Honour for young leader
Horsham-based Agriculture Victoria researcher Joshua Fanning is the 2023 recipient of the Grains Research and Development Corporation, GRDC, Emerging Leader award.
The award recognises the commitment of an early-career professional working in the grains industry who has already contributed to the future of the industry and is emerging as an industry leader in their field of endeavour.
Dr Fanning has worked for Agriculture Victoria for 10 years and in that time has researched pulse diseases, communicating his knowledge to farmers and industry professionals regarding integrated disease management practices.
Integrated disease management combines cultural methods such as rotation, genetic tolerance and strategic fungicide applications.
Dr Fanning said he wanted to thank his mentors and colleagues, and the growers and agronomists he works with.
“Without them, I wouldn’t be here today because that’s where I get my knowledge – they push me every day,” he said.
GRDC southern panel chair Andrew Russell presented Dr Fanning with the award at the GRDC Grains Research Update in Bendigo.
“The success of the Australian grains industry is dependent on passionate young people like Dr
Fanning, leading innovation and adoption of new knowledge, technologies and practices,” Mr Russell said.
“Dr Fanning’s highly valuable mix of research expertise and the ability to communicate technical and scientific information in simple language is helping growers and agronomists rapidly respond to both the challenges and opportunities growing pulses present.
“With the growing importance of pulses in a wider geographic range, Dr Fanning’s research is more important than ever.”
Dr Fanning completed his bachelor
degree and PHD at the University of Adelaide.
His disease research started with a soil-borne disease program, focusing on root lesions and cereal cyst nematodes.
He also investigated yield losses and varietal resistance to different diseases in both cereal and pulse crops and developed an interest in pulse foliar diseases.
By 2018, Dr Fanning started a new role as a field-based pulse pathologist, while supporting the soil-borne disease program.
The role meant he worked in collaboration with pulse pathologists,
agronomists and breeders nationally.
In 2022, Dr Fanning became a research leader – plant pathology and oversees the plant pathology team.
Pulses such as chickpeas and lentils are high-value crops and integral to their success is integrated disease management.
GRDC has supported Dr Fanning to fine-tune disease management recommendations for new areas of pulse cropping, including low-rainfall zones, and communicate these to growers and their advisors.