Overview
Background
Dr Millicent Smith is a Senior Lecturer in Crop Physiology at The University of Queensland. Her research is focused on understanding the physiological mechanisms that underpin yield stability and quality in grain legumes. Millicent works closely with breeders, both in Australia and overseas, to develop improved knowledge on abiotic stress adaptation and tools to accelerate genetic gain. Dr Smith leads a national research project funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation focused on deploying novel phenotyping and genomics approaches to fast-track the development of new chickpea varieties that display lower yield loss in response to high temperature. Millicent is passionate about training the next generation of plant scientists. She leads a growing research team of postdoctoral scientists, postgraduate and undergraduate research students and has been awarded for her innovative teaching approaches applied to large undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
Availability
- Dr Millicent Smith is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours), University of Sydney
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Sydney
Works
Search Professor Millicent Smith’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Unmanned aerial vehicle phenotyping of agronomic and physiological traits in mungbean
Van Haeften, Shanice, Smith, Daniel, Robinson, Hannah, Dudley, Caitlin, Kang, Yichen, Douglas, Colin A., Hickey, Lee T., Potgieter, Andries, Chapman, Scott and Smith, Millicent R. (2025). Unmanned aerial vehicle phenotyping of agronomic and physiological traits in mungbean. The Plant Phenome Journal, 8 (1) e70016, 1-18. doi: 10.1002/ppj2.70016
2025
Journal Article
A chickpea MAGIC population to dissect the genetics of complex traits
Akinlade, Oluwaseun J., Robinson, Hannah, Kang, Yichen, Thudi, Mahendar, Samineni, Srinivasan, Gaur, Pooran, Smith, Millicent R., Voss‐Fels, Kai P., Costilla, Roy, Varshney, Rajeev K., Dinglasan, Eric and Hickey, Lee T. (2025). A chickpea MAGIC population to dissect the genetics of complex traits. The Plant Genome, 18 (3) e70096, e70096. doi: 10.1002/tpg2.70096
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
Journal Article
Decoding PDI diversity: insights into structure, domains, and functionality in sorghum
López-Gómez, Carla F., Morris, Marc T., Massel, Karen, Smith, Millicent, Crisp, Peter, Schenk, Gerhard and Godwin, Ian D. (2025). Decoding PDI diversity: insights into structure, domains, and functionality in sorghum. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, 27, 3328-3336. doi: 10.1016/j.csbj.2025.07.035
2025
Journal Article
Decoding PDI diversity: insights into structure, domains, and functionality in sorghum
López-Gómez, Carla F., Morris, Marc T., Massel, Karen, Smith, Millicent, Crisp, Peter, Schenk, Gerhard and Godwin, Ian D. (2025). Decoding PDI diversity: insights into structure, domains, and functionality in sorghum. doi: 10.1101/2025.06.06.658324
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
Time to flowering and flowering duration in mungbean are unrelated physiological traits with independent genetic controls
Dudley, Caitlin, Van Haeften, Shanice, Alahmad, Samir, Dinglasan, Eric, Hickey, Lee T., Robinson, Hannah, Beveridge, Christine, Udvardi, Michael, Noble, Thomas, Massel, Karen, Dun, Elizabeth A. and Smith, Millicent R. (2025). Time to flowering and flowering duration in mungbean are unrelated physiological traits with independent genetic controls. Journal Of Experimental Botany eraf222. doi: 10.1093/jxb/eraf222
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
Other Outputs
Mungbean flowering data
Smith, Millicent and Dudley, Caitlin (2025). Mungbean flowering data. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/9cf4a4d
2024
Journal Article
The spatial distribution of soil nitrogen determines responses of Sorghum bicolor to banded phosphorus fertiliser
Hunter, Megan A., Bell, Michael J., van der Bom, Frederik J. T., Smith, Millicent R., Janke, Chelsea K. and McLaren, Timothy I. (2024). The spatial distribution of soil nitrogen determines responses of Sorghum bicolor to banded phosphorus fertiliser. Crop and Pasture Science, 75 (12). doi: 10.1071/cp24256
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
Characterizing stay-green in barley across diverse environments: unveiling novel haplotypes
Brunner, Stephanie M., Dinglasan, Eric, Baraibar, Silvina, Alahmad, Samir, Katsikis, Christina, van der Meer, Sarah, Godoy, Jayfred, Moody, David, Smith, Millicent, Hickey, Lee and Robinson, Hannah (2024). Characterizing stay-green in barley across diverse environments: unveiling novel haplotypes. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 137 (6) 120, 120. doi: 10.1007/s00122-024-04612-1
2024
Journal Article
Crop domestication in the Asia Pacific region: a review
Okemo, Pauline, Wijesundra, Upendra, Nakandala, Upuli, Dillon, Natalie, Chandora, Rahul, Campbell, Bradley, Smith, Millicent, Hardner, Craig, Cadorna, Charles A., Martin, Guillaume, Yahiaoui, Nabila, Garsmeur, Olivier, Pompidor, Nicolas, D’Hont, Angelique and Henry, Robert J. (2024). Crop domestication in the Asia Pacific region: a review. Agriculture Communications, 2 (1) 100032, 100032-1. doi: 10.1016/j.agrcom.2024.100032
2024
Journal Article
Fusarium wilt constrains mungbean yield due to reduction in source availability
Van Haeften, Shanice, Kang, Yichen, Dudley, Caitlin, Potgieter, Andries, Robinson, Hannah, Dinglasan, Eric, Wenham, Kylie, Noble, Thomas, Kelly, Lisa, Douglas, Colin A, Hickey, Lee and Smith, Millicent R (2024). Fusarium wilt constrains mungbean yield due to reduction in source availability. AoB Plants, 16 (2) plae021, plae021. doi: 10.1093/aobpla/plae021
2023
Conference Publication
Exploring the ‘hidden half’ of barley: characterising Australian barley for root distribution under field conditions
Katsikis, C., Robinson, H., Smith, M., Van Der Meer, A., Alahmad, S., Wu, A., Chenu, K., Moody, D. and Hickey, L. (2023). Exploring the ‘hidden half’ of barley: characterising Australian barley for root distribution under field conditions. Australian Society of Plant Scientists Conference, Hobart, TAS Australia, 28 November - 1 December 2023.
