Fungi For many years I researched the smut fungi found on native and introduced plants (mostly grasses) in Australia, but this project has not been supported for over a decade. However, an interest in the population genetics of gene-for-gene systems was maintained for several years by annual trips to Canberra to work with Jeremy Burdon.
More recently, students have worked on dung fungi (Kangaroo and Koala dung in particular), woodrotting fungi from Eucalyptus forests and freshwater fungi from polluted and unpolluted (acid rock drainage) sites near the Brukunga Pyrites mine in the Adelaide Hills. An association with a Pharmaceutical company led to surveys of endophytic fungi from native plants.

Biology and breeding of Sturt’s Desert Pea Since 1989, a project on the biology and breeding of Sturt’s Desert Pea (Swainsona formosa) has led to the development of a collection of useful genotypes (eg various flower colours, a range of growth forms, 3 different pollen sterility genes) and several breeding lines aimed at the potplant, hanging basket or cut flower market. The project is currently not being funded and so we are focussing our limited resources on the production and evaluation of F1 hybrid seed from several inbred lines, in order to identify a commercially successful F1 hybrid and generate an income stream in the future.

Ecotourism Since 1996 I have been teaching in the Ecotourism degree, and this has become my major teaching activity. Research activity in this area has involved a consultancy for the South Australian Tourism Commission, baseline flora studies for a proposed ecolodge and supervision of student projects.

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