Overview
Background
Karine Chenu is a Professor at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, and Director of the ARC Research Hub for Engineering Plants to Replace Fossil Carbon. She is an internationally recognised expert in ecophysiology and crop modelling, with a strong focus on improving plant adaptation to climate change and enhancing their potential to produce sustainable bioproducts.
Her research integrates physiology, genetics, and modelling to advance crop design and breeding strategies. This includes uncovering the physiological and genetic basis of key adaptive traits, developing gene-to-phenotype modelling approaches, and exploring innovative combinations of genotypes, environments, and management practices to enhance productivity under changing climates.
Professor Chenu works closely with a wide network of plant breeders, geneticists, biochemists, modellers, and agronomists across national and international collaborations in both public and private sectors. She also represents UQ on the APSIM Initiative Reference Panel, contributing to the ongoing development of the globally adopted APSIM crop modelling platform.
Availability
- Professor Karine Chenu is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Masters (Coursework) of Science, Montpellier 2 University
- Doctor of Philosophy, Montpellier 2 University
Works
Search Professor Karine Chenu’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Conference Publication
Beyond breeding values: predicting progeny performance to accelerate genetic gain results
Eglinton, M., Dinglasan, E., Chenu, K., Hayes, B., Hickey, L., Jacobs, B. and Kelly, A. (2025). Beyond breeding values: predicting progeny performance to accelerate genetic gain results. Breeding Horizons, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 21-25 July 2025.
2025
Conference Publication
Envirotyping to assist crop improvement in barley
Heidariask, B., Alahmad, S., Hickey, L. T., Smith, M., Severini, A., Baraibar, S., Moody, D., Ganesalingam, D. and Chenu, K. (2025). Envirotyping to assist crop improvement in barley. Breeding Horizons, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 21-25 July 2025.
2025
Conference Publication
Does late water deficit induce root growth or senescence in wheat?
Shazadi, K., Christopher, J. and Chenu, K. (2025). Does late water deficit induce root growth or senescence in wheat?. International Conference on Agriculture Engineering, Berlin, Germany, 23-24 June 2025.
2025
Conference Publication
Improving wheat tolerance to abiotic stress in Australian current and future climates
Chenu, K., Collins, B., Ullah, N., Severini, A. and Christopher, J. (2025). Improving wheat tolerance to abiotic stress in Australian current and future climates. 17th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference, Perth, WA, Australia, 4-6 June 2025.
2025
Conference Publication
Characterising abiotic stresses to enhance barley productivity across Australia
Heidariask, B., Ahlmad, S., Hickey, L. T., Smith, M. and Chenu, K. (2025). Characterising abiotic stresses to enhance barley productivity across Australia. 17th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference, Perth, WA Australia, 4-6 June 2025.
2025
Journal Article
Sustained assimilate supply determines grain development in wheat under post-anthesis heat
Ullah, Najeeb, Yahya, Muhammad and Chenu, Karine (2025). Sustained assimilate supply determines grain development in wheat under post-anthesis heat. Functional Plant Biology, 53 (5) FP25371. doi: 10.1071/fp25371
2025
Journal Article
Strategic use of index-based frost insurance to reduce financial risk and improve income stability for wheat producers in Australia
Barratt, Jonathan, Kath, Jarrod, Mushtaq, Shahbaz, Collins, Brian, Chenu, Karine, Christopher, Jack and An-Vo, Duc-Anh (2025). Strategic use of index-based frost insurance to reduce financial risk and improve income stability for wheat producers in Australia. Agricultural Systems, 226 104306, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104306
2025
Journal Article
Plant plasticity in the face of climate change – CO2 offsetting effects to warming and water deficit in wheat. A review
Gawinowski, Meije, Chenu, Karine, Deswarte, Jean-Charles, Launay, Marie and Bancal, Marie-Odile (2025). Plant plasticity in the face of climate change – CO2 offsetting effects to warming and water deficit in wheat. A review. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 232 106113, 1-18. doi: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106113
2025
Conference Publication
Wheat ACE: wheat adaptation to changing environments
Chenu, K., Blancon, J., Girousse, C., Cozzolino, D., Smith, M., Borrell, B., Christopher, J. and Le Gouis, J. (2025). Wheat ACE: wheat adaptation to changing environments. Agri-Food Seminar, Canberra, ACT Australia, 1 April 2025.
2025
Conference Publication
Genotypic responses to post-flowering heat stress in wheat
Yahya, M., Ullah, N., Christopher, J. and Chenu, K. (2025). Genotypic responses to post-flowering heat stress in wheat. World Congress on Advances in Plant Science and Plant Biology, Online, 31 March – 1 April 2025.
2025
Other Outputs
Envirotyping Facilitates Understanding of Genotype x Environment Interactions and Highlights the Potential of Stay-green Traits in Wheat
Amin, Asad, Christopher, Jack, Forknall, Clayton, Cooper, Mark, Macdonald, Bethany, Collins, Brian, Voss-Fels, Kai, Hickey, Lee and Chenu, Karine (2025). Envirotyping Facilitates Understanding of Genotype x Environment Interactions and Highlights the Potential of Stay-green Traits in Wheat. doi: 10.1101/2025.03.11.642575
2025
Conference Publication
Using crop modelling to improve crop adaptation in wheat
Chenu, Karine (2025). Using crop modelling to improve crop adaptation in wheat. Australian Crop Breeders Week, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 3-5 March 2025.
