Rob has been with CCDM since 2015 and his research focuses on foliar diseases of pulse crops. Rob currently leads a project on chickpea ascochyta blight with studies on pathogen genomics, molecular pathology, and host resistance.
Rob is optimistic about the prospects for pulses in Australia and the value of molecular sciences in understanding how pathogens infect crops and how plants defend themselves. "There is great potential for applying a molecular approach to understanding and managing chickpea ascochyta, as has been adopted for canola blackleg disease".