Overview
Background
Professor Anna Koltunow has a formidable record of accomplishment in plant reproduction research and translating that research into gains in agricultural sectors.
Her research focus is on the molecular and genetic mechanisms that regulate development of plant reproductive cell types and, therefore, seed and fruit formation. Accomplishments include developing seedless fruit, a sought-after commodity in the horticultural sector.
She was selected by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to head an international collaborative research venture between six research organisations and a multinational seed company to develop technologies so smallholder African farmers could economically save seed from cowpea and sorghum hybrids. Professor Koltunow led the first five-year phase of this project, called Capturing Heterosis, while at CSIRO. This project finished in July 2019. The second phase, also funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – Hy-Gain for smallholders – commenced in March 2020, at The University of Queensland.
The Hy-Gain project is a multi-party international research project comprising seven world leading teams aiming to develop a novel technology to increase seed yield and productivity in sorghum and cowpea crops for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. This exciting 5-year project, is led by Professor Koltunow in QAAFI’s Centre for Crop Science. Hy-Gain aims to ensure the technology is compatible with plant breeding to support the future, rapid delivery of new high yielding sorghum and cowpea hybrids and improved varieties. The project has some fundamental discovery work, however its key aim is building and testing the utility of the technology in plants. The research objectives span molecular work in the laboratory to field work involving genetic, genomic and transgenic technologies and testing reproductive productivity of sorghum and cowpea plants in glasshouse and in the field.
Together, the Hy-Gain project team is developing new ways to breed sorghum and cowpea varieties that make it possible to achieve large gains in yields, while increasing resilience to diseases and environmental stress.
Professor Koltunow’s collaborations have had an international focus and she has consistently obtained external research funding from several sources (ARC, Australian rural development corporations, and bilateral funding involving CSIRO and India, China, Japan and Brazil and philanthropic funds). She has participated in EU consortia, trained international researchers and national and international students in plant reproduction research in partnership with national and international University collaborators. She has Professorial Affiliations with the University of Adelaide, La Trobe University and works with Huazhong Agricultural University in China.
Whilst maintaining an international profile in plant reproduction research, Professor Koltunow has also held senior leadership roles at CSIRO (including Program leader and Deputy Chief). She served on the Premier’s science council in South Australia, ARC College of Experts, as President and Past President of the International Association of Plant Reproduction Research and on various scientific boards including a CRC and two New Zealand Crown Research Institutes. She has been involved in the organization of 9 international conferences, works on advisory panels, editorial boards. She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.
Availability
- Professor Anna Koltunow is:
- Not available for supervision
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Adelaide
Research impacts
Academic achievements:
- Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (2018)
- Elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (2016)
- Member of the Australian Research Council College of Experts, Biology and Biotechnology (2010-2012)
- President and Past-President of the International Society for Plant Reproduction Society (2002-2006;2006-10)
- Director of two New Zealand Crown Research institutes, CRC for Viticulture and Provisor, a research companies (2003-2009)
- Served terms as Program Leader and two terms as Deputy Chief at CSIRO Plant Industry (2001-2006 and 2013-2014)
- Board of the IPMB society (elected, 1997-2000)
- Australian Research Council 5-year Fellow (1991-1995).
- Postdoctoral studies: CSIRO Horticulture (1986-1988), UCLA, USA (1989-1990).
- PhD University of Adelaide, 1987.
