April 17, 2013
Plant pathologist Mal Ryley – familiar to many South Burnett sorghum and peanut growers – has won the prestigious Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) award for excellence in grain communications in the northern region.
GRDC Northern Panel chairman James Clark said Dr Ryley was a quiet achiever who had devoted his career to combating yield-limiting diseases in summer crops.
“Mal’s plant pathology research, particularly in sorghum, is recognised both nationally and internationally,” Mr Clark said.
“The Seed of Light award is the most prestigious award bestowed by GRDC and the panel is delighted to honour Mal Ryley for his efforts in GRDC-supported research,” Mr Clark said.
Dr Ryley has worked in plant pathology for 30 years with the primary aim of developing and extending integrated management packages for diseases on a range of field crops, including sorghum, soybeans, mungbeans, peanuts and chickpeas.
The research has included studying the biology of pathogens and their interaction with the environment and host, developing fungicide spray strategies, and identifying sources of resistance in breeding lines to major pathogens.
