Agricultural & Wine Sciences

Teaching  Interests

• Plant pathology
• Microbiology
• Plant breeding and genetics

Research Interests

Plant pathology is of crucial concern to all those who are directly involved in the growth of plants and the distribution and use of their products. The science of plant pathology is concerned with the study of the causative agents, the mechanisms of disease, the interactions of the agents and the plants and their management. Plant diseases can reduce both the quantity and quality of produce and thus their management is important to all farmers involved in cropping.

My primary goals as a plant pathologist are to:

• Identify and determine the risk posed by diseases in various crops. Research projects such as those on pistachio, canola, jojoba and rice supply information to industry on the likely impact of diseases that are present in Australia and those which present a quarantine risk.
• Explore innovative approaches to management of diseases and weeds. At Charles Sturt University I have been particularly active in the area of biological control using biopesticides. This research is unique in Australia. Furthermore, we have developed extensive networks with commercial companies such as Grow Choice, Biotech Ventures, Seed Solutions, BioCare, Soilwise and New Edge Microbials. Most recently agreements are being developed with Novozymes and Becker Underwood.
• Be responsive to the needs of research stakeholders. Much of my research has arisen through my involvement in grower and research orientated communication forums. This has allowed me to develop research plans that are aligned with current end-user needs.

Provide facilities, scholarships and exciting research projects for graduate students. A large percentage of my students (including honours students) have been recipients of scholarships provided through my research grants. These projects are often industry focussed and provide exciting opportunities for student research.

• Expand the reputation of our group as a provider of plant pathology research and education. The reputation of our group has been enhanced through the involvement of myself and research students at a large number of national and international conferences and the securing of a number of nationally competitive grants.This has been further wnhanced through the formation of the Wagga Wagga Plant Pathology Group.
• My long-term goal is to establish a group that is seen as one of the premier groups to undertake postgraduate studies and research in plant pathology and biopesticides in Australia. This will be achieved through a commitment to building a flexible team that uses a variety of methodologies to solve industry problems.

Recent Publications

Refereed Publications (2000-2010)

Book Chapters

Ash, G.J. (2002). Biopesticides. In Encyclopaedia of Pest Management. D. Pimentel (ed.) Marcel Dekker, NY. NY. pp. 85-88.

Ash, G.J. (2003). Pest and Disease Management. In Principles of Field Crop Production. J.E. Pratley (ed). Oxford University Press. pp. 378-417.

R.G.Shivas, E.J.Cother, G.J.Ash, J.D.Ray & K.V??nky (2007). Tilletia australiensis sp. nov.,In Fungi of Australia : The Smut Fungi. (V??nky, K., Shivas, R.G. and Beasley, D.) CSIRO Publishing. 234-235

Ash, G.J. and Wang A. (2011). Biopesticides. In Encyclopedia of Environmental Management. S.E. Jorgensen (ed.) Taylor & Francis, NY. NY. - in press

Journal Publications

Ash, G. 2000. Blackleg of oilseed rape. The Plant Health Instructor. DOI: 10.1094/PHI-I-2000-1111-01. (http://www.apsnet.org/education/LessonsPlantPath/BlacklegCanola/Top.htm)

Ash, G. 2000. Downy mildew of grape. The Plant Health Instructor. DOI: 10.1094/PHI-I-2000-1112-01 (http://www.apsnet.org/education/LessonsPlantPath/GrapeDowny/Top.htm)

Gellatly, K.S., Ash, G.J. and Taylor, J.L. 2001. A comparison of methods for mRNA differential display in the phytopathogenic, filamentous fungus, Leptosphaeria maculans. Canadian Journal of Microbiology. 47, 955-960.

Lanoiselet, V., Cother, E.J., Ash, G.J. and van de Ven, R. 2001. Production, germination and infectivity of chylamydospores of Rhynchosporium alismatis. Mycological Research. 105: 441-446.

Vaughan, S.J., Steel, C.C. and Ash, G.J. 2001. Apparent degradation of pyrimethanil by Botrytis cinerea and other fungi on agar plates. Australasian Plant Pathology 30, 367-368.

Hind, T.L, Ash, G.J. and Murray, G.M. 2001. Sclerotinia minor on canola petals in New South Wales ??? a possible airborne mode of infection by ascospores? Australasian Plant Pathology 30, 289-290.

Ash G.J. and Lanoiselet V.M. 2001. First report of Colletotrichum acutatum causing a leaf spot and hull rot of Pistachio in New South Wales. Australasian Plant Pathology. 30, 365-366.

Ash G.J. and Lanoiselet V.M. 2001. First report of Alternaria alternata causing lateblight of Pistachio (Pistacia vera) in Australia. Plant Pathology. 50, 803.

Lanoiselet, V. M., Ash, G. J., Cother, E. J., Priest, M. J. and Watson, A. 2001. First report of Waitea circinata causing sheath spot and Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae causing aggregate sheath spot on rice in south eastern Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology. 30, 369-370.

