productivity in these important grains.The discussion explores how integrating genetic insights with machine-learning-based prediction models could enable breeders to more accurately identify high-yielding varieties and accelerate breeding progress. By combining traditional plant breeding approaches with advanced analytics, this work aims to support the development of more productive, resilient cereal crops for future farming systems.Stay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Mohitul HossainHost: Celia Spyridaki In this episode of Cultivating the Future, Celia Spyridaki speaks with Mohitul Hossain, a PhD student at the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM) at Curtin University, about the next generation of genome-enabled tools for crop disease surveillance.Mohitul shares his international academic journey, completing forestry studies across Bangladesh, Finland and Germany, before moving into plant pathology and ecophysiology research in Australia. His work now focuses on developing genome-based decision-support systems that help researchers, breeders and growers better anticipate disease risks and make more informed cultivar choices.The conversation explores how automated screening for pathogenicity effectors, combined with region-specific effector-based cultivar recommendations, could transform how crop diseases are monitored and managed. By integrating genomics, surveillance data and decision-support technologies, this research aims to deliver faster, more precise responses to emerging disease threats and strengthen the resilience of cropping systems.Stay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Chris ReedHost: Ali ZahidIn this episode of Cultivating the Future, Ali Zahid sits down with Chris Reed, a first-year PhD candidate and WAARC Scholar based at Murdoch University’s Western Crop Genetics Alliance.Chris’s research tackles a persistent challenge for Western Australian barley growers: black point, a grain defect that reduces quality and causes significant economic losses for the malting, brewing and distilling industries. Through his PhD, Chris is working to better understand the causes of black point and support the development of new malting barley varieties with improved resistance.Supervised by Professor Chengdao Li and Dr Yong Jia, Chris discusses why black point remains such a difficult problem to solve, what success would mean for growers and industry, and how applied genetics research can deliver real-world outcomes for WA agriculture.Beyond the lab, Chris reflects on balancing PhD life with family responsibilities, sharing how he juggles study and research alongside raising two young daughters with his wife, a cardiothoracic anaesthetist at Fiona Stanley Hospital. He speaks candidly about the challenges, the support systems that make it possible, and his appreciation for the opportunity to contribute to an important research gap while building new skills.Stay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Yunlong HuoHost: Angelia TanuIn this episode of Cultivating the Future, Angelia Tanu sits down with Yunlong Huo, a PhD candidate at Murdoch University, to explore his journey from industry back into research. With two Master’s degrees in animal nutrition and a decade of experience in the cattle industry, Yunlong is now focused on strengthening the downstream side of beef production. His PhD project is developing a national protocol for using CT scanning to accurately measure beef lean meat yield, creating a gold standard to train and calibrate faster, lower-cost technologies used on abattoir production lines. The work has the potential to deliver benefits right across the supply chain, from genetic selection and on-farm decision-making through to processors and end consumers.Stay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Angelia TanuHost: Yunlong HuoIn this episode of Cultivating the Future, Yunlong Huo chats with Angelia Tanu.Angelia is a CSIRO and The University of Western Australia (UWA) PhD student whose journey into agricultural science began far from the paddock, growing up in Indonesia and discovering a passion for research after moving to Western Australia. A former tennis athlete who represented UWA at UniNationals, Angelia completed both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at UWA and has worked across DPIRD, Murdoch University, CSIRO, InterGrain and UWA. Angelia’s current PhD tackles one of Australia’s most costly crop constraints - poor canola establishment - by investigating the genetics and physiology behind longer hypocotyls to enable more reliable deep sowing. Drawing on genomics, breeding, bioinformatics, and physiology, her work aims to improve canola resilience as climates become more variable and input pressures increase.Follow Angelia on LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/angelia-tanuStay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Ali ZahidHost: Chris ReedIn this episode of Cultivating the Future, Chris Reed chats with Ali Zahid.Originally from Pakistan, Ali is a PhD student at Murdoch University where he is looking into the training of generalist predators by investigating how dietary experience influences predatory behaviour of ladybird beetles.Stay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Saira AzmatHost: Montana BaddeleyIn this episode of Cultivating the Future, Montana Baddeley chats with Saira Azmat, who grew up in Pakistan and completed her early education and Masters there before moving to Western Australia for her PhD at The University of Western Australia.Saira’s research is focused entirely on agriculture, addressing some of Western Australia’s most pressing challenges, including saline soils and phosphorus-deficient landscapes that limit cereal crop production. She works specifically with barley, a key crop in the region, investigating how phosphorus affects root morphology and how plants adapt to salinity stress. Her work aims to inform better management practices and breeding strategies that are tailored to WA’s unique conditions.Stay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Ruby WieseHost: Hitashi AggarwalIn this episode of Cultivating the Future, Hitashi Aggarwal chats with Ruby Wiese, who grew up on a cropping and livestock farm near Narrogin, WA, and is now completing her PhD in agricultural science at The University of Western Australia. Ruby’s research is part of a project developing a new method for harvesting subterranean clover, a key pasture legume that buries its seeds just below the soil surface.  