Stephen Tyerman

Professor Stephen Tyerman

Emeritus Professor

School of Agriculture, Food and Wine

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Professor Steve Tyerman has researched nutrition, salinity, and water relations in plants. He has received several awards for his plant physiology research including the prestigious Peter Goldacre Award from the Australian Society of Plant Scientists and was elected as a fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2003. He is recognised as a highly cited author by the American Society of Plant Biologists (2009-2013). He is currently head of the Department of Plant Science at the University of Adelaide and a chief investigator in the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, running a node of the Centre at the University of Adelaide. Steve earned his BSc (Hons) and his PhD from the University of Sydney. He is an associate editor for Plant Cell and Environment and Functional Plant Biology. He has also served as Associate editor for Plant Physiology and Journal of Experimental Botany. With Patrick Iland, Peter Dry and Tony Profit he co-authored the recent book: The Grapevine: from the science to the practice of growing vines for wine, which was awarded an OIV prize.

Overview

My research is broadly focused on solute and water transport, signaling processes in plants and wine grape physiology. My specific research aims include:
  • To understand how aquaporins are regulated in plants and the signalling that coordinates root and shoot water transport.
  • Exploring how GABA signaling controls plant transporters.
  • Exploring the selectivity of plant aquaporins.
  • Exploring the energy costs of water and anion transport in plants.
  • Exploring  transport systems for phosphate and their integration with the whole-plant phosphate regulatory system.
  • Identification and characterisation of novel transporters involved in biotrophic interactions.
  • To understand the molecular and physiological events that underlie cell death in the grape berry (ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production).
  • To develop new tools and sensors for viticulture (Vineyard of the Future Initiative).
  • To develop mitigation strategies for grape growing in response to warming and heatwaves.

My group shares lab facilities with A/Prof Matt Gilliham forming the Plant Signalling and Transport Group at the University of Adelaide. Together we also form the Adelaide node of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology. We are also a node of the ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production.

Publications and Google Scholar Data

Chief Investigator and Uinversity of Adeladie Node Leader, ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology  2014-2020

Chief Investigator, ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production: responding to climate, water, market and economic challenges.

Chief Investigator, ARC Linkage Grant, Transport systems that underpin nitrogen efficient maize.

Chief Investigator, Wine Australia Grant, Optimising vine balance in Australian vineyards: developing a toolbox for industry to ensure best practice, sustainability and profitability.

Chief Investigator, Collaboration Pathways Program, SA Premier’s Research and Industry fund.

 

Various Viticulture and Plant Physiology courses.

