Internationally renowned NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Senior Plant Pathologist, Dr. Kevin Moore, is calling it a day on his stellar career with 55 years of significant contribution to the nation's valuable grains and pulse industry.
NSW DPI Director General Scott Hansen congratulated Dr. Kevin Moore on being one of the longest serving plant pathologists in Australia, dedicating over half a century of hard work, research, development, innovation and extension to deliver sustainable farming systems.
"Dr Moore has made exceptional contributions in developing crop disease management strategies, diagnostics and extension in crop protection throughout Australasia," Mr Hansen said.
"His applied research, knowledge, enthusiasm and dedication to plant pathology has played a pivotal role in establishing and nurturing the lucrative NSW pulse industry.
"Dr Moore's rapid development of integrated disease management strategies to assist chickpea growers to respond to a national outbreak of Ascochyta blight in 1998 was critical to ensuring the industry's continued viability.
"The chickpea industry in northern NSW and southern Queensland expanded in the following seasons, and since that time, Dr Moore has worked closely with DPI's chickpea breeding team to develop more disease resistant varieties.
Mr Hansen said adoption of Dr Moore's research findings and his collaboration with the world class NSW DPI chickpea breeding program has resulted in the release of varieties that have increased Ascochyta blight resistance which has supported the expansion of chickpea production in northern NSW.
"Dr Moore has also contributed to disease management strategies for significant pathogens, including Phytophthora, Botrytis and Sclerotinia in chickpea. He has a strong focus on the extension of his research findings to growers, which has seen much of Dr Moore's work adopted by industry," he said.
"Dr Moore's endeavours including providing comprehensive plant disease diagnostic services and conducting disease diagnostic workshops have increased disease awareness among growers.
"He is regarded as an international authority on diseases of winter pulses, particularly chickpeas, and he has refereed numerous scientific papers for Australian and international journals."
NSW DPI continues to support NSW pulse growers with pathology teams based at Tamworth and Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institutes.
"Recently, Ms Hayley Wilson has been appointed to maintain pathology capacity at Tamworth and will be mentored by senior pathologists at DPI. Hayley will be the main contact for chickpea growers for any diagnostic support following Dr Moore's retirement," Mr Hanson said.
"NSW DPI will also continue to undertake R&D to support integrated disease management by growers of pathogens in chickpeas."
Mr Hansen said NSW DPI wishes Kevin a very long, happy and healthy retirement, with time to reflect on a career that contributed so much to the global grains and pulse industry.
"Growers and agronomists will benefit long into the future from the chickpea disease management packages developed by Dr Kevin Moore."
Dr Moore's tireless efforts and invaluable research has been acknowledged with the receipt of numerous accolades, including the 2002 GRDC Seed of Light Award for excellence in communication in grains industry research; 2005 Pulse Australia Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to the Australian Pulse Industry; 2010 Brownhill Cup as part of the chickpea breeding team in recognition of their outstanding contribution into the research, development and extension of chickpea breeding and disease management; and 2017 Lester Burgess Award for Diagnostics and Extension by the Australasian Plant Pathology Society Management Committee.
Photo caption: NSW DPI Dr Kevin Moore retires from stellar career with 55 years significant contribution to the nation's valuable grains and pulse industry
