Associate Professor Craig Hardner
Associate Professor

Craig Hardner

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+61 7 334 69465

Background

Associate Professor Craig Hardner holds a bachelor in Forest Science awarded by the University of Melbourne, and BSc (Hons) and PhD from the University of Tasmania. Prior to his PhD, A/Prof Hardner worked as a Research Fellow at Swedish Agricultural University 1988-1990 supporting willow breeding for energy production. Between 1996-2007, A/Prof Hardner lead the CSIRO macadamia breeding program. A/Prof Hardner joined the University of Queensland in 2007 and commenced a joint appointment with Queensland Government as a research fellow in horticulture breeding and genetics. He has an extensive collaboration network in horticulture breeding and conservation including domestic and international organisations and Universities.

A/Prof Hardner was lead author on a 128 page review of macadamia genetics and domestication published in 2009 and is curator of macadamia cultivar descriptions for HortScience. He was awarded a Churchill fellowship in 2012 to travel to Hawaii to trace the domestication pathway of macadamia.

Availability

Associate Professor Craig Hardner is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Forestry sciences Horticultural production

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science, University of Melbourne
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), University of Tasmania
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Tasmania

Research interests

  • Quantitative genetics

    I am a world leader in development and application of mixed model methods for prediction of genetic value in forestry, macadamia, sugar cane, mango, and apple. In particular, I am interested in use of multi-variate approaches to model complex experimental designs including multiple locations, repeated measures, and spatial variation, and genetics including individual, parental, non-additive variation and polyploidy. I am also developing approaches for using genomic relationship matrices to leverage historical breeding and variety testing data to expand knowledge of GxE in horticultural crops.

  • Conservation genetics of macadamia

    Macadamia is an iconic Australian genus, being the only international crop domesticated from Australian flora. My research in this area uses sequencing and molecular markers to improve understanding of structure of remnant wild populations and trace the domestication history of the major sources of germplasm utilised for commercial production. This research also investigates opportunities available for breeding from utilisation of the remnant wild resources. I published a 128 pages seminal review of macadamia genetics and domestication in 2009.

  • Tree breeding

    I have major research activity in the quantitative genetics and breeding of perennial crops. I have an extensive background in genetic improvement of eucalypt and macadamia crops.I bred and selected new macadamia cultivars targeted specifically to Australian industry that will be released in 2017, and continue as a co-principal investigator on the current breeding program with responsibility for genetic analyses, evaluation of alternative breeding strategies and estimation of economic weights for selection.

Research impacts

MACADAMIA

Dr Hardner is responsible for developing new macadamia cultivars selected specifically for Australian production systems, promising a 30% increase in productivity. He also leads research on tracing the domestication of macadamia and identifying the wild origin of domesticated cultivars to further improve knowledge of the cultural history of the plant. He initiated, and is a member, of the Macadamia Conservation Committee which brings together Australian industry, university researchers, government officers, and NGOs to develop and support strategies for conservation of macadamia in the wild.

IMPROVED SELECTION METHODS

Dr Hardner has developed statistical approaches, and software for implementation, to improve prediction of genetic value of selection candidates in sugar cane, apple and eucalypts. His research on analysis of alternative breeding strategies has contributed to more efficient breeding strategies for macadamia, apple, eucalypts and strawberry.

ADAPTATION IN HORTICULTURAL CROPS

Dr Hardner is working with international researchers to use genomic approaches to combine historical data collected previously on varieties planted in different locations to improve understanding of the GxE to underpin improved production efficiency through better matching of genotype and production environment. This work will also be used to improve adaption strategies under the effects of climate change.

Search Professor Craig Hardner’s works on UQ eSpace

107 works between 2000 and 2024
All (107) Journal Article (55) Book Chapter (3) Conference Publication (48) Other Outputs (1)

61 - 80 of 107 works

2017

Conference Publication

Genetic diversity and variability in graft success in Australian macadamia rootstocks

Alam, Mohammad, Wilkie, John, Kelly, Allison, Hardner, Craig and Topp, Bruce (2017). Genetic diversity and variability in graft success in Australian macadamia rootstocks. International Macadamia Research Symposium, Hawaii, United States, 13-14 September 2017.

