Professor Emma Mace
Professor

Emma Mace

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 4542 6729
Phone: 
+61 7 336 54368

Background

Professor Emma Mace’s research interest is in developing and applying innovative genomics approaches to support sorghum improvement activities.

In Professor Mace’s current role leading sorghum genomics research components of research projects funded by the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Australian Research Council (ARC),her work focuses on generating significant innovative outcomes across a range of applications, from basic through to applied, specifically in using technologies to bridge the gene to phenotype gap, and to elucidate the genetic basis of quantitative and qualitative traits.

Availability

Professor Emma Mace is:
Not available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Bachelor, University of Nottingham
  • Masters (Coursework) of Science, University of Birmingham
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Birmingham

Research interests

  • Sorghum

  • Genomics

Research impacts

Australia produces at least 2 million tonnes of grain sorghum each year. Sorghum is one of the most diverse crop species with great potential for improvement in yield, drought resistance, insect resistance and grain quality. An understanding of the genetic control of key characteristics provides plant breeders with new opportunities to increase the rate of genetic gain and breed new improved genotypes. However, the complexity of gene function determination remains one of the major challenges facing plant biologists today, despite the development and application of new technologies, including high throughput genotyping and next-generation sequencing.

The UQ sorghum genomics team, together with researchers at DAF, are using an integrated set of technologies and germplasm collections to enhance gene function determination in sorghum.

Our capacity: marker-assisted selection, genomic selection and mapping

Applications

• high resolution genetic mapping for quantitative traits and identification of beneficial alleles

• development of customised SNP markers for target traits for Marker Assisted Selection

• development of whole-genome prediction models for applying genomic selection for target traits

The integrated application of new technologies and resources within the sorghum breeding program is being used in a range of research projects investigating a range of crop trait characteristics including drought tolerance, grain size, photosynthesis and grain yield.

Search Professor Emma Mace’s works on UQ eSpace

152 works between 1995 and 2025
All (152) Journal Article (107) Book Chapter (4) Conference Publication (29) Other Outputs (12)

21 - 40 of 152 works

2023

Other Outputs

Core Sorghum Breeding (Midge-South East QLD in years 2017 to 2020)

Jordan, David, Cruickshank, Alan, Hunt, Colleen and Mace, Emma (2023). Core Sorghum Breeding (Midge-South East QLD in years 2017 to 2020). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/44b9cad

Core Sorghum Breeding (Midge-South East QLD in years 2017 to 2020)

2023

Other Outputs

Core Sorghum Breeding (Breeding Trials-South West QLD in years 2006 to 2011)

Jordan, David, Cruickshank, Alan, Hunt, Colleen and Mace, Emma (2023). Core Sorghum Breeding (Breeding Trials-South West QLD in years 2006 to 2011). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/e05c9c6

Core Sorghum Breeding (Breeding Trials-South West QLD in years 2006 to 2011)

2023

Other Outputs

Core Sorghum Breeding (Breeding Trials-Central QLD in years 2004 to 2020)

Jordan, David, Cruickshank, Alan, Hunt, Colleen and Mace, Emma (2023). Core Sorghum Breeding (Breeding Trials-Central QLD in years 2004 to 2020). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/8bd7ba2

Core Sorghum Breeding (Breeding Trials-Central QLD in years 2004 to 2020)

2023

Other Outputs

Core Sorghum Breeding (Breeding Trials-South East QLD in years 2004 to 2022)

Jordan, David, Cruickshank, Alan, Hunt, Colleen and Mace, Emma (2023). Core Sorghum Breeding (Breeding Trials-South East QLD in years 2004 to 2022). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/35920ea

Core Sorghum Breeding (Breeding Trials-South East QLD in years 2004 to 2022)

2023

Other Outputs

Core Sorghum Breeding (Breeding Trials-North East NSW in years 2007 to 2018)

Jordan, David, Cruickshank, Alan, Hunt, Colleen and Mace, Emma (2023). Core Sorghum Breeding (Breeding Trials-North East NSW in years 2007 to 2018). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/b1a9171

Core Sorghum Breeding (Breeding Trials-North East NSW in years 2007 to 2018)

2022

Journal Article

Genetic and genomic diversity in the sorghum gene bank collection of Uganda

Chakrabarty, Subhadra, Mufumbo, Raphael, Windpassinger, Steffen, Jordan, David, Mace, Emma, Snowdon, Rod J. and Hathorn, Adrian (2022). Genetic and genomic diversity in the sorghum gene bank collection of Uganda. BMC Plant Biology, 22 (1) 378, 1-11. doi: 10.1186/s12870-022-03770-y

Genetic and genomic diversity in the sorghum gene bank collection of Uganda

2022

Conference Publication

Ensuring the future of taro

Campbell, Bradley, Godwin, Ian, Mace, Emma, Sukal, Amit, Waqainabete, Logo, Restall, Jemma and Smith, Millicent (2022). Ensuring the future of taro. TropAg International Agriculture Conference, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 31 October - 2 November 2022.