Lanoiselet, V.M., Cother, E.J. and Ash, G.J. 2002. CLIMEX and DYMEX simulations of the potential occurrence of the rice blast disease in south eastern Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology. 31, 1-7.

Jahromi, F.G., Cother, E.J. and Ash, G.J. 2002. Early infection process of Damasonium minus by the potential mycoherbistat Rhynchosporium alismatis. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology. 24, 1-6.

Jahromi, F, Ash, G.J. and Cother, E.J. 2002. Genetic variability between populations of starfruit (Damasonium minus) as determined by simple sequence repeats. Plant Protection Quarterly. 17(4), 151-154.

Lanoiselet, V.M., Cother, E.J., Ash, G.J. and Harper, J.D.I. 2002. First report of Sclerotium hydrophilum on leaf sheath of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in south eastern Australia. Plant Pathology. 51, 813.

Hind, T.L., Ash G.J. and Murray. G.M. 2003. Prevalence of Sclerotinia stem rot of canola in New South Wales. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture. 43(2): 163-168.

Ash, G.J., Raman, R. and Crump, NS 2003. An investigation of genetic variation in Carthamus lanatus in New South Wales, Australia, using intersimple sequence repeats (ISSR) analysis. Weed Research. 43(3): 208-213.

Albiston, A, Ash, G.J., Cother, E.J., Bentley, S. and Pattemore, J. 2003. First report of collar rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum in Australian jojoba plantations. Australasian Plant Pathology. 32: 319-320.

Peters, B.J., Ash, G. J., Cother, E. J., Hailstones, D., Noble, D. H. and Urwin. N. A. R. 2004. Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola in Australia: pathogenic, phenotypic and genetic diversity. Plant Pathology. 53,73-79.

Cother, E.J., Noble, D., Peters, B.J. Albiston, A. and Ash, G.J. 2004. A new bacterial disease of Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) caused by Burkholderia andropogonis. Plant Pathology. 53: 129-135.

Ash, G.J., Cother E.J. and Tarleton J. 2004. Variation in lanceleaved waterplantain (Alisma lanceolatum With.)in southeastern Australia. Weed Science. 52(3): 413???417.

Jahromi, F.J., Ash, G.J. and Cother, E.J. 2004. Factors affecting disease development by Rhynchosporium alismatis in starfruit (Damasonium minus), a weed of rice. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 14(3): 281-290.

Pitt, W.M., Goodwin, S.B., Ash, G.J., Cother, N.J., Cother, E.J. 2004. Plectosporium alismatis comb. nov., a new placement for the Alismataceae pathogen Rhynchosporium alismatis. Mycological Research, 108(7): 775-780.

Pitt, W.M., Cother, E.J., Cother, N.J., Ash, G.J. 2004. Infection process of Plectosporium alismatis on host and non-host species in the Alismataceae. Mycological Research, 108(7): 837-845.

Cliquet, S., Ash, G.J. and Cother, E.J. 2004. Production of chlamydospores and conidia in submerged culture by Rhynchosporium alismatis, a mycoherbicide of Alismataceae in rice crops. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 14 (8): 801-810.

Ash, G.J., Albiston, A. and Cother E.J. 2005. Aspects of jojoba agronomy and management. Advances in Agronomy. 85: 409-436.

Lanoiselet V. M., Cother E. J., Cother N. J., Ash G.J. and Harper J.D.I. 2005. Comparison of two total cellular fatty acid analysis protocols to differentiate between isolates of Rhizoctonia oryzae and R. oryzae-sativae. Mycologia. 97(1): 77-83.

Lanoiselet, V. M., Cother, E. J, Ash, G. J., Hind-Lanoiselet, T. L., Murray G. M. and Harper, J. D. I. 2005. Prevalence and survival of Rhizoctonia spp., causal agents of sheath diseases of rice in Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology. 34(2): 135-142.

Lanoiselet, V. M., Cother, E.J., Ash, G. J., and Harper, J. D. I. 2005. Yield loss potential and chemical control of two rhizoctonia sheath diseases on rice. Australasian Plant Pathology. 34(2): 175-179.

Hind-Lanoiselet, T.L., Lanoiselet, V.M., Lewington, F., Ash, G. J. and Murray, G. M. 2005. Survival of Sclerotinia under fire. Australasian Plant Pathology. 34(2): 311-317.

Pitt, W.M., Ash, G.J., Cother, E.J. 2005. A preliminary population structure analysis of Plectosporium alismatis, a potential biocontrol agent for Alismataceae weeds in Australian rice crops. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology, 27(1): 167-168.

Pitt, W.M., Taylor, J.L., Ash, G.J., Cother, E.J. 2005. Putative transformation of the Alismataceae pathogen, Plectosporium alismatis. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology, 27(1): 168.

