Southern Cross University proudly welcomed academic colleagues from Korea for the combined SCU–Sejong University Plant Science Symposium.
The multi-day event was attended by a delegation from Sejong University (Seoul), Inha University (Incheon) and Pusan National University (Pusan). The program included a one-day symposium on the Monday, followed by tours of Southern Cross University's rice research fields, tea tree and coffee trial plantations, macadamia greenhouse, and the Analytical Research Laboratory the next day.
Wednesday was reserved for in-depth bilateral discussions among individual researchers, while on Thursday the Korean visitors were given a chance to explore the beautiful Northern Rivers, including Byron Bay.
Korean delegates – Dr Joong Hyoun Chin, Dr Kyung Do Kim, Dr Hyun Uk Kim and Dr Hyun-Seung Park – from Sejong University's Phytochemical Digital Breeding Lab (PDLB) presented their extensive research on milk thistle at the symposium. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) is best known for containing silymarin, a natural compound that helps protect the liver and acts as an antioxidant. This is why milk thistle has been used in traditional and modern pharmacological research. Using chromosome-level genome analysis, they identified key genes linked to silymarin content, chemotypes and seed fatty acid composition, providing a foundation for precision breeding of high-value milk thistle varieties.
Dr Jinmi Yoon spoke about the molecular networks underlying early seed development in rice, while Dr Lae-Hyeon Cho discussed internal nutrient signalling by sucrose in the molecular control of rice flowering.
Southern Cross University Harvest to Health Research Cluster members Professor Tobias Kretzschmar, Professor Bronwyn Barkla, Dr Jos Mieog, Dr Jay Anderson, Dr Szabolcs Lehoczki-Krsjak and Dr Kwanho Jeong presented their breeding, genomics and pathology work across a range of natural product and functional food crops, including cannabis, tea tree, blueberry, avocado, rice and macadamia. At the Tuesday field visits they showed hands-on examples of black rice trials, new machinery for rice and macadamia harvesting, macadamia genetic resource propagation, coffee variety selection and how to identify tea tree varieties by smell.
"This symposium aimed to strengthen collaboration between Southern Cross University and Sejong University in Korea and to establish deeper partnerships in crop research. The event further advanced the potential for meaningful and sustained collaboration between the two institutions," said Dr Kwanho Jeong.
Southern Cross University and Sejong University of Korea have agreed to work closely together to promote the progressive development of both institutions through joint research, student supervision, and exchange programs, and this partnership is expected to serve as a foundation for broader research collaboration between Australia and Korea.