Genetic diversity and variability in graft success in Australian macadamia rootstocks

2017

Conference Publication

Indirect prediction of macadamia yield through a genome wide association study of component traits

O'Connor, Katie, Hayes, Ben, Hardner, Craig, Mobashwer Alam and Topp, Bruce (2017). Indirect prediction of macadamia yield through a genome wide association study of component traits. International Macadamia Research Symposium, Hawaii, United States, 13-14 September 2017.

Indirect prediction of macadamia yield through a genome wide association study of component traits

2017

Conference Publication

Prospects of utilizing wild germplasm for future improvement of macadamia

Mai, Thuy, Alam, Mobashwer, Henry, Robert, Hardner, Craig and Topp, Bruce (2017). Prospects of utilizing wild germplasm for future improvement of macadamia. International Tropical Agriculture Conference TropAg2017, Brisbane, Australia, 20-22 November 2017.

Prospects of utilizing wild germplasm for future improvement of macadamia

2016

Journal Article

Improving prediction accuracy and selection of open-pollinated seed-lots in Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden using a multivariate mixed model approach

Hardner, Craig M., Healey, Adam L., Downes, Geoff, Herberling, Mónica and Gore, Peter L. (2016). Improving prediction accuracy and selection of open-pollinated seed-lots in Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden using a multivariate mixed model approach. Annals of Forest Science, 73 (4), 1035-1046. doi: 10.1007/s13595-016-0587-9

Improving prediction accuracy and selection of open-pollinated seed-lots in Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden using a multivariate mixed model approach

2016

Journal Article

Modeling of genetic gain for single traits from marker-assisted seedling selection in clonally propagated crops

Ru, Sushan, Hardner, Craig, Carter, Patrick A., Evans, Kate, Main, Dorrie and Peace, Cameron (2016). Modeling of genetic gain for single traits from marker-assisted seedling selection in clonally propagated crops. Horticulture Research, 3 (1) 16015, 16015. doi: 10.1038/hortres.2016.15

Modeling of genetic gain for single traits from marker-assisted seedling selection in clonally propagated crops

2016

Journal Article

Genetic architecture of apple fruit quality traits following storage and implications for genetic improvement

Hardner, Craig M., Evans, Kate, Brien, Chris, Bliss, Fred and Peace, Cameron (2016). Genetic architecture of apple fruit quality traits following storage and implications for genetic improvement. Tree Genetics and Genomes, 12 (20) 20. doi: 10.1007/s11295-016-0977-z

Genetic architecture of apple fruit quality traits following storage and implications for genetic improvement

2016

Journal Article

Cost and accuracy of advanced breeding trial designs in apple

Harshman, Julia M., Evans, Kate M. and Hardner, Craig M. (2016). Cost and accuracy of advanced breeding trial designs in apple. Horticulture Research, 3 (1) 16008, 16008. doi: 10.1038/hortres.2016.8

Cost and accuracy of advanced breeding trial designs in apple

2016

Conference Publication

Breeding objective for strawberry in subtropical southeast Queensland

Herrington, M. E., Hardner, C. M., Wegener, M., Woolcock, L. L. and Dieters, M. J. (2016). Breeding objective for strawberry in subtropical southeast Queensland. XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes (IHC2014), Brisbane, Australia, 17-22 August 2014. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1127.32

Breeding objective for strawberry in subtropical southeast Queensland

2016

Conference Publication

SNP analysis of Macadamia integrifolia chloroplast genomes to determine the genetic structure of wild populations

Ahmad Termizi, A. A., Hardner, C. M., Batley, J., Nock, C. J., Hayashi, S., Montenegro, J. D. and Edwards, D. (2016). SNP analysis of Macadamia integrifolia chloroplast genomes to determine the genetic structure of wild populations. XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes (IHC2014): International Symposium on Nut Crops, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 17-22 August 2014. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1109.29

