Overview
Background
As a researcher in agriculture, I am dedicated to advancing our understanding of genetics, genomics, sustainable farming practices and improving crop resilience in perennial and annual crops through innovative research and interdisciplinary collaboration. My main foci are to implement cutting-edge techniques in high-throughput sequencing, advanced phenotyping, genomic selection, and using G X E interactions towards developing climate resilient crops.
With the advent of next generation genotyping and phenotyping techniques, crop research is producing complex data at exponential rate and my current main research project aims to develop genetic, genomic and breeding related databases for tree crops such as apple, almond, citrus and berries using easy, user friendly, sustainable data collocation and analysing workflows, software and using AI. My other research interests include crop evolution, phylogenetics, self incompatibility, quantitative trait loci, protein interactions and functional genomics.
I would like to contribute to the education and mentorship of future agricultural scientists. I am interested in teaching undergraduate and graduate-level courses in plant science and sustainable agriculture. I also seek to mentor young researchers and students, providing them with the support and guidance needed to develop their own research skills and pursue careers in the agricultural sciences.
Availability
- Dr Shashi Goonetilleke is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy of Crop Genetics and Breeding, University of Adelaide
Research interests
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Genetics and genomics
Genetic control of the most fruit and nut traits are controlled by small genomic regions called quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and I am interested in how QTLs affect fruit and nut traits in apple, almond, citrus, strawberry and blueberry.
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Genomic prediction
In breeding, DNA informed selection makes substantial improvement in the progeny. My intention is to use genomic data to predict best preforming individuals in the early stages of the breeding cycle while increasing the selection accuracy and reducing the length of the breeding cycle of perennial crops. Global genomic prediction for apple, almond, citrus, and berries included in my current main research.
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G X E interactions
Phenotype of an individual is determined mainly by the genotype and environment. For some traits the effect of environment is higher and understanding of the genotype and environment interaction is important in breeding and research. My focus is to understand the G x E interactions in fruit and nut traits in perennial crop species.
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Community databases
With the advent of next generation genotyping and phenotyping techniques, crop research is producing complex data at exponential rate and through the USDA collaboration, I involve in developing genetic, genomic and breeding related databases for tree crops such as apple, almond, citrus and berries using easy, user friendly, sustainable data collocation and analysing workflows,
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Genetic diversity, crop evolution, phylogenetic relationships
I am interested in genetic diversity, crop evolution and phylogenetic relationships in crops. in one of the projects, we looked the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships in apple from the Australian apple breeding program.
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Self incompatibility
I have been working with the self-incompatibility in almond and I am interested in working on self-incompatibility in other crop species.
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High throughput genotyping and phenotyping
I am interested in improving DNA extraction and genotyping protocols in perennial crop species for high through genotyping and in searching and improving the high efficiency fruit, nut and kernel trait measuring technologies.
Research impacts
Agricultural crop research including tree fruits and nuts, berries and pulses are generating complex data at exponential rates. Crop industry requires accelerating the pace of meaningful discoveries and translating results into efficient and effective crop improvement solutions through turning this information into actionable knowledge by the generation, analysis, and re-use of large and detailed sets of relevant big data.
Therefore, my main project aims to (i) Collect, curate, and integrate all types of genomics, genetics, and breeding big data in easy-to-use and robust crop-specific databases, (ii) Develop and integrate tools to promote the collection, integration, and utilisation of big data by scientists and breeders, (ii) Use of database resources, quantify impact of databases on genomics-assisted breeding in high-valued crops in the USA, Australia, Europe and global.
This project will address the economic, environmental and sustainability challenges facing the high-valued perennial fruits, nuts and berries.
