I work in the field of plant genomics, building knowledge of the genetic controls of plant characteristics such as fruit colour and health compounds. My research incorporates both model plants used for fundamental research and plants of importance to New Zealand’s food sector such as apple and kiwifruit.This knowledge has been used to inform New Zealand’s fruit breeding programmes, improving efficiency by allowing breeders to select parents and offspring that hold particular genetic traits. My current research focuses on the genes controlling flower development. This characteristic is of particular importance for current and future breeding programmes as flowering in many perennial plants is triggered by a period of cold temperatures that may be impacted as the climate warms.

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  Research history and publications