Works
Search Professor Anna Koltunow’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Germline β−1,3-glucan deposits are required for female gametogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana
Pinto, Sara C., Leong, Weng Herng, Tan, Hweiting, McKee, Lauren, Prevost, Amelie, Ma, Chao, Shirley, Neil. J., Petrella, Rosanna, Yang, Xiujuan, Koltunow, Anna M., Bulone, Vincent, Kanaoka, Masahiro M., Higashyiama, Tetsuya, Coimbra, Sílvia and Tucker, Matthew R. (2024). Germline β−1,3-glucan deposits are required for female gametogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 5875, 1-17. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-50143-0
2024
Journal Article
Adaptation and plasticity of yield in hybrid and inbred sorghum
Otwani, Daniel, Hunt, Colleen, Cruickshank, Alan, Powell, Owen, Koltunow, Anna, Mace, Emma and Jordan, David (2024). Adaptation and plasticity of yield in hybrid and inbred sorghum. Crop Science, 64 (2), 560-570. doi: 10.1002/csc2.21160
2022
Journal Article
Structural variation and parallel evolution of apomixis in citrus during domestication and diversification
Wang, Nan, Song, Xietian, Ye, Junli, Zhang, Siqi, Cao, Zhen, Zhu, Chenqiao, Hu, Jianbing, Zhou, Yin, Huang, Yue, Cao, Shuo, Liu, Zhongjie, Wu, Xiaomeng, Chai, Lijun, Guo, Wenwu, Xu, Qiang, Gaut, Brandon S, Koltunow, Anna M. G., Zhou, Yongfeng and Deng, Xiuxin (2022). Structural variation and parallel evolution of apomixis in citrus during domestication and diversification. National Science Review, 9 (10) nwac114, 1-16. doi: 10.1093/nsr/nwac114
2021
Journal Article
Regulation of nucellar embryony, a mode of sporophytic apomixis in Citrus resembling somatic embryogenesis
Xu, Yuantao, Jia, Huihui, Wu, Xiaomeng, Koltunow, Anna M.G., Deng, Xiuxin and Xu, Qiang (2021). Regulation of nucellar embryony, a mode of sporophytic apomixis in Citrus resembling somatic embryogenesis. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 59 101984, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.pbi.2020.101984
2020
Journal Article
Unequal contribution of two paralogous CENH3 variants in cowpea centromere function
Ishii, Takayoshi, Juranic, Martina, Maheshwari, Shamoni, Bustamante, Fernanda de Oliveira, Vogt, Maximilian, Salinas-Gamboa, Rigel, Dreissig, Steven, Gursanscky, Nial, How, Tracy, Demidov, Dmitri, Fuchs, Joerg, Schubert, Veit, Spriggs, Andrew, Vielle-Calzada, Jean-Philippe, Comai, Luca, Koltunow, Anna M. G. and Houben, Andreas (2020). Unequal contribution of two paralogous CENH3 variants in cowpea centromere function. Communications Biology, 3 (1) 775, 775. doi: 10.1038/s42003-020-01507-x
2020
Journal Article
Efficient CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of an endogenous PHYTOENE DESATURASE gene in T1 progeny of apomictic Hieracium enables new strategies for apomixis gene identification
Henderson, Sam W., Henderson, Steven T., Goetz, Marc and Koltunow, Anna M. G. (2020). Efficient CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of an endogenous PHYTOENE DESATURASE gene in T1 progeny of apomictic Hieracium enables new strategies for apomixis gene identification. Genes, 11 (9) 1064, 1064-16. doi: 10.3390/genes11091064
2020
Journal Article
A detached leaf assay for testing transient gene expression and gene editing in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.)
Juranić, Martina, Nagahatenna, Dilrukshi S. K., Salinas-Gamboa, Rigel, Hand, Melanie L., Sánchez-León, Nidia, Leong, Weng Herng, How, Tracy, Bazanova, Natalia, Spriggs, Andrew, Vielle-Calzada, Jean-Philippe, Koltunow, Anna M. G. and Koltunow, Anna M. G. (2020). A detached leaf assay for testing transient gene expression and gene editing in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.). Plant Methods, 16 (1) 88, 88. doi: 10.1186/s13007-020-00630-4
2019
Conference Publication
Harnessing asexual seed formation to preserve hybrid vigour and complex yield traits
Koltunow, Anna M.G. (2019). Harnessing asexual seed formation to preserve hybrid vigour and complex yield traits. The Third International Tropical Agriculture Conference TropAg 2019 , Brisbane, QLD Australia, 11-13 November 2019. Basel, Switzerland: MDPI. doi: 10.3390/proceedings2019036003
2019
Journal Article
Phenotypic plasticity of aposporous embryo sac development in Hieracium praealtum
Juranic, Martina, Johnson, Susan D. and Koltunow, Anna M. (2019). Phenotypic plasticity of aposporous embryo sac development in Hieracium praealtum. Plant Signaling and Behavior, 14 (8) e1622981, 1622981. doi: 10.1080/15592324.2019.1622981
2018
Journal Article
Asexual female gametogenesis involves contact with a sexually fated megaspore in apomictic Hieracium
Juranic, Martina, Tucker, Matthew R., Schultz, Carolyn J., Shirley, Neil J., Taylor, Jennifer M., Spriggs, Andrew, Johnson, Susan D., Bulone, Vincent and Koltunow, Anna M. (2018). Asexual female gametogenesis involves contact with a sexually fated megaspore in apomictic Hieracium. Plant Physiology, 177 (3), 1027-1049. doi: 10.1104/pp.18.00342