Works
Search Professor Shashi Goonetilleke’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Conference Publication
High throughput DNA markers to detect bacterial spot tolerance in almond
Goonetilleke, S.N., Bell, T.V. and Wirthensohn, M.G. (2024). High throughput DNA markers to detect bacterial spot tolerance in almond. VIII International Symposium on Almonds and Pistachios, Davis, CA, United States, 7-11 May 2023. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/actahortic.2024.1406.9
2023
Journal Article
Genetic analysis of quantitative variation in almond nut traits
Goonetilleke, Shashi N., Wirthensohn, Michelle G. and Mather, Diane E. (2023). Genetic analysis of quantitative variation in almond nut traits. Tree Genetics and Genomes, 19 (6) 55, 1-11. doi: 10.1007/s11295-023-01630-w
2023
Conference Publication
High throughput DNA markers to detect bacterial spot tolerance in almond
Goonetilleke, Shashi, Bell, Talisha and Wirthensohn, Michelle (2023). High throughput DNA markers to detect bacterial spot tolerance in almond. 8th International Symposium on Almond and Pistachio, Davis, CA, USA, 7 - 11 May.
2023
Book Chapter
Discovery of Quantitative Trait Loci for Nut and Quality Traits in Almond
Goonetilleke, Shashi N. and Fernández i Martí, Ángel (2023). Discovery of Quantitative Trait Loci for Nut and Quality Traits in Almond. The Almond Tree Genome. (pp. 147-158) edited by Sánchez-Pérez, R, Fernandez i Marti, A. and Martinez-Gomez, P.. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
2023
Book Chapter
Recent advances on self-incompatibility in almond: a glance at genomic and transcriptomic levels
Goonetilleke, Shashi N., Wirthensohn, Michell G., Dodd, Richard S. and Fernández i Martí, Ángel (2023). Recent advances on self-incompatibility in almond: a glance at genomic and transcriptomic levels. The almond tree genome. (pp. 87-109) edited by Raquel Sánchez-Pérez, Angel Fernandez i Marti and Pedro Martinez-Gomez. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-30302-0_7
2023
Journal Article
Genome-wide association analysis and validation with KASP markers for nut and shell traits in almond (Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D.A.Webb)
Sideli, Gina M., Mather, Diane, Wirthensohn, Michelle, Dicenta, Federico, Goonetilleke, Shashi N., Martínez-García, Pedro José and Gradziel, Thomas M. (2023). Genome-wide association analysis and validation with KASP markers for nut and shell traits in almond (Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D.A.Webb). Tree Genetics and Genomes, 19 (2) 13, 1-11. doi: 10.1007/s11295-023-01588-9
2022
Journal Article
Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Resistance to Foliar Pathogens Based on Genotyping-by-Sequencing of a Para Rubber Diversity Panel and Progeny of an Interspecific Cross
Roy, C. Bindu, Goonetilleke, Shashi N., Joseph, Limiya, Krishnan, Anu, Saha, Thakurdas, Kilian, Andrzej and Mather, Diane E. (2022). Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Resistance to Foliar Pathogens Based on Genotyping-by-Sequencing of a Para Rubber Diversity Panel and Progeny of an Interspecific Cross. Plants, 11 (24) 3418, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/plants11243418
2022
Journal Article
Phenotypic and genotypic diversity of Ascochyta fabae populations in Southern Australia
Blake, Sara N., Lee, Robert C., Russ, Michelle H., Farquharson, Elizabeth A., Rose, Jade A., Herdina,, Goonetilleke, Shashi N., Farfan-Caceres, Lina M., Debler, Johannes W., Syme, Robert A. and Davidson, Jennifer A. (2022). Phenotypic and genotypic diversity of Ascochyta fabae populations in Southern Australia. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.918211
2021
Conference Publication
Analysis of genetic diversity and identification of genome-wide markers associated with foliar disease resistance in Para rubber (Hevea brasiliensis)
Goonetilleke, Shashi (2021). Analysis of genetic diversity and identification of genome-wide markers associated with foliar disease resistance in Para rubber (Hevea brasiliensis). Plantation Crops Symposium PLACROSYM XXV, Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka, India, 16-19 July 2021.
2021
Journal Article
Analysis of Genetic Diversity in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Plant 'Kushen' (Sophora flavescens Ait.)
