Attendees at the PotatoLink R&D Forum 2023
Registration to Hort Connections is not required to attend this event.
Date: Wednesday 4 June 2025
Time: 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm (AEST)
Location: Sky Room, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Registration: Click here to register
The PotatoLink R&D forum brings together growers, agronomists, researchers, and industry partners from across the potato supply chain for a focused discussion on the latest research, development, and innovation. The event showcases Australian potato levy-funded R&D projects, highlighting practical outcomes and insights that support real-world adoption on-farm.
Designed to deliver value to both fresh and processing sectors, presentations will explore current and emerging innovations with the potential to improve productivity, pest and disease management and sustainability across the industry.
View the Program*
*Subject to slight changes.
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12:30 pm - 12:40 pm, Peter O’Brien (PotatoLink)
A short welcome to kick off the day, setting the scene for a dynamic and insightful session on innovation and practical solutions for the potato industry, as well as the latest updates from PotatoLink.
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12:40 pm – 12:55 pm, Dr Audrey Leo, Simplot
This session will provide information on a new integrated disease management program focused on limiting inoculum build-up, preventing infection and disease development, and identifying new control options. This national project will improve diagnostics, soil health, and management strategies to reduce the impact of major potato diseases, including powdery scab, common scab, pink rot, and Rhizoctonia.
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12:55 pm – 1:15 pm, Shakira Johnson (AUSVEG)
Get the latest on Tomato Potato Psyllid (TPP) in potatoes, including how to identify the pest, recognise key signs and symptoms, and how to implement effective biosecurity measures. This session will support growers and advisors in staying alert and prepared to manage potential incursions.
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1:15 pm – 1:30 pm, Professor Brajesh Singh (Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University)
This project is developing integrated, biology-based solutions to reduce economic losses from potato diseases. It focuses on validating DNA-based tools to detect pathogens and soil health indicators, improving the efficacy of biological products, and harnessing soil–plant–microbiome interactions. The program also includes strong industry engagement and training to support adoption and build capacity across the sector.
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1:30 pm – 1:50 pm, Dr Nigel Crump (AuSPICA)
Explore the potential of passive traps to improve early pest detection and monitoring of aphids, thrips and tomato potato psyllid, used to support integrated pest management in potato systems. Nigel will discuss how insect trap monitoring works and how this approach contributes to reduced chemical use and higher yield protection.
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2:05 pm – 2:20 pm, Abraham Montano (Elders)
Explore cutting-edge technologies advancing potato farming. HarvestEye 2.0 offers real-time insights into crop size, count, and yield by integrating seamlessly with harvesting equipment, enabling growers to make informed decisions during harvest. TuberScan employs advanced remote sensing, including ground-penetrating radar and drones, to monitor underground potato growth throughout the season, providing detailed data on crop health and development. Discover how these innovations can optimise yield, improve quality, and enhance efficiency in potato production.
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2:20 pm – 2:30 pm, Peter O’Brien (PotatoLink)
Meet the Speakers
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Originally trained as a horticulturist at the Hawkesbury Agricultural College, Peter also has practical farming skills, having grown potatoes, beans and asparagus on the north coast of NSW. This experience proved invaluable in his role as an extension specialist with NSW DPI, where he helped growers produce a range of vegetable crops.
This was followed by a long and successful career in supply chain management at PepsiCo. As a regional senior director, he was responsible for sourcing potatoes in Australia, New Zealand and internationally and, until recently, led the PepsiCo Asian Pacific agronomy team. He has a detailed knowledge of the Australian potato industry and aims to be a driving force in helping the Australian potato industry take full advantage of local and international research and expertise.
Peter is the national co-ordinator of the PotatoLink project, overseeing all communication and extension activities.
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Dr Audrey Leo leads several major research initiatives at Simplot Australia, where she focuses on innovation in potato production and delivering practical, science-based outcomes for the industry. With a background in plant pathology and a strong commitment to applied research, Audrey works closely with growers and research partners to address key challenges in crop health and productivity. Through her work, she has been nominated for 2025 Bayer Researcher of the Year.
She is currently collaborating with Professor Calum Wilson (Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture) and Michael Rettke (SARDI) on a new, nationally coordinated integrated disease management project for the potato industry. This project aims to improve disease control strategies and support long-term sustainability in potato production.
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Shakira Johnson coordinates the AUSVEG-PHA Farm Biosecurity Program, engaging with industry, research and government to enhance awareness, preparedness and resilience and minimise the impact of pests and pathogens not currently present or recently arrived in Australia. Shakira has a background in molecular plant pathology, data-driven decision-making to support area freedom claims and strategic coordination of cross-industry collaborative projects, research extension, and science communication.
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Through Brajesh’s fundamental research, he identifies the quantitative relationships between soil biodiversity and ecosystem/ host functions and how natural/anthropogenic pressures such climate change affect this. His applied research harnesses the knowledge gained in fundamental research to improve agriculture productivity, restoration success and environmental sustainability. Outcomes from his research have also informed multiple policy decisions at national and international levels, and he is currently working with multiple government and inter-governmental bodies including European Commission, United Nation agencies such as Food and Agriculture Authority (FAO) to support the implementation of relevant Sustainable Development Goals. He serves on UN- FAO’s Intergovernmental Panel on Soil and is the Chair of FAO- International Network on Soil Biodiversity (FAO-NETSOB).
Prof Singh has published ~ 330 scientific papers and these have been cited well above 50,000 times with h’ index of 107. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, American Academy of Microbiology, Soil Science Australia, American Society of Soil Science. He is a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher, and a Humboldt Research Awardee, AMI- Horizon Award- Dorothy Jones prize, and Arrell Global Food Innovation award winner. Read more here.
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Dr Nigel Crump is a potato pathologist with over 20 years’ experience working in the Australian potato industry. Nigel is the General Manager for the Australian Seed Potato Industry Certification Authority (AuSPICA), an industry-based organisation that operates the seed potato certification Scheme in South Australia, Victoria and northern New South Wales.
Nigel holds adjunct roles including Deputy Chair of the UN Economic Commission specialised section on seed potatoes. Recently, Nigel was appointed as a director of the World Potato Congress Inc. Research includes involvement in international projects in Vanuatu, Ethiopia, Indonesia and New Zealand.
Nigel is also the PotatoLink regional representative for eastern Victoria.
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Abe Montano is the Seed Potato Sales Manager at Elders, where he plays a pivotal role in advancing ag-tech adoption within Australia's potato industry. He has been instrumental in introducing and promoting HarvestEye™, a cutting-edge yield mapping and crop analysis system that provides real-time insights into crop performance during harvest.
Abe has shared his expertise on HarvestEye™ at industry events, including the PotatoLink webinar on yield mapping, where he discussed the system's potential to transform yield monitoring in potato farming.
With a strong background in seed potato sales and a commitment to integrating innovative technologies, Abe continues to drive advancements that benefit growers and the broader horticultural sector.
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More information
Please contact Sophia Thach, Applied Horticultural Research | 0413 937 313 | sophia.thach@ahr.com.au.
Please note that the Australian Vegetable Industry Seminar (AVIS) session is on prior to the R&D forum. The AVIS session is on from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, followed by lunch.
