Hey y’all, This September, I had the privilege of attending the third Global Sorghum Conference in Lubbock, Texas, hosted by Texas Tech University in partnership with the Global Sorghum Association. The conference has become a genuine global fixture for the sorghum community, first held in South Africa in 2018, then France in 2023 and now the USA in 2026. This

I recently presented my PhD research at the International Conference on Mycorrhiza (ICOM) in Cairns. My presentation focused on genetic variation in mycorrhiza-related genes across different sorghum racial groups. ICOM brought together researchers working across a diverse range of areas in mycorrhizal research from different countries. The conference included sessions covering different aspects of mycorrhizal biology, which provided a valuable

National Science Week was this month, and many STEM professionals found ourselves communicating our research to the public. Our communication can be direct, such as public presentations and school activities, but it can also be indirect, explaining our research to professional science communicators. These communicators include journalists, science writers, and increasingly, podcast hosts and influencers. These communicators talk to us and

When planning a plant experiment, one of the most important decisions is made before any data are collected: what should we measure? The value of an experiment depends not only on how much data are collected, but also on selecting the types of measurements that are most informative for addressing the research question. Mathematical models connect plant biology with data.

Last week we held the 2026 Plant Success Research Retreat and Capacity Building Workshops in Kingscliff. This was the fifth in-person Retreat (we did hold one online in 2021 during COVID-19, but I am sure we would all rather forget that period). The Retreats provide a rare opportunity to step away from our day-to-day demands and immerse ourselves in all things Plant

High-quality experiments conducted by the Centre for Plant Success require state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Plant Futures Facility (PFF) at The University of Queensland’s St Lucia campus. So, what is hidden behind that award-winning brick wall? And how can this facility support the Centre? The PFF operates like a hotel for plants, although some users might rather consider it a

Sorghum farmers in drier regions face a subtle problem. When water is limited, the standard approach is to space plants further apart, so each one has more soil moisture. The difficulty is that sorghum plants with extra space respond by producing more shoot branches, known as tillers. Those extra tillers use water early in the season, before grain filling, and

Every gram of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser comes at a cost of energy, money, and carbon emissions. Over the past 50 years, this natural process has been overshadowed by industrial production and use of industrial fertilisers, which have become essential for food security but undermine environment and human health. There is a pressing need to explore more sustainable solutions that can