2025
Conference Publication
Revue des effets des interactions CO2 x hautes températures x déficit hydrique sur les cultures de blé
Gawinowski, M., Chenu, K., Bancal, M.-O. and Launay, M. (2025). Revue des effets des interactions CO2 x hautes températures x déficit hydrique sur les cultures de blé. Séminaire Climat Blé, Paris, France, 9 January 2025.
2025
Journal Article
Correction to: Crop traits and production under drought (Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, (2024), 5, 3, (211-225), 10.1038/s43017-023-00514-w)
Vadez, Vincent, Grondin, Alexandre, Chenu, Karine, Henry, Amelia, Laplaze, Laurent, Millet, Emilie J. and Carminati, Andrea (2025). Correction to: Crop traits and production under drought (Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, (2024), 5, 3, (211-225), 10.1038/s43017-023-00514-w). Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, 6 (2), 158-158. doi: 10.1038/s43017-024-00636-9
2024
Conference Publication
Impact of heat on wheat. Australian Agronomy Conference
Chenu, Karine, Ullah, Najeeb, Yahya, Muhammad, Collins, Brian, Frederiks, Troy and Christopher, Jack (2024). Impact of heat on wheat. Australian Agronomy Conference. Australian Agronomy Conference, Albany, WA Australia, 21-24 October 2024.
2024
Conference Publication
Post-flowering heat stress and wheat grain quality
Yahya, M., Ullah, N., Cozzolino, D., Christopher, J. and Chenu, K. (2024). Post-flowering heat stress and wheat grain quality. International Wheat Congress, Perth, WA, Australia, 22-27 September 2024.
2024
Conference Publication
Wheat adaptation to drought in current and future climate
Chenu, Karine (2024). Wheat adaptation to drought in current and future climate. Research Conference: Salt and Water Stress in Plants, Newry, ME United States, 25-30 August 2024.
2024
Conference Publication
An integrated modelling and physiological approach to assist breeding for improved yield stability in barley
Heidariask, B., Alahmad, S., Hickey, L. T., Smith, M. and Chenu, K. (2024). An integrated modelling and physiological approach to assist breeding for improved yield stability in barley. Australian Barley Technical Symposium, Adelaide, SA Australia, 12-14 August 2024.
2024
Journal Article
Versatile crop yield estimator
Sadeh, Yuval, Zhu, Xuan, Dunkerley, David, Walker, Jeffrey P., Chen, Yang and Chenu, Karine (2024). Versatile crop yield estimator. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 44 (4) 42, 1-22. doi: 10.1007/s13593-024-00974-4
2024
Journal Article
Pre- and post-flowering impacts of natural heatwaves on yield components in wheat
Ullah, Najeeb, Collins, Brian, Christopher, John T., Frederiks, Troy and Chenu, Karine (2024). Pre- and post-flowering impacts of natural heatwaves on yield components in wheat. Field Crops Research, 316 109489, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.fcr.2024.109489
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Karine Chenu is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Physiological traits and environmental characterisation to improve yield stability in barley
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lee Hickey, Dr Millicent Smith, Dr Alan Severini
-
Doctor Philosophy
Root plasticity: A new avenue to breed for drought tolerant wheat varieties
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Vijaya Singh, Dr Raul Gimenez
-
Doctor Philosophy
Drought tolerance in sorghum: the roots of the solution
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Daniel Rodriguez, Dr Dongxue Zhao
-
Doctor Philosophy
Predicting better parents to accelerate genetic gain in wheat breeding
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lee Hickey, Dr Eric Dinglasan, Professor Ben Hayes, Dr Alison Kelly
-
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating root-shoot dynamics to improve water-use efficiency of barley
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alex Wu, Dr Hannah Robinson, Dr Millicent Smith, Dr Dongxue Zhao, Professor Lee Hickey
-
Doctor Philosophy
Multi-omics prediction to increase chickpea yield potential
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alison Kelly, Professor Lee Hickey, Dr Shanice Van Haeften, Dr Millicent Smith
Completed supervision
-
2026
Doctor Philosophy
Impact of post-flowering heat stress on yield components, grain protein and contribution of carbon assimilation in wheat
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Daniel Cozzolino
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Characterizing genotypic variation in wheat root architecture late in crop development to improve yield and yield stability under water stress
Principal Advisor
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the Genetic and Physiological Basis of Transpiration Efficiency in Australian Wheat
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alison Kelly
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
In-season phenotyping of crop growth via the integration of imaging, modelling, and machine learning
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Scott Chapman
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating envirotyping methodology to evaluate contributions of stay-green traits to wheat yield in Australian environments
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Cooper, Professor Ben Hayes, Honorary Professor Kai Voss-Fels, Professor Lee Hickey
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Breeding wheat for drought adaptation: Development of selection tools for root architectural traits
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lee Hickey
Media
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