Overview
Background
Professor Mark Cooper is Chair of Prediction Based Crop Improvement at The University of Queensland, and a global leader in quantitative genetics and plant breeding. His work involves integrating genomic prediction and crop growth models into an ‘end to end’ framework for crop improvement.
Professor Cooper has pioneered the development of novel genetic modelling methodologies, based on gene networks, to study important properties of quantitative traits in biology, and demonstrated how this new genetic modelling framework can be successfully used in plant breeding to improve prediction of important traits under the influences of selection. Professor Cooper’s work at DuPont Pioneer on drought adaptation in one of the largest maize breeding programs in the world led to the AQUAmax hybrids that presently cover millions of hectares worldwide.
A quantitative geneticist by training, Professor Cooper spent 20 years working with industry in the United States and as CEO of his own consultancy firm Zenrun42, before returning to UQ to build upon the critical mass of predictive agricultural expertise in QAAFI and the wider university.
Availability
- Professor Mark Cooper is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Agricultural Science, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy of Agriculture, The University of Queensland
- Graduate Certificate in Education, The University of Queensland
Works
Search Professor Mark Cooper’s works on UQ eSpace
2023
Journal Article
Extending the breeder’s equation to take aim at the target population of environments
Cooper, Mark, Powell, Owen, Gho Brito, Carla, Tang, Tom and Messina, Carlos (2023). Extending the breeder’s equation to take aim at the target population of environments. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14 1129591, 1-10. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1129591
2023
Journal Article
Transgene by germplasm interactions can impact transgene evaluation
Linares, Julien F., Coles, Nathan D., Mo, Hua, Habben, Jeff E., Humbert, Sabrina, Messina, Carlos, Tang, Tom, Cooper, Mark, Gho, Carla, Carrasco, Ricardo, Carter, Javier, Flounders, Jillian Wicher and Brummer, E Charles (2023). Transgene by germplasm interactions can impact transgene evaluation. Crop Science, 63 (4), 1988-1997. doi: 10.1002/csc2.20939
2023
Conference Publication
Hierarchical Gene-Phenotype Maps as a Framework to Predict GxExM Interactions
Powell, Owen, McLean, Greg, Brider, Jason, Technow, Frank, Tang, Tom, Messina, Carlos D., Hammer, Graeme and Cooper, Mark (2023). Hierarchical Gene-Phenotype Maps as a Framework to Predict GxExM Interactions. Quantitative Genetics and Genomics Gordon Research Conference, Ventura, CA, United States, 12-17 February 2023.
2023
Journal Article
Retrospective study in US commercial sorghum breeding: I. Genetic gain in relation to relative maturity
Mayor, L., Demarco, P., Lira, S., Fang, Y., Abadie, T., Gambin, B., Hammer, G., Ciampitti, I., Cooper, M. and Messina, C. (2023). Retrospective study in US commercial sorghum breeding: I. Genetic gain in relation to relative maturity. Crop Science, 63 (2), 501-510. doi: 10.1002/csc2.20897
2023
Book Chapter
Predicting Genotype × Environment × Management (G × E × M) interactions for the design of crop improvement strategies: integrating breeder, agronomist, and farmer perspectives
Cooper, Mark, Messina, Carlos D., Tang, Tom, Gho, Carla, Powell, Owen M., Podlich, Dean W., Technow, Frank and Hammer, Graeme L. (2023). Predicting Genotype × Environment × Management (G × E × M) interactions for the design of crop improvement strategies: integrating breeder, agronomist, and farmer perspectives. Plant breeding reviews. (pp. 467-585) edited by Irwin Goldman. Hoboken, NJ, United States: Wiley Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781119874157.ch8
2023
Journal Article
Breeding crops for drought-affected environments and improved climate resilience
Cooper, Mark and Messina, Carlos D. (2023). Breeding crops for drought-affected environments and improved climate resilience. The Plant Cell, 35 (1), 162-186. doi: 10.1093/plcell/koac321
2022
Other Outputs
Extending the breeder’s equation to take aim at the Target Population of Environments
Cooper, Mark, Owen Powell, Gho, Carla, Tang, Tom and Messina, Carlos (2022). Extending the breeder’s equation to take aim at the Target Population of Environments.
