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
    2024 Co-Supervisor Investigating the effect of shading on grapevine performance and wine quality in a vitivoltaic system Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Torian Jiang
    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 Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Joanah Midzi
    2019 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Remote Sensing Technology and Machine Learning Algorithms for Crop Yield Prediction In Bambara Groundnut and Grapevines Doctor of Philosophy under a Jointly-awarded Degree Agreement with Doctorate Full Time Mr Shaikh Yassir Yousouf Jewan
    2019 - 2024 Principal Supervisor Physiological Events that Underlie Cell Death and Shrinkage in the Grape Berry Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Lishi Cai
    2019 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Effects Of Cereal Cyst Nematode Infection on Resistant and Susceptible 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 Investigating the Role of Arabidopsis Plasma Membrane Intrinsic Protein Atpip2;1 in Seed Germination Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Hoai Phan
    2018 - 2023 Co-Supervisor The Role of Gamma-aminobutyric acid and Hydrogen peroxide in Cell Death in Grape Berry Development Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Chethana Gowder Shekharappa
    2017 - 2021 Principal Supervisor Investigating the Role of Volatile Signalling in Plant Responses to Drought Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Suzanne Laura Balacey
    2016 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Plant Aquaporins that Facilitate Cation Transport and their Regulation by Phosphorylation Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Samantha McGaughey
    2015 - 2018 Co-Supervisor A Comparative Study of Physiological and Modulators of Aquaporin ion Channels in Diverse Phyla Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mohamad Kourghi
    2014 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Functional Characterization of Wheat ALMT1Transporter and its Involvement in Extreme pH Stress Tolerance Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Muhammad Kamran
    2014 - 2017 Principal Supervisor The Role of Aquaporins in the Nitrogen Induced Hydraulic Response of Maize Roots Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jonathan Alan Wignes
    2014 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Characterisation of Cereal Transport Proteins Involved in Boron Toxicity Tolerance Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jayachandra Rongala
    2014 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Hypoxia and Cell Death in Grape Berries (Vitis vinifera L.) Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Zeyu Xiao
    2014 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Elucidation of the Ammonium Major Facilitator (AMF) Family in Plants Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Apriadi Situmorang
    2013 - 2018 Principal Supervisor The Role of Aquaporins in Plant Responses to Drought Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Johannes Daniel Scharwies
    2013 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Investigating factors that affect grapevine fruit set during abiotic stress Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Dr Satwinder Kaur
    2012 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Characterisation of a Novel Family of Eukaryotic Ammonium Transport Proteins Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Danielle Mazurkiewicz
    2012 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Water Use Efficiency in Almonds (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A Webb) Master of Agricultural Science Master Full Time Mr Vahid Rahimi-Eichi
    2012 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Functional Characterization of Nitrate Transporters in Maize Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Zhengyu Wen
    2012 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Heat Wave Mitigation Strategies for Wine Grape Production and Measures of the Impact of Heat on Berry Ripening and Wine Composition Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Luciano Ricardo Caravia Bayer
    2011 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Grapevine Reproductive Performance: The Role of Amines, and the Effect of Salt and Silicon Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Tintu Baby
    2011 - 2013 Principal Supervisor Water Transport in Grape Berry and Pre-Harvest Berry Dehydration Master of Agricultural Science Master Full Time Mr Johannes Daniel Scharwies
    2011 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Plant waterlogging: Causes, responses, adaptations and crop models. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Ruth Elizabeth Shaw
    2010 - 2013 Co-Supervisor Characterisation of a novel calcium sensor in Arabidopsis thaliana Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Bo Xu
    2010 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Investigating genes encoding membrane proteins in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) and Vitis spp. rootstocks to determine their role in chloride exclusion Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Sam Henderson
    2010 - 2013 Principal Supervisor CO2 and Ion Transport via Plant Aquaporins 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 Characterization of GmSAT1 and Related Proteins Legume Nodules Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr David Michael Chiasson
    2008 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Regulatory control of the symbiotic enhanced soybean bHLH transcription factor, GmSAT1 Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Manijeh Mohammadi Dehcheshmeh
    2008 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Direct and indirect influences of water deficit on salt uptake, ion accumulation and root-shoot interactions of grapevines. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Kerry Anne Degaris
    2007 - 2011 Co-Supervisor Diverse Functions of the HvPHT1 Phosphate Transporters and Genetic Variation in the Phosphate use Efficiency of Triticum Aestivum Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Christian Preuss
    2006 - 2010 Co-Supervisor Evaluation of Soil Hydraulic Limitations in Determining Plant-Available-Water in Light Textured Soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Sukhpal Chahal
    2004 - 2008 Co-Supervisor A Comparative Study of Cl- Transport Across the Roots of Two Grapevine Rootstocks, K 51-40 and Paulsen, Differing in Salt Tolerance Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Nasser Abbaspour
    2004 - 2008 Co-Supervisor Elucidation of a Peribacteroid Membrane-Bound bHLH Transcription Factor Required for Legume Nitrogen Fixation Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Patrick Loughlin
    2003 - 2006 Co-Supervisor Tartaric Acid Biosynthesis in Plants Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Prof Seth DeBolt
    2003 - 2008 Co-Supervisor Molybdate Transport in Plants Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Kate Fitzpatrick
    2003 - 2007 Principal Supervisor A Comparison of Water Stress-induced Xylem Embolism in Two Grapevine Cultivars, Chardonnay and Grenache, and the role of Aquaporins Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Megan Shelden
    2003 - 2008 Principal Supervisor Grapevine Root Hydraulics: The Role of Aquaporins Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Rebecca Vandeleur
    2002 - 2006 Principal Supervisor Identification of Host Genes Involved in the Biotrophic Interaction between Grapevine and Powdery Mildew Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Matthew Hayes
    2002 - 2010 Principal Supervisor Characterising weight loss in Vitis Vinifera Shiraz berries at sub-optimal maturity 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

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