Ensuring the future of taro

2022

Journal Article

Genetic modification of PIN genes induces causal mechanisms of stay-green drought adaptation phenotype

Borrell, Andrew K., Wong, Albert C. S., George-Jaeggli, Barbara, van Oosterom, Erik J., Mace, Emma S., Godwin, Ian D., Liu, Guoquan, Mullet, John E., Klein, Patricia E., Hammer, Graeme L., McLean, Greg, Hunt, Colleen and Jordan, David R. (2022). Genetic modification of PIN genes induces causal mechanisms of stay-green drought adaptation phenotype. Journal of Experimental Botany, 73 (19), 6711-6726. doi: 10.1093/jxb/erac336

Genetic modification of PIN genes induces causal mechanisms of stay-green drought adaptation phenotype

2022

Journal Article

Genetic basis of sorghum leaf width and its potential as a surrogate for transpiration efficiency

Zhi, Xiaoyu, Hammer, Graeme, Borrell, Andrew, Tao, Yongfu, Wu, Alex, Hunt, Colleen, van Oosterom, Erik, Massey-Reed, Sean Reynolds, Cruickshank, Alan, Potgieter, Andries B., Jordan, David, Mace, Emma and George-Jaeggli, Barbara (2022). Genetic basis of sorghum leaf width and its potential as a surrogate for transpiration efficiency. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 135 (9), 3057-3071. doi: 10.1007/s00122-022-04167-z

Genetic basis of sorghum leaf width and its potential as a surrogate for transpiration efficiency

2022

Journal Article

Maximizing value of genetic sequence data requires an enabling environment and urgency

Gaffney, Jim, Girma, Dejene, Kane, Ndjido Ardo, Llaca, Victor, Mace, Emma, Taylor, Nigel and Tibebu, Redeat (2022). Maximizing value of genetic sequence data requires an enabling environment and urgency. Global Food Security, 33 100619, 100619. doi: 10.1016/j.gfs.2022.100619

Maximizing value of genetic sequence data requires an enabling environment and urgency

2022

Journal Article

Decoding the sorghum methylome: understanding epigenetic contributions to agronomic traits

Vafadarshamasbi, Ulduz, Mace, Emma, Jordan, David and Crisp, Peter A. (2022). Decoding the sorghum methylome: understanding epigenetic contributions to agronomic traits. Biochemical Society Transactions, 50 (1), 583-596. doi: 10.1042/bst20210908

Decoding the sorghum methylome: understanding epigenetic contributions to agronomic traits

2021

Journal Article

Genetic control of leaf angle in sorghum and its effect on light interception

Zhi, Xiaoyu, Tao, Yongfu, Jordan, David, Borrell, Andrew, Hunt, Colleen, Cruickshank, Alan, Potgieter, Andries, Wu, Alex, Hammer, Graeme, George-Jaeggli, Barbara and Mace, Emma (2021). Genetic control of leaf angle in sorghum and its effect on light interception. Journal of Experimental Botany, 73 (3) erab467, 801-816. doi: 10.1093/jxb/erab467

Genetic control of leaf angle in sorghum and its effect on light interception

2021

Journal Article

Manipulating assimilate availability provides insight into the genes controlling grain size in sorghum

Tao, Yongfu, Trusov, Yuri, Zhao, Xianrong, Wang, Xuemin, Cruickshank, Alan W., Hunt, Colleen, van Oosterom, Erik J., Hathorn, Adrian, Liu, Guoquan, Ian, Godwin D., Botella, Jose R., Mace, Emma S. and Jordan, David R. (2021). Manipulating assimilate availability provides insight into the genes controlling grain size in sorghum. The Plant Journal, 108 (1) tpj.15437, 1-13. doi: 10.1111/tpj.15437

Manipulating assimilate availability provides insight into the genes controlling grain size in sorghum

2021

Journal Article

Extensive variation within the pan-genome of cultivated and wild sorghum

Tao, Yongfu, Luo, Hong, Xu, Jiabao, Cruickshank, Alan, Zhao, Xianrong, Teng, Fei, Hathorn, Adrian, Wu, Xiaoyuan, Liu, Yuanming, Shatte, Tracey, Jordan, David, Jing, Haichun and Mace, Emma (2021). Extensive variation within the pan-genome of cultivated and wild sorghum. Nature Plants, 7 (6), 766-773. doi: 10.1038/s41477-021-00925-x

