Overview
Background
- Professor Wade graduated with BAgrSc (Hons) in Crop Agronomy from the University of Queensland, a PhD in Crop Science from the University of Western Australia, and Research Fellowships to the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics in India, and Texas A&M University in the USA. Len was based at Emerald with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries from 1974 to 1993, as Agronomist, then Senior and Principal Agronomist. From 1993 to 2002, Len moved to the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, as Agronomist/Physiologist, Rainfed Consortium Coordinator, and Program Leader for Rainfed-Lowland and Flood-Prone Ecosystem Programs across South and South-East Asia. For five years, Professor Wade was GRDC Chair in Crop Agronomy at the University of Western Australia, before joining Charles Sturt University as Strategic Research Professor in Farming Systems, Crop Physiology and Crop Improvement, from 2007 to 2016. Since July 2016, Len has been Honorary Professor at The University of Queensland in the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, to facilitate his continuing professional engagement via mentoring of younger colleagues, assistance to international projects, publication in international journals, editorial advisory boards of Field Crops Research and Crop and Environment, and consultant to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Len's paper on perennial rice, which was published in Nature Sustainability in November 2022, was identified as Runner-Up for Science Breakthrough of the Year by the journal, Science. Len presented an invited lecture on this work to the American Academy for the Advancement of Science at the Breakthrough of the Year Celebrations in Washington DC in March 2023. Recently, Len has been included in Research.Com's list of best scientists in Plant Science and Agronomy, with world ranking 1554, national ranking 139 and D = 48.
Availability
- Honorary Professor Len Wade is:
- Not available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours), The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Western Australia
Research interests
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Farming Systems
Resource balance and sustainability, systems integration and delivery, farmer perception and adoption, and farmer livelihood and food security.
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Crop Physiology
Avoidance and tolerance strategies for drought (and heat), roots and water extraction, osmotic adjustment and water-soluble carbohydrates, genotype-by-environment interactions, associated genetics QTL and genomic hotspots.
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Crop Improvement
Development of dual-purpose perennial grain crops for grain and grazing, including systems flexibility, sustainability and integration with livestock.
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Across Ecosystems
Comparable interests across rice-based systems in sub-humid environments, wheat-based systems in mediterranean environments, and maize- and sorghum-based systems in sub-humid and semi-arid environments, for synergistic benefits.
Works
Search Professor Len Wade’s works on UQ eSpace
1993
Journal Article
Radiation-use efficiency among grain sorghum cultivars and plant densities
Rosenthal, W.D., Gerik, T.J. and Wade, L.J. (1993). Radiation-use efficiency among grain sorghum cultivars and plant densities. Agronomy Journal, 85 (3), 703-705. doi: 10.2134/agronj1993.00021962008500030034x
1993
Journal Article
Variation among sorghum hybrids in the plant density required to maximise grain yield over environments
Wade, L.J., Douglas , A.C.L. and Bell, K.L. (1993). Variation among sorghum hybrids in the plant density required to maximise grain yield over environments. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 33 (2), 185-191. doi: 10.1071/EA9930185
1993
Journal Article
Defining traits for selection using isopopulations of sorghum
Wade, L. J., Douglas, A. C.L. and Mayer, D. G. (1993). Defining traits for selection using isopopulations of sorghum. Euphytica, 72 (1-2), 73-85. doi: 10.1007/BF00023775
1993
Journal Article
Response of germination to temperature amongst diverse sorghum hybrids
Wade, L.J., Hammer, G.L. and Davey, M.A. (1993). Response of germination to temperature amongst diverse sorghum hybrids. Field Crops Research, 31 (3-4), 295-308. doi: 10.1016/0378-4290(93)90068-X
1992
Journal Article
Optimising cultural practices for grain sorghum in relation to climatic risk at three locations in the United States, using the Sorkam model
Gerik, T. J., Wade, L. J., Rosenthal, W. D. and Vanderlip, R. L. (1992). Optimising cultural practices for grain sorghum in relation to climatic risk at three locations in the United States, using the Sorkam model. Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, 33 (5-6), 415-419. doi: 10.1016/0378-4754(92)90130-9
1991
Conference Publication
OPTIMIZING PLANT STAND IN RESPONSE TO CLIMATIC RISK
WADE, LJ, MYERS, RJK and FOALE, MA (1991). OPTIMIZING PLANT STAND IN RESPONSE TO CLIMATIC RISK. International Symp On Climatic Risk in Crop Production : Models and Management for the Semiarid Tropics and Subtropics, Brisbane Australia, Jul 02-06, 1990. WALLINGFORD: C A B INTERNATIONAL.
1990
Journal Article
Carbon isotope discrimination varies genetically in C4 species
Hubick, Kerry T., Hammer, Graeme L., Farquhar, Graham D., Wade, Len J., von Caemmerer, Susanne and Henderson, Sally A. (1990). Carbon isotope discrimination varies genetically in C4 species. Plant Physiology, 92 (2), 534-537. doi: 10.1104/pp.92.2.534
1990
Journal Article
Estimating loss in grain yield due to suboptimal plant density and non-uniformity in plant spacing
Wade, L.J. (1990). Estimating loss in grain yield due to suboptimal plant density and non-uniformity in plant spacing. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 30 (2), 251-255. doi: 10.1071/EA9900251
1990
Journal Article
Effect of plant density on grain yield and yield stability of sorghum hybrids differing in maturity
Wade, L.J. and Douglas, A.C.L. (1990). Effect of plant density on grain yield and yield stability of sorghum hybrids differing in maturity. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 30 (2), 257-264. doi: 10.1071/EA9900257
1989
Journal Article
Genotype-by-environment interaction in grain sorghum. II. Effects of temperature and photoperiod on ontogeny
Hammer, G. L., Vanderlip, R. L., Gibson, G., Wade, L. J., Henzell, R. G., Younger, D. R., Warren, J. and Dale, A. B. (1989). Genotype-by-environment interaction in grain sorghum. II. Effects of temperature and photoperiod on ontogeny. Crop Science, 29 (2), 376-384. doi: 10.2135/cropsci1989.0011183X002900020029x
1988
Journal Article
Influence of quadrat sampling intensity on precision of grain sorghum yield data
Wade, L.J. and Ladewig, J.H. (1988). Influence of quadrat sampling intensity on precision of grain sorghum yield data. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 28 (2), 211-214. doi: 10.1071/EA9880211
1988
Journal Article
Effects of suboptimal plant density and non-uniformity in plant spacing on grain yield of raingrown sunflower
Wade, L.J., Norris, C.P. and Walsh, P.A. (1988). Effects of suboptimal plant density and non-uniformity in plant spacing on grain yield of raingrown sunflower. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 28 (5), 617-622. doi: 10.1071/EA9880617
1988
Journal Article
Density x maturity interactions for grain yield in sunflower
Wade, L.J. and Foreman, J.W. (1988). Density x maturity interactions for grain yield in sunflower. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 28 (5), 623-627. doi: 10.1071/EA9880623
Media
Enquiries
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- Perennial Rice
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