Jahromi, F., Van de Ven, R., Cother, E.J. and Ash, G.J. 2006. The interaction between Plectosporium alismatis and sublethal doses of bensulfuron-methyl reduces the growth of starfruit (Damasonium minus) in rice. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 16(9): 929-940

Yang, S., Pang, W., Ash, G.J., Harper, J., Carling, J., Wenzl, P., Huttner, E., Zong, X. and Kilian, A. 2006. Low level of genetic diversity in cultivated Pigeonpea compared to its wild relatives is revealed by Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT). Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 113(4): 585-595 (ISI = 3.063)

Lanoiselet, V.M., Cother, E.J. and Ash, G.J. 2007. Aggregate sheath spot and sheath spot of rice. Crop Protection. 26(6): 799-808

Teshler, M.P., Ash, G.J., Zolotarov, Y. and Watson, A.K. 2007. Increased shelf life of a bioherbicide through combining modified atmosphere packaging and low temperatures. Biocontrol Science and Technology, 17 (4): 387-400

Li, M., Murray, G.M. and Ash, G.J. 2007. New root diseases of canola in Australia. Australasian Plant Disease Notes. 2(1) : 93???94

Wunderlich, N., Ash, G.J., Harper, J.D.I., Cowley, R.B. and Luckett, D.J. 2008. A resistant variety of Lupinus albus prolongs the pre penetration phase of Pleiochaeta setosa infection of roots. Australasian Plant Pathology. 37(4): 387???391.

Ash, G.J., Chung, Y.R., McKenzie, C. and Cother, E.J. 2008. A phylogenetic and pathogenic comparison of potential biocontrol agents for weeds in the family Alismataceae from Australia and Korea. Australasian Plant Pathology. 37(4): 402???405

Y. Qiu, Y. Savocchia, S., Steel, C.C. and Ash, G.J. 2008. Botryosphaeria dothidea associated with grapevine trunk disease in south-eastern Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology. 37(5): 482???485.

Gan MJT, Ash GJ, Cowley RB, Savocchia S, and Luckett DJ. (2009). Genetic variation of Pleiochaeta setosa from Lupinus albus. Australasian Plant Pathology. 38 (5): 518-524.

Wunderlich N, Savocchia S, Steel, C. C. Ash, G. J. and Raman, H. (2009). Identification of Botryosphaeria spp. and first report of Dothiorella viticola ('Botryosphaeria' viticola) associated with bunch rot in Australia. Phytopathologia Mediterranea. 48(1): 162-162

Ash, G.J. (2010). The science, art and business of successful bioherbicides. Biological Control. 52: 230-240

Ash, G.J., Stodart, B., Sakuanrungsirikul, S., Anschaw, E., Crump, N., Hailstones, D. and Harper, J.D.I. (2010). Genetic characterisation of a novel Phomopsis sp., a putative biocontrol agent for Carthamus lanatus . Mycologia. 102: 54-61.

Connolly, J.H., Stodart, B.J. and Ash, G.J. (2010). Genotypic analysis of Mucor from the platypus in Australia. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 46: 55-69.

Cowley, R.B., Ash, G.J., Harper, J.D.I., and Luckett, D.J. (2010) Evidence that Diaporthe toxica infection of Lupinus albus is an emerging concern for the Australian lupin industry. Australasian Plant Pathology. 39: 146-153.

Shaheen, I. S., Abu-Dieyeh, M.H., Ash, G.J. and Watson, A.K. (2010). Physiological characterization of the dandelion bioherbicide, Sclerotinia minor IMI 344141. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 20: 57-76.

Cother, E.J., Noble, D.H., van de Ven, R.J., Lanoiselet, V.L., Ash, G.J., Vuthy, N., Visarto, P. and Stodart, B. (2010). Bacterial pathogens of rice in the Kingdom of Cambodia and description of a new pathogen causing a serious sheath rot disease. Plant Pathology. Doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3059.2010.02310.x.

West, E.R., Cother, E.J., Steel, C.C. and Ash, G.J. (2010). The characterisation and diversity of bacterial endophytes of grapevines. Canadian Journal of Microbiology. 56: 209-216.

Gurr, G.M., Horne, P., Page, J., Pilkington, L.J. and Ash, G.J. (2010). (Special Issue Introduction) Australia and New Zealand Biological Control Conference: Emerging Themes, Future Prospects. Biological Control. 52: 195-197.

Li, P; Ash, GJ; Ahn, B, and Watson, A.K. (2010) Development of strain specific molecular markers for the Sclerotinia minor bioherbicide strain IMI 344141. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 20: 939-959.

Ash, G.J. (20101. Biological control of weeds with mycoherbicides in the age of genomics. Pest Technology.(in press)

Y. Qiu, Y., Steel, C.C., Ash, G.J. and Savocchia, S (2011). Survey of Botryosphaeriaceae associated with grapevine decline in the Hunter Valley and Mudgee grape growing regions of New South Wales. Australasian Plant Pathology. (in press).

13 Journal publications prior to 2000; 132 conference papers in total