Schultz, Carolyn J., Goonetilleke, Shashi N., Liang, Jianping, Lahnstein, Jelle, Levin, Kara A., Bianco-Miotto, Tina, Burton, Rachel A., Mather, Diane E. and Chalmers, Kenneth J. (2021). Analysis of Genetic Diversity in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Plant 'Kushen' (Sophora flavescens Ait.). Frontiers in Plant Science, 12 704201, 1-15. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.704201
2021
Journal Article
Lipoxygenase in Wheat: Genetic Control and Impact on Stability of Lutein and Lutein Esters
Mares, Daryl J., Cheong, Judy, Goonetilleke, Shashi N. and Mather, Diane E. (2021). Lipoxygenase in Wheat: Genetic Control and Impact on Stability of Lutein and Lutein Esters. Foods, 10 (5) 1149, 1-12. doi: 10.3390/foods10051149
2020
Journal Article
Variation among S-locus haplotypes and among stylar RNases in almond
Goonetilleke, Shashi N., Croxford, Adam E., March, Timothy J., Wirthensohn, Michelle G., Hrmova, Maria and Mather, Diane E. (2020). Variation among S-locus haplotypes and among stylar RNases in almond. Scientific Reports, 10 (1) 583, 1-15. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-57498-6
2019
Conference Publication
Development of high-throughput markers linked to the loci involved in disease resistance against major fungal pathogens causing leaf diseases of rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis)
Bindu, Roy C., Goonetilleke, Shashi N., Saha, T., Madhavan and Mather, Diane E. (2019). Development of high-throughput markers linked to the loci involved in disease resistance against major fungal pathogens causing leaf diseases of rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). National Symposium on Breeding for Biotic Stress Resistance in Potential Crops, Wellington, India, 7 - 8 Dec 2019.
2019
Conference Publication
Accelerating MAS for disease resistance using SNP enabled Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers in rubber
Bindu, Roy C., Goonetilleke, Shashi N., Madhavan, Saha T. and Mather, Diane E. (2019). Accelerating MAS for disease resistance using SNP enabled Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers in rubber. Plantation Crops Symposium PLACROSYM XXIII, Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka, India, 6-8 March 2019.
2019
Conference Publication
Molecular markers for high-throughput detection of a self-fertility (Sf ) allele in almond
Goonetilleke, S. N.S., Croxford, A. E., Wirthensohn, M. G., March, T. J. and Mather, D. E. (2019). Molecular markers for high-throughput detection of a self-fertility (Sf ) allele in almond. II International Workshop on Floral Biology and S-Incompatibility in Fruit Species, Murcia, Spain, 23-26 May 2016. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/actahortic.2019.1231.24
2018
Journal Article
Genotyping by Sequencing in Almond: SNP Discovery, Linkage Mapping, and Marker Design
Goonetilleke, Shashi N., March, Timothy J., Wirthensohn, Michelle G., Arus, Pere, Walker, Amanda R. and Mather, Diane E. (2018). Genotyping by Sequencing in Almond: SNP Discovery, Linkage Mapping, and Marker Design. G3-Genes Genomes Genetics, 8 (1), 161-172. doi: 10.1534/g3.117.300376
2009
Journal Article
Assessment of genetic diversity of Tea (Camellia sinensis LO Kuntze) as revealed by RAPD - PCR markers
Goonetillieke, W. A. S. N. S. T., Priyantha, P. G. C., Mewan, K. M. and Gunasekare, M. T. K. (2009). Assessment of genetic diversity of Tea (Camellia sinensis LO Kuntze) as revealed by RAPD - PCR markers. Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka, 37 (2), 147-150. doi: 10.4038/jnsfsr.v37i2.1072
2008
Journal Article
An assessment of genetic relationships in VP teas and old seedling teas in Sri Lanka using RAPD Markers
Goonetilleke, W. A. S. N. S. T., Priyantha P. G. C. and Mewan K. M. (2008). An assessment of genetic relationships in VP teas and old seedling teas in Sri Lanka using RAPD Markers. Sri Lanka Journal of Tea Science, 73 (1), 39-48.
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Shashi Goonetilleke is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Master Philosophy
Optimising cross platform and skim sequencing imputation in apple.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Bradley Campbell, Dr Elizabeth Ross, Associate Professor Craig Hardner
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Shashi Goonetilleke directly for media enquiries about:
- Big data
- Community databases
- Fruit and nut traits
- G X E interaction
- Genomic prediction
- Tree crops
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