2022
Conference Publication
Integrating Hierarchical G2P Maps with Genomic Prediction
Powell, Owen, McLean, Greg, Brider, Jason, Technow, Frank, Tang, Tom, Messina, Carlos D., Hammer, Graeme and Cooper, Mark (2022). Integrating Hierarchical G2P Maps with Genomic Prediction. Interdrought VII - The 7th Congress on plant production in water-limited environments, Dakar, Senegal, 1 December 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
Utilising prior knowledge to improve breeding
Powell, Owen, Barbier, Francois, Voss-Fels, Kai, Beveridge, Christine and Cooper, Mark (2022). Utilising prior knowledge to improve breeding. GxExM Symposium, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 3-4 November 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
Transferring prediction models: from model organisms to crops
Powell, Owen, Barbier, Francois, Fichtner, Franziska, Sukumaran, Sivakumar, McLean, Greg, Brider, Jason, Technow, Frank, Tang, Tom, Messina, Carlos D., Jordan, David, Hammer, Graeme, Beveridge, Christine and Cooper, Mark (2022). Transferring prediction models: from model organisms to crops. TropAg International Agriculture Conference, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 31 October - 2 November 2022.
2022
Other Outputs
Transgene by Germplasm Interactions Can Impact Transgene Evaluation
Linares, Julien F., Coles, Nathan D., Mo, Hua, Habben, Jeff E., Humbert, Sabrina, Messina, Carlos, Tang, Tom, Cooper, Mark, Gho, Carla, Carrasco, Ricardo, Carter, Javier, Wicher Flounders, Jillian and Brummer, E. Charles (2022). Transgene by Germplasm Interactions Can Impact Transgene Evaluation. doi: 10.1101/2022.10.22.513364
2022
Other Outputs
Methods for evaluating effects of transgenes for quantitative traits
Linares, Julien F., Coles, Nathan D., Mo, Hua, Habben, Jeffrey E., Humbert, Sabrina, Messina, Carlos, Tang, Tom, Cooper, Mark, Gho, Carla, Carrasco, Ricardo, Carter, Javier, Wicher Flounders, Jillian and Brummer, E. Charles (2022). Methods for evaluating effects of transgenes for quantitative traits. doi: 10.1101/2022.10.22.513367
2022
Other Outputs
Plant Breeding in the face of climate change
Messina, Carlos D. and Cooper, Mark (2022). Plant Breeding in the face of climate change.
2022
Conference Publication
Prior knowledge-driven branching phenotype prediction for shoot architecture improvement
Wijerathna-Yapa, A., Fortuna, N., Cooper, M. and Beveridge, C. A. (2022). Prior knowledge-driven branching phenotype prediction for shoot architecture improvement. ComBio 2022, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCE), 27-30 September 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
Increasing Predictive Ability for Crop Improvement: Linking Crop Growth Models with Whole Genome Prediction
Powell, Owen, McLean, Greg, Brider, Jason, Technow, Frank, Sukumaran, Sivakumar, Jordan, David, Hammer, Graeme and Cooper, Mark (2022). Increasing Predictive Ability for Crop Improvement: Linking Crop Growth Models with Whole Genome Prediction. AuSoRGM, Toowoomba, QLD Australia, 18-19 August 2022.
2022
Journal Article
Global wheat production could benefit from closing the genetic yield gap
Senapati, Nimai, Semenov, Mikhail A., Halford, Nigel G., Hawkesford, Malcolm J., Asseng, Senthold, Cooper, Mark, Ewert, Frank, van Ittersum, Martin K., Martre, Pierre, Olesen, Jørgen E., Reynolds, Matthew, Rötter, Reimund P. and Webber, Heidi (2022). Global wheat production could benefit from closing the genetic yield gap. Nature Food, 3 (7), 532-541. doi: 10.1038/s43016-022-00540-9
2022
Journal Article
Radiation use efficiency increased over a century of maize (Zea mays L.) breeding in the US corn belt
Messina, Carlos D., Rotundo, Jose, Hammer, Graeme L., Gho, Carla, Reyes, Andres, Fang, Yinan, van Oosterom, Erik, Borras, Lucas and Cooper, Mark (2022). Radiation use efficiency increased over a century of maize (Zea mays L.) breeding in the US corn belt. Journal of Experimental Botany, 73 (16), 5503-5513. doi: 10.1093/jxb/erac212
2022
Conference Publication
Prior Knowledge-driven Branching Phenotype Prediction for Shoot Architecture Improvement
Wijerathna-Yapa, Akila, Fortuna, Nicole, Dun, Elizabeth, Lawson, Brodie, Cooper, Mark and Beveridge, Christine A. (2022). Prior Knowledge-driven Branching Phenotype Prediction for Shoot Architecture Improvement. ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture Research Retreat, Hobart, TAS Australia, 30 May - 1 June 2022.