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2025 Co-Supervisor Establishing light-activated channelrhodopsins as a discovery tool for guard cell signaling Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Yunti Ge
    2023 Co-Supervisor Finding the Missing Links in Salt and Water Transport in Plants Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Zhale Hekmati
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2020 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Inter-Vine Signalling via Plant Volatiles (UA, ICHDR1) Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Joanah Midzi
    2019 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Unmanned Aerial Systems-Based Remote Sensing for Monitoring Growth and Development of Underutilized Crops Doctor of Philosophy under a Jointly-awarded Degree Agreement with Doctorate Full Time Dr Shaikh Yassir Yousouf Jewan
    2019 - 2024 Principal Supervisor Molecular and Physiological Events that Underlie Cell Death in the Grape Berry Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Lishi Cai
    2019 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Cereal Cyst Nematode Resistance in Barley Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Ms Monica Adu-Gyamfi
    2018 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Molecular Epidemiology and Physiology of Shiraz Disease with an Emphasis on Grapevine Virus A Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Qi Wu
    2018 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Exploring The Roles of Dual Water in Channels Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Hoai Phan
    2018 - 2023 Co-Supervisor To Study "The role of Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) and GABA (Gamma amino butyric acid) in cell death and berry shrivel under drought stress in grape berry development" Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Chethana Gowder Shekharappa
    2017 - 2021 Principal Supervisor Volatile signaling in grapevines under water stress Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Suzanne Laura Balacey
    2016 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Investigating Aquaporins Linked to Drought Tolerance Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Samantha McGaughey
    2015 - 2018 Co-Supervisor The effect of bumetanide derivative on ion channel activity of Aquaporin 1 Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mohamad Kourghi
    2014 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Gaba Signalling in Plants Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Muhammad Kamran
    2014 - 2017 Principal Supervisor The Role of Aquaporins in Nitrogen Transport in Maize Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jonathan Alan Wignes
    2014 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Wheat Borate Transport Proteins Involved in Boron Toxicity Tolerance Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jayachandra Rongala
    2014 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Cell Death in Grape Berries Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Zeyu Xiao
    2014 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Elucidation of a Putative Ammonium Transport Protein in Arabidopsis Thaliana Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Apriadi Situmorang
    2013 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Water Relations and Regulation in Plants Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Johannes Daniel Scharwies
    2013 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Improving Fruitset of Grapevine Under Abiotic Stress Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mrs Satwinder Kaur
    2012 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Functional Analysis of Nitrate and Ammonium Transports from Maize Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Danielle Doreen Mazurkiewicz
    2012 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Water Use Efficiency of Almonds Master of Agricultural Science Master Full Time Mr Vahid Rahimi-Eichi
    2012 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Nitrogen Transport in Maize Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Zhengyu Wen
    2012 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Grapevine Physiology, Assessing Berry Shrivel Mechanising Under Climate Change Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Luciano Ricardo Caravia Bayer
    2011 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Role of Nutrients and Plant Growth Regulators in Grapevine Reproduction Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Tintu Baby
    2011 - 2013 Principal Supervisor Water Relations of Grape Berries Master of Agricultural Science Master Full Time Mr Johannes Daniel Scharwies
    2011 - 2015 Co-Supervisor The Effects of High Salinity and Low Aeration caused by Waterlogging on Crop Root Distribution Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Ruth Elizabeth Shaw
    2010 - 2013 Co-Supervisor Investigate the Mechanism and Regulation of Cell-Specific Nutrient Storage Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Bo Xu
    2010 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Understanding Grapevine Salinity Tolerance at the Molecular Level Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Sam Henderson
    2010 - 2013 Principal Supervisor Drought and Salt Responses in Grapevine Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Manchun Zhao
    2010 - 2015 Co-Supervisor The Role of Calcium in the Cell Wall of Grape Berries Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Brad Hocking
    2009 - 2012 Co-Supervisor Legume Nitrogen Fixation Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr David Michael Chiasson
    2008 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Nitrogen Fixation in Soybean Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Manijeh Mohammadi Dehcheshmeh
    2008 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Partial Root Zone. Drying Impacts on Salinity Stress in Grapguings Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Kerry Anne Degaris
    2007 - 2011 Co-Supervisor Phosphorus Use Effeciency and Drought Resistance in Wheat: Through an Understanding of Root Traits Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Christian Preuss
    2006 - 2010 Co-Supervisor Plant Response to Soil Physical Constraints Affecting Soil Water Availability Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Sukhpal Chahal
    2004 - 2008 Co-Supervisor Plant Physiology/Membrane Transport/Salt Stress Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Nasser Abbaspour
    2004 - 2008 Co-Supervisor Nutrient Transport across Biotrophic Members Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Patrick Loughlin
    2003 - 2006 Co-Supervisor Tartaric acid metabolism in grape berries Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Prof Seth DeBolt
    2003 - 2008 Co-Supervisor Molybdenum Transport in plants Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Kate Gridley
    2003 - 2007 Principal Supervisor A novel based plant sensor to monitor wine water stress Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Megan Shelden
    2003 - 2008 Principal Supervisor Role of Aquaporins in changes in root hydraulics in grapevines Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Rebecca Vandeleur
    2002 - 2006 Principal Supervisor Gene induction of the powdery mildew/grapevine biotropic interphace Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Matthew Hayes
    2002 - 2010 Principal Supervisor Defining the Problem of Shiraz Berry Weight Loss at Sub-optimal Maturity(CRCV Project 2.4.1) Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Jo Tilbrook
  • Position: Emeritus Professor
  • Phone: 83136663
  • Email: steve.tyerman@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83130431
  • Campus: Waite
  • Building: Plant Research Centre, floor 2
  • Org Unit: School of Agriculture, Food and Wine

Connect With Me
External Profiles

Other Links