SNP analysis of Macadamia integrifolia chloroplast genomes to determine the genetic structure of wild populations

2016

Conference Publication

Overview of the Australian macadamia industry breeding program

Topp, B., Hardner, C. M., Neal, J., Kelly, A., Russell, D., McConchie, C. and O'Hare, P. (2016). Overview of the Australian macadamia industry breeding program. XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes (IHC2014), Brisbane, Australia, 17 - 22 August 2014. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1127.8

Overview of the Australian macadamia industry breeding program

2016

Conference Publication

Preliminary evaluation of macadamia rootstocks for yield and tree height

Neal, J. M., Kelly, A., Hardner, C. M., McConchie, C. and Topp, B. L. (2016). Preliminary evaluation of macadamia rootstocks for yield and tree height. 29th International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture - Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes (IHC) / International Symposium on Nut Crops, Brisbane Australia, Aug 17, 2014. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1109.30

Preliminary evaluation of macadamia rootstocks for yield and tree height

2016

Conference Publication

Reconstructing relationship matrices from dense SNP arrays for the prediction of genetic potential in unreplicated multilocation plantings of apple progeny

Hardner, C. M., Kumar, S., Peace, C. M., Luby, J. and Evans, K. M. (2016). Reconstructing relationship matrices from dense SNP arrays for the prediction of genetic potential in unreplicated multilocation plantings of apple progeny. XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes (IHC2014), Brisbane, Australia, 17 - 22 August 2014. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1127.43

Reconstructing relationship matrices from dense SNP arrays for the prediction of genetic potential in unreplicated multilocation plantings of apple progeny

2016

Conference Publication

Estimating production costs and profitability of strawberry genotypes in southeast Queensland using plant traits

Herrington, M. E., Wegener, M., Hardner, C., Woolcock, L. L. and Dieters, M. J. (2016). Estimating production costs and profitability of strawberry genotypes in southeast Queensland using plant traits. XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes (IHC2014): International Symposium on Micropropagation and In Vitro Techniques, Brisbane, Australia, 17-22 August, 2014. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1117.49

Estimating production costs and profitability of strawberry genotypes in southeast Queensland using plant traits

2016

Conference Publication

Spatial analysis for trials with limited replication

Shewayrga, H., Arief, V. N., Hardner, C. M., DeLacy, I. H. and Basford, K. E. (2016). Spatial analysis for trials with limited replication. Australasian Applied Statistical Conference, Bermagui, NSW, Australia, 28 November - 2 December 2016.

Spatial analysis for trials with limited replication

2015

Journal Article

Macadamia domestication in Hawai‘i

Hardner, Craig (2015). Macadamia domestication in Hawai‘i. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 63 (8), 1411-1430. doi: 10.1007/s10722-015-0328-1

Macadamia domestication in Hawai‘i

2014

Journal Article

Estimating an aggregate economic genotype to facilitate breeding and selection of strawberry genotypes in Southeast Queensland

Herrington, Mark E., Hardner, Craig, Wegener, Malcolm, Woolcock, Louella and Dieters, Mark J. (2014). Estimating an aggregate economic genotype to facilitate breeding and selection of strawberry genotypes in Southeast Queensland. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 139 (3), 253-260. doi: 10.21273/jashs.139.3.253

Estimating an aggregate economic genotype to facilitate breeding and selection of strawberry genotypes in Southeast Queensland

2014

Journal Article

Whole genome shotgun sequences for microsatellite discovery and application in cultivated and wild Macadamia (Proteaceae)

Nock, Catherine J., Elphinstone, Martin S., Ablett, Gary, Kawamata, Asuka, Hancock, Wayne, Hardner, Craig M. and King, Graham J. (2014). Whole genome shotgun sequences for microsatellite discovery and application in cultivated and wild Macadamia (Proteaceae). Applications in Plant Sciences, 2 (4) 1300089, 1300089. doi: 10.3732/apps.1300089

Whole genome shotgun sequences for microsatellite discovery and application in cultivated and wild Macadamia (Proteaceae)

2014

Conference Publication

In Harvesting the macadamia genome

Nock, C. J., Baten, A., Hancock, W., Kawamata, A., Craig Hardner, Bruce Topp, Robert Henry and King, G. J. (2014). In Harvesting the macadamia genome. Plant and Animal Genome XXII Conference, San Diego, 11-15 January 2014.