2023
Journal Article
Featured cover
Van Haeften, Shanice, Dudley, Caitlin, Kang, Yichen, Smith, Daniel, Nair, Ramakrishnan M., Douglas, Colin A., Potgieter, Andries, Robinson, Hannah, Hickey, Lee T. and Smith, Millicent R. (2023). Featured cover. Food and Energy Security, 12 (6). doi: 10.1002/fes3.516
2023
Conference Publication
Exploring the ‘hidden half’ of barley: characterising Australian barley for root distribution in the field
Katsikis, C., Robinson, H., Smith, M., Van Der Meer, S., Alahmad, S., Wu, A., Chenu, K., Moody, D. and Hickey, L. (2023). Exploring the ‘hidden half’ of barley: characterising Australian barley for root distribution in the field. NextGen Ag Symposium, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 29 September 2023.
2023
Journal Article
Developing virtual field trips for agriculture
Krishnasamy, Suresh, Smith, Millicent R., Narayan, Edward, Abdul Aziz, Ammar and Hoffman, Eleanor W. (2023). Developing virtual field trips for agriculture. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 31 (3), 3-19. doi: 10.30722/ijisme.31.03.001
2023
Journal Article
Coherent Terahertz laser feedback interferometry for hydration sensing in leaves
Kashyap, Mayuri, Torniainen, Jari, Bertling, Karl, Kundu, Urbi, Singh, Khushboo, Donose, Bogdan, Gillespie, Tim, Lim, Yah Leng, Indjin, Dragan, Li, Lian He, Linfield, Edmund, Davies, Giles, Dean, Paul, Smith, Millicent, Chapman, Scott, Bandyopadhyay, Aparajita, Sengupta, Amartya and Rakic, Aleksandar (2023). Coherent Terahertz laser feedback interferometry for hydration sensing in leaves. Optics Express, 31 (15), 23877-23888. doi: 10.1364/oe.490217
2023
Journal Article
Building a better Mungbean: breeding for reproductive resilience in a changing climate
Van Haeften, Shanice, Dudley, Caitlin, Kang, Yichen, Smith, Daniel, Nair, Ramakrishnan M., Douglas, Colin A., Potgieter, Andries, Robinson, Hannah, Hickey, Lee T. and Smith, Millicent R. (2023). Building a better Mungbean: breeding for reproductive resilience in a changing climate. Food and Energy Security, 12 (6) e467. doi: 10.1002/fes3.467
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Millicent Smith is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Exploring the molecular and physiological basis of flowering behaviour in mungbean
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Elizabeth Dun, Professor Christine Beveridge, Professor Lee Hickey, Dr Karen Massel, Professor Michael Udvardi
-
Doctor Philosophy
Beat the heat: adapting chickpea to a hotter world
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lee Hickey, Associate Professor Karine Chenu
-
Doctor Philosophy
Integrating Agricultural Landscape Genomics and Abiotic Stress Resilience in Mungbean
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lee Hickey, Dr Maddie James, Professor Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos
-
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating root-shoot dynamics to improve water-use efficiency of barley
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alex Wu, Associate Professor Karine Chenu, Dr Hannah Robinson, Dr Dongxue Zhao, Professor Lee Hickey
-
Doctor Philosophy
Natural variation and optimization of symbiotic nitrogen fixation via predictive breeding in mungbean
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lee Hickey, Dr Will Shaffer, Professor Michael Udvardi
-
Doctor Philosophy
Nitrogen use dynamics in high protein gene edited sorghum
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Karen Massel, Dr Peter Crisp, Professor Ian Godwin
-
Doctor Philosophy
Physiological traits and environmental characterisation to improve yield stability in barley
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lee Hickey, Dr Samir Alahmad, Dr Alan Severini, Associate Professor Karine Chenu
-
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluating Diverse Taro (Colocasia) Germplasm to Enhance Food Security and Climate Resilience in the Pacific Islands
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Scott Chapman, Professor Ian Godwin, Dr Eric Dinglasan, Dr Bradley Campbell
-
Doctor Philosophy
AI-accelerated breeding of high-protein mungbean
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lee Hickey, Dr Eric Dinglasan, Professor Ben Hayes
Completed supervision
-
2025
Master Philosophy
Understanding G × E Interactions for Yield and Protein Content in Australian Chickpea: From Phenotyping to Genetic Analysis
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Bradley Campbell, Associate Professor Daniel Cozzolino
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
New insight and tools to increase yield potential and reliability in mungbean
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lee Hickey, Associate Professor Andries Potgieter, Dr Hannah Robinson
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Assessing plant growth and utilisation of phosphorus fertiliser with contrasting placement strategies and soil fertility
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Michael Bell, Dr Tim McLaren
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Advancing genetic knowledge and breeding tools to improve chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Eric Dinglasan, Dr Hannah Robinson, Dr Kai Voss-Fels, Professor Lee Hickey
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Physiological determinants of potential yield in mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Graeme Hammer, Dr Vijaya Singh
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Millicent Smith directly for media enquiries about:
- climate change and crop improvement
- crop science
- plant based protein
- tropical crops
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