Dr Jim Davidson, a wheat breeder at CSIRO Plant Industry, has been awarded a 1997 CSIRO Medal in recognition of his key role in the development of a new wheat industry for Australia's high rainfall zones.
"Jim has revolutionised the geography of wheat production in Australia. Before his research, wheat was confined to the traditional low to medium rainfall regions of Australia," said Dr Jim Peacock, Chief of CSIRO Plant Industry.
"Now, wheat can be grown right across the high rainfall areas - some of the most fertile soils in Australia.
"This medal is a just recognition of the importance of Jim's research for Australian agriculture," Dr Peacock said.
The winter wheats developed by Dr Davidson are dual-purpose - they can be grazed in winter, when livestock feed is in short supply, and then recover after grazing, to produce high-yielding grain crops. This can be of critical importance for farmers - especially during marginal seasons, helping them avoid bare fields and expensive supplementary feeding.
"What we've done with the winter wheats we developed is provide farmers in high rainfall areas with wheat growing opportunities - and extra sources of income - which they didn't have before," Dr Davidson said.
"Farmers who have previously depended on grazing enterprises, can now diversify into cropping, no longer having to rely on variable, and often unpredictable, wool and meat production," Dr Davidson said.
The development of winter feed wheat varieties represents the culmination of more than 20 years work by Dr Davidson.
Dr Davidson was born in Adelaide, and received his undergraduate degree in Agricultural Science from the University of Adelaide, moving to the Waite Agricultural Research Institute for postgraduate degree. He then moved to England, completing his postgraduate education at the University of Nottingham.
Dr Davidson returned to Australia, to work with the CSIRO, where he has remained.
The winter wheat program is supported by the Australian Wheat Board, the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and royalties collected from growers.
Dr Davidson will be available for interview following the award presentation at 2pm, Tuesday 9 December at the Lehany Theatre, National Measurement Laboratory, Bradfield Road, Lindfield, Sydney.
Photographs of Dr Davidson in a field of wheat and a map of Australia illustrating high rainfall zones available on request.
(Chairman's Medal) The Infectious Bursal Disease Virus research team, led by Drs Ahmed Azad, Colin Ward and Kevin Fahey for the development of a prototype vaccine against IBDV, a major disease of poultry.
Dr Raymond Smith, for his contributions to mineral exploration; Dr Smith is an internationally recognised leader in the development of geological and geochemical exploration methods for base metals, rare metals and gold. His methods have been instrumental in such major discoveries as the Plutonic and Bronzewing gold deposits.
Mr Paul Gottlieb, for his development of the QEM*SEM system for mineral analysis; Quantitative Evaluation of Minerals by Scanning Electron Microscopy has long been recognised as the world's leading image analysis system for mineral samples; Mr Gottlieb has been the driving force in the development of QEM*SEM, and has now planned and completed the 'Next Generation' QEM*SEM system.
More information from:
Dr Jim Davidson 02 9413 7462 on Tuesday December 9 only,
02 6246 5071 after 9 Dec
Katrina Nitschke 02 6246 5323, mobile 0417 240 261