In Harvesting the macadamia genome

2013

Journal Article

Rain Damage on Three Strawberry Cultivars Grown in Subtropical Queensland

Herrington M.E., Hardner C., Wegener M. and Woolcock L.L. (2013). Rain Damage on Three Strawberry Cultivars Grown in Subtropical Queensland. International Journal of Fruit Science, 13 (1-2), 52-59. doi: 10.1080/15538362.2012.696982

Rain Damage on Three Strawberry Cultivars Grown in Subtropical Queensland

2013

Conference Publication

Prediction of breeding values for average fruit weight in mango

Hardner, C. M., Bally, I. and Wright, C. (2013). Prediction of breeding values for average fruit weight in mango. IXth International Mango Symposium, Sanya, Peoples Republic of China, 8-12 April 2010. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science.

Prediction of breeding values for average fruit weight in mango

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2029
    ARC Training Centre in Predictive Breeding for Agricultural Futures
    ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centres
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2028
    National Passionfruit Breeding and Evaluation Program
    Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2026
    Genetics of Fruit Sensory Preferences (HIA project administered by DAF)
    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2026
    Genetics of Fruit Sensory Preferences
    Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2019 - 2024
    National Macadamia Breeding and Evaluation Program
    Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2020
    Using photothermal quotient to understand yield variation and the mechanisms of nut abscission in Macadamia
    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2023
    National Tree Genomics Program - Phenotype Prediction
    Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2022
    National Strawberry Varietal improvement Program (Project BS17000) [led by Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries]
    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    2017 International Macadamia Research Symposium
    Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2016
    After RosBREED: Developing and deploying new apple DNA tests
    Apple Horticultural and Post-Harvest Fund
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Macadamia breeding and conservation - second generation
    Horticulture Australia Limited
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2019
    RosBREED: Combining disease resistance with horticultural quality in new rosaceous cultivars (USDA project led by WSU)
    Washington State University
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2020
    Transforming subtropical/tropical tree crop productivity
    Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2014
    Verifying the wild origins of domesticated Hawaiian cultivars (HAL project administered by AMS)
    Australian Macadamia Society Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2014
    Seed Genetic Anlaysis and Comparison for Postitive Biofuel Traits
    UniQuest Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2011
    Genetic structure of wild macadamia populations and origins of domesticated germplasm
    UQ FirstLink Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2011
    Quantitative Geneticist - UQ/QDPI&F joint appointment
    QLD Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Craig Hardner is:
Available for supervision

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Available projects

  • Improved breeding methods for horticultural tree crops

    There are a number of areas that can be explored with in this research rea including: (i) use of mixed models to improve prediction accuracy of genetic potential, (ii) modelling of alternative breeding strategies, including understanding the efficiency of current observational based approaches, (iii) economic impact of breeding methods

  • Leveraging historical international data to better understand adaptation patterns in horticultural tree crops

    This study is part of a large international collaboration that I lead. The approach is to examine the success of using genomic data to combine existing data previously collected by field evaluation programs to improve understanding of genotype and environment matching and improve strategies for dealing with the impact of climate change. crops include apple, peach, strawberry, cherry, macadamia and possibly mango.

  • Structure and origin of domesticated macadamia germplasm

    This study will undertake historical research and use molecular approaches to better understand the different sources of macadamia germplasm introduced into Hawaii, California and South Africa during the 20th century and how that contributes to the currently utilised commercial cultivars.

Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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