2022
Journal Article
Sustained improvement in tolerance to water deficit accompanies maize yield increase in temperate environments
Messina, Carlos, Ciampitti, Ignacio Antonio, Berning, Dan, Bubeck, Dave, Hammer, Graeme and Cooper, Mark (2022). Sustained improvement in tolerance to water deficit accompanies maize yield increase in temperate environments. Crop Science, 62 (6), 1-13. doi: 10.1002/csc2.20781
2022
Conference Publication
An Ecophysiology-Inspired Gene-Phenotype Map for Breeding
Powell, Owen, Technow, Frank, Messina, Carlos D., McLean, Greg, Brider, Jason, Van Oosterom, Erik, Wu, Alex, Jordan, David, Hammer, Graeme and Cooper, Mark (2022). An Ecophysiology-Inspired Gene-Phenotype Map for Breeding. Australasian Plant Breeding Conference, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 9-11 May 2022.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Mark Cooper is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Experimental investigation in Arabidopsis thaliana of realised selection trajectories for complex branching and flowering traits under the control of gene networks following application of genomic prediction methods.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Christine Beveridge, Dr Owen Powell
-
Doctor Philosophy
Phylogenomic and ecophysiological investigations of transferability of adaptation solutions within the Andropogoneae tribe
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Phylogenomic and ecophysiological investigations of transferability of adaptation solutions within the Andropogoneae tribe
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Assessment of machine learning methods to discover novel models of gene networks to improve genomic prediction for plant breeding
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr James Lefevre, Dr Owen Powell
-
Doctor Philosophy
Network biology of quantitative traits in sorghum
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Graeme Hammer, Professor Emma Mace, Dr Colleen Hunt, Dr Sofie Pearson, Professor David Jordan
-
Doctor Philosophy
Unification of selection and inheritance informs adaptive potential for generations to come
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Katrina McGuigan, Dr Yang Liu
-
Doctor Philosophy
Genomic prediction of lodging in sorghum
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Emma Mace, Dr Esinam Nancy Amuzu-Aweh, Professor David Jordan, Dr Colleen Hunt
-
Doctor Philosophy
Testing the branching model predictions using mutant perturbations of populations
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Yang Liu, Professor Christine Beveridge
-
Doctor Philosophy
Predicting Plant Success For Future Generations
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Owen Powell
Completed supervision
-
2004
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating quantitative genetic issues for a pedigree plant breeding program using computer simulation
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Kaye Basford
-
2003
Master Agricultural Science
The inheritance of grain yield among Veery wheat lines under Qld environ.conditions.
Principal Advisor
-
2003
Doctor Philosophy
THE CONTRIBUTION OF OSMOTIC ADJUSTMENT TO GRAIN YIELD IN SORGHUM PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENTS
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Graeme Hammer
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating envirotyping methodology to evaluate contributions of stay-green traits to wheat yield in Australian environments
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Karine Chenu, Professor Ben Hayes, Dr Kai Voss-Fels, Professor Lee Hickey
-
2005
Doctor Philosophy
SIMULATING THE IMPACT OF MARKER-ASSISTED SELECTION IN A WHEAT BREEDING PROGRAM
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Kaye Basford
-
2004
Doctor Philosophy
GENOTYPIC VARIATION IN SOYBEAN FOR STRATEGIES OF DROUGHT STRESS RESPONSE
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Kaye Basford
-
2004
Doctor Philosophy
AN EVALUATION OF MARKER ASSISTED SELECTION (MAS) STRATEGIES FOR GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF WHEAT
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ian Godwin
-
2003
Doctor Philosophy
GENOTYPIC DIFFERENCES IN ADAPTATION TO DROUGHT AND INFERTILE SOILS IN RAINFED LOWLAND RICE IN CAMBODIA
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Shu Fukai
Media
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