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Two CSIRO scientists who have changed the way plant viruses worldwide are detected and controlled have won this year's Australian Medal for Agricultural Science.
Dr Dharma Shukla and Dr Colin Ward of CSIRO's Division of Biomolecular Engineering will receive the Medal from the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science(AIAS) at an award ceremony in Brisbane tonight.
"Plant diseases cost the global economy about $20 billion a year," Dr Dharma Shukla said. "The work carried out by Dr Ward and myself was on potyviruses, one of the largest and most damaging group of plant viruses. They cause losses to many crops and pastures, including soya beans, peas, lupins, sugar cane, subterranean clover and many ornamental and horticultural crops."
Dr Shukla and Dr Ward have developed a successful classification scheme for potyviruses, something that international experts had believed impossible. Their work has led to a new approach to producing virus-resistant plants by genetic engineering, and has become the basis of a system for enhancing the immune response in animals.
Their work has also led to a revision of the taxonomy of all viruses, which has important implications for improved detection and control of hepatitis C infections in humans.
The Medal will be presented to Dr Shukla and Dr Ward by the Vice President of the AIAS, Dr Brian Whelan.
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