With current vacuum harvesting methods facing challenges like inefficiency and soil disturbance, she’s exploring a swathing-based alternative. Her work focuses on finding the optimal timing for swathing to maximise seed recovery and minimise losses. It’s innovative research with the potential to reshape how this vital pasture seed is harvested.Swathing subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) does not suck: a promising alternative to vacuum seed harvestingBuilding New Technologies for Sustainable and Profitable Sub Clover Seed HarvestingConnect with Ruby on LinkedInStay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Huyen PhamHost: Georgia WelshIn this episode of Cultivating the Future, Georgia Welsh sits down with Huyen Pham, a passionate agricultural researcher originally from Vietnam. Now in the third year of her PhD at The University of Western Australia, Huyen shares her journey from studying Agroecology in Japan to investigating how wheat roots interact with soil. Her research focuses on rhizosheath (the soil that clings to wheat roots) and how this trait can improve access to water and nutrients, particularly in acidic soils. By identifying wheat lines with larger rhizosheaths, Huyen hopes to support the development of varieties better adapted to Western Australia’s challenging conditions.Connect with Huyen on LinkedInA hidden advantage beneath the surfaceStay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Montana BaddeleyHost: Roberto Lujan RochaIn this episode of Cultivating the Future, Roberto Lujan Rocha speaks with Montana Baddeley, a PhD student at The University of Western Australia. Originally from Geraldton, Montana’s passion for livestock genetics began on her family’s horse stud and evolved into a multidisciplinary research career. Her PhD, supported by the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration (WAARC), explores the interplay between genetics, environment and management to identify the ideal ‘Super Cow’ for Australia’s rangelands - an animal that can thrive and remain productive even in drought conditions. Montana shares how she blends scientific rigour with creative thinking to develop innovative solutions for complex agricultural challenges.Connect with Montana on LinkedInStay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Hitashi AggarwalHost: Ruby WieseIn this episode of Cultivating the Future, Ruby Wiese speaks with Hitashi Aggarwal, a PhD student at Murdoch University with roots in the agricultural heartland of Punjab, India. Hitashi shares how growing up in a farming community inspired her passion for agricultural science and plant genetics. Now, her research focuses on using CRISPR/Cas gene editing to address one of wheat breeding's major challenges: its tendency to self-fertilise. By inducing male sterility and enhancing female receptivity, her work aims to pave the way for more efficient, cost-effective hybrid wheat production. This episode offers a fascinating look into how cutting-edge science is being applied to solve real-world agricultural problems.Connect with Hitashi on LinkedInStay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Georgia Welsh Host: Huyen PhamIn this episode of Cultivating the Future, Huyen Pham chats with Georgia Welsh, a 26-year-old animal production scientist and PhD candidate at Murdoch University. Georgia shares her journey from Perth city life into agriculture, driven by a passion for livestock research. Her current work focuses on improving lamb survival by using forage crops like saltbush as both shelter and nutrition during lambing. With real-world impact in mind, Georgia’s research aims to provide practical, welfare-focused guidelines for producers across Australia.She is supported by WAARC, Meat & Livestock Australia, The University of Western Australia, and CSIRO.Shade and Shelter ProjectBe part of the project - EOIs for farmersFollow Georgia's research on XStay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX

Guest: Roberto Lujan RochaHost: Montana BaddeleyWelcome to Cultivating the Future, a podcast where participants in the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration’s Postgraduate Research Scholarship Program take turns behind the mic, sharing their journeys, insights and the impact their work will have on farmers across the State.On this episode, Roberto Lujan Rocha chats to Montana Baddeley about his journey from playing professional soccer 3600 metres above sea level in Bolivia, to studying agricultural science at The University of Western Australia.Roberto's PhD is exploring how satellite imagery and farm data (like crop yield maps and soil layers) can be used to proactively predict weed patches and inform sustainable, integrated weed management strategies for Australian grain farms.He is supported by WAARC, CSIRO, the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, and the Centre for Water and Spatial Science.Find Roberto's publications hereAustralian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (AHRI)Centre for Water and Spatial ScienceSquadrone (a STEM drone education startup)Connect with Roberto on LinkedInStay up-to-date with WAARC:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookX