Dr J. Sergio Moroni

Dr Moroni graduated with a BSc (Agriculture) degree from the University of Alberta, Canada before completing a Masters and then a PhD in Plant Breeding, also at the University of Alberta.

On completing his PhD requirements Dr Moroni was appointed to NSW Agriculture (now NSW Department of Primary Industries) as a Research Agronomist, focusing on the enhancement of crop performance on soils with subsurface acidity. The main activities involved the identification and characterization of rapeseed tolerant to high manganese as well as rapeseed, wheat and barley germplasm resistant to aluminium.

Dr Moroni joined the staff of CSU from 2003 to 2008 as a Post Doctoral Research Fellow and subsequently promoted to Research Fellow. The main research areas he was involved with at this time were in:

• The contribution of subsoil constraints to canola yield decline. (A collaborative multi-agency GRDC funded project led by Dr. Mark Conyers (NSW-DPI) titled).
• Quantifying the impact of Mn toxicity on canola yield, evaluating 'canola plant vigour' and commissioning the root measurement equipment. (a Graham Centre funded project).
• Determining differences between crop species in their ability to exploit remnant lucerne biopores and to capture surface and subsoil water. (A GRDC funded project led by Professor Philip Eberbach titled "Sequencing crop rotations that best utilize biopores to control groundwater recharge and maintain dry catchments").

Dr Moroni was appointed to the position of Research Agronomist with NSW DPI in early 2008 to work on the National Brassica Germplasm Improvement Program (NBGIP) where his main area of research was in the development rapeseed (Brassica napus) germplasm adapted to water limited environments. Subsequently, Dr Moroni returned to CSU in early 2009 following his appointment to the position of Lecturer, School of at the School of Agricultural & Wine Sciences.

• NBGIP - development rapeseed (Brassica napus) germplasm adapted to water limited environments (GRDC)
• The contribution of subsoil constraints to 'canola yield decline' (GRDC)
• Manganese and aluminium tolerance of rapeseed

Member, Australian Society of Agronomy

• Plant-soil interactions at low pH
• Root and soil water dynamics
• Mineral nutrition of crop plants
• Development of crop germplasm for stressful environments

Moroni JS, Conyers M and Wratten N (2006). Resistance of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) to aluminium apparent in nutrient solution but not in soil. Proceedings of the 13th Australian Agronomy Conference September 2006, Perth Western Australia. Australian Society of Agronomy. http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2006/poster/soil/4718_moronij.htm

Moroni JS, Eberbach P and Virgona J (2006). Impact of a history of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) on the root dynamics of a subsequent canola (Brassica napus L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop. Proceedings of the 13th Australian Agronomy Conference, 10-14 September 2006, Perth, Western Australia. Australian Society of Agronomy. http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2006/poster/agronomy/4717_moronij.htm

Conyers M, Helyar K, and Moroni JS (2005). The carbon cost of protecting the root apex from soil acidity: a theoretical framework. Plant and Soil 278, 195-204.

Raman H, Zhang K, Cakir M, Appels R, Garvin DF, Maron LG, Kochian LV, Moroni JS , Raman R, Imtiaz M, Drake-Brockman F, Waters I, Martin P, Sasaki T, Yamamoto Y, Matsumoto H, Hebb DM, Delhaize E and Ryan PR (2005) Molecular characterization and mapping of ALMT1 , the aluminium-tolerance gene of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Genome 48 , 781-791.

Raman H, Imtiaz M, Stodart B, Zhang K, Moroni JS , Mackay M and Martin P (2005). Haplotyping of the aluminium stimulated malate transporter gene (ALMT1) involved in aluminium tolerance in diverse wheat genotypes. 2005. Plant and Animal Genomes XIII Conference. January 15-19, 2005 Town and Country Convention Center San Diego, CA.