2018
Book Chapter
The central role of the ovule in apomixis and parthenocarpy
Koltunow, Anna M., Vivian-Smith, Adam, Tucker, Matthew R. and Paech, Nicholas (2018). The central role of the ovule in apomixis and parthenocarpy. Annual Plant Reviews online. (pp. 234-270) Chichester, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781119312994.apr0053
2018
Journal Article
Assembled genomic and tissue-specific transcriptomic data resources for two genetically distinct lines of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) walp)
Spriggs, Andrew, Henderson, Steven T., Hand, Melanie L., Johnson, Susan D., Taylor, Jennifer M. and Koltunow, Anna (2018). Assembled genomic and tissue-specific transcriptomic data resources for two genetically distinct lines of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) walp). Gates Open Research, 2 7, 7. doi: 10.12688/gatesopenres.12777.2
2017
Journal Article
A Genetic Screen for Impaired Systemic RNAi Highlights the Crucial Role of DICER-LIKE 2
Taochy, Christelle, Gursanscky, Nial R., Cao, Jiangling, Fletcher, Stephen J., Dressel, Uwe, Mitter, Neena, Tucker, Matthew R., Koltunow, Anna M G., Bowman, John L., Vaucheret, Hervé and Carroll, Bernard J. (2017). A Genetic Screen for Impaired Systemic RNAi Highlights the Crucial Role of DICER-LIKE 2. Plant Physiology, 175 (3), 1424-1437. doi: 10.1104/pp.17.01181
2017
Journal Article
Genetic analyses of the inheritance and expressivity of autonomous endosperm formation in Hieracium with different modes of embryo sac and seed formation
Henderson, Steven T., Johnson, Susan D., Eichmann, Joel and Koltunow, Anna M. G. (2017). Genetic analyses of the inheritance and expressivity of autonomous endosperm formation in Hieracium with different modes of embryo sac and seed formation. Annals of Botany, 119 (6), 1001-1010. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcw262
2016
Journal Article
Seeds of doubt: Mendel's choice of Hieracium to study inheritance, a case of right plant, wrong trait
Bicknell, Ross, Catanach, Andrew, Hand, Melanie and Koltunow, Anna (2016). Seeds of doubt: Mendel's choice of Hieracium to study inheritance, a case of right plant, wrong trait. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 129 (12), 2253-2266. doi: 10.1007/s00122-016-2788-x
2016
Journal Article
Generation of an integrated Hieracium genomic and transcriptomic resource enables exploration of small RNA pathways during apomixis initiation
Rabiger, David S., Taylor, Jennifer M., Spriggs, Andrew, Hand, Melanie L., Henderson, Steven T., Johnson, Susan D., Oelkers, Karsten, Hrmova, Maria, Saito, Keisuke, Suzuki, Go, Mukai, Yasuhiko, Carroll, Bernard J. and Koltunow, Anna M. G. (2016). Generation of an integrated Hieracium genomic and transcriptomic resource enables exploration of small RNA pathways during apomixis initiation. BMC Biology, 14 (86) 86, 86. doi: 10.1186/s12915-016-0311-0
2016
Journal Article
Mechanisms of endosperm initiation
Hands, Philip, Rabiger, David S. and Koltunow, Anna (2016). Mechanisms of endosperm initiation. Plant Reproduction, 29 (3), 215-225. doi: 10.1007/s00497-016-0290-x
2016
Journal Article
New observations on gametogenic development and reproductive experimental tools to support seed yield improvement in cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]
Salinas-Gamboa, Rigel, Johnson, Susan D., Sanchez-Leon, Nidia, Koltunow, Anna M. G. and Vielle-Calzada, Jean-Philippe (2016). New observations on gametogenic development and reproductive experimental tools to support seed yield improvement in cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]. Plant Reproduction, 29 (1-2), 165-177. doi: 10.1007/s00497-015-0273-3
2016
Book Chapter
A comparison of in vitro and in vivo asexual embryogenesis
Hand, Melanie L., de Vries, Sacco and Koltunow, Anna M. G. (2016). A comparison of in vitro and in vivo asexual embryogenesis. In vitro embryogenesis in higher plants. (pp. 3-23) edited by Maria Antonietta Germanà and Maurizio Lambardi. New York, NY United States: Humana Press . doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3061-6_1
2015
Journal Article
Development: turning on endosperm in seeds
Koltunow, Anna and Rabiger, David S. (2015). Development: turning on endosperm in seeds. Nature Plants, 1 (12) 15189. doi: 10.1038/nplants.2015.189
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Anna Koltunow is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Regulators of female reproductive development in cowpea
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Brett Ferguson
-
Doctor Philosophy
Exploring the genome landscape of heterosis in sorghum
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor David Jordan, Professor Emma Mace, Dr Colleen Hunt
Media
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