Extensive variation within the pan-genome of cultivated and wild sorghum

2021

Journal Article

Genomic resources in plant breeding for sustainable agriculture

Thudi, Mahendar, Palakurthi, Ramesh, Schnable, James C., Chitikineni, Annapurna, Dreisigacker, Susanne, Mace, Emma, Srivastava, Rakesh K., Satyavathi, C. Tara, Odeny, Damaris, Tiwari, Vijay K., Lam, Hon-Ming, Hong, Yan Bin, Singh, Vikas K., Li, Guowei, Xu, Yunbi, Chen, Xiaoping, Kaila, Sanjay, Nguyen, Henry, Sivasankar, Sobhana, Jackson, Scott A., Close, Timothy J., Shubo, Wan and Varshney, Rajeev K. (2021). Genomic resources in plant breeding for sustainable agriculture. Journal of Plant Physiology, 257 153351, 1-18. doi: 10.1016/j.jplph.2020.153351

Genomic resources in plant breeding for sustainable agriculture

2021

Journal Article

Enhancement of sorghum grain yield and nutrition: a role for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi regardless of soil phosphorus availability

Watts-Williams, Stephanie J., Gill, Alison R., Jewell, Nathaniel, Brien, Christopher J., Berger, Bettina, Tran, Binh T. T., Mace, Emma, Cruickshank, Alan W., Jordan, David R., Garnett, Trevor and Cavagnaro, Timothy R. (2021). Enhancement of sorghum grain yield and nutrition: a role for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi regardless of soil phosphorus availability. Plants, People, Planet, 4 (2), 143-156. doi: 10.1002/ppp3.10224

Enhancement of sorghum grain yield and nutrition: a role for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi regardless of soil phosphorus availability

2021

Book Chapter

Sorghum

Borrell, Andrew, van Oosterom, Erik, George-Jaeggli, Barbara, Rodriguez, Daniel, Eyre, Joe, Jordan, David J., Mace, Emma, Singh, Vijaya, Vadez, Vincent, Bell, Mike, Godwin, Ian, Cruickshank, Alan, Tao, Yongfu and Hammer, Graeme (2021). Sorghum. Crop physiology: case histories for major crops. (pp. 196-221) edited by Victor O. Sadras and Daniel F. Calderini. London, United Kingdom: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-819194-1.00005-0

Sorghum

2021

Journal Article

A global resource for exploring and exploiting genetic variation in sorghum crop wild relatives

Mace, Emma S., Cruickshank, Alan W., Tao, Yongfu, Hunt, Colleen H. and Jordan, David R. (2021). A global resource for exploring and exploiting genetic variation in sorghum crop wild relatives. Crop Science, 61 (1), 150-162. doi: 10.1002/csc2.20332

A global resource for exploring and exploiting genetic variation in sorghum crop wild relatives

2020

Journal Article

Genetic diversity of Ethiopian sorghum reveals signatures of climatic adaptation

Menamo, T., Kassahun, B., Borrell, A. K., Jordan, D. R., Tao, Y., Hunt, C. and Mace, E. (2020). Genetic diversity of Ethiopian sorghum reveals signatures of climatic adaptation. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 134 (2), 731-742. doi: 10.1007/s00122-020-03727-5

Genetic diversity of Ethiopian sorghum reveals signatures of climatic adaptation

2020

Journal Article

Open access to genetic sequence data maximizes value to scientists, farmers, and society

Gaffney, Jim, Tibebu, Redeat, Bart, Rebecca, Beyene, Getu, Girma, Dejene, Kane, Ndjido Ardo, Mace, Emma S., Mockler, Todd, Nickson, Thomas E., Taylor, Nigel and Zastrow-Hayes, Gina (2020). Open access to genetic sequence data maximizes value to scientists, farmers, and society. Global Food Security, 26 100411, 100411. doi: 10.1016/j.gfs.2020.100411

Open access to genetic sequence data maximizes value to scientists, farmers, and society

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2027
    Unlocking crop epigenomics to uncover and engineer hidden diversity
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2027
    Root structure and function traits: Overcoming the root phenotyping bottleneck in cereals
    PROC-9176895 Phenomics methods and tools to enable improved resource capture efficiency in grain crops
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2026
    Predicting Perfect Partners: climate resilient seed production technology
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2025
    Institutional Capacity Improvement for Breeding Programs of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR)-II
    Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2026
    Hy-Gain for Smallholders (2020-2025)
    Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2019 - 2023
    Climate-smart interventions for smallholder farmers in Ethiopia
    International Development Research Centre-Cultivate Africa's Future Fund
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    Beat the heat: Adapting sorghum crops for global climate futures
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    DAQ00187 National Barley Foliar Pathogen Variety Improvement Program (GRDC Project led by DAF)
    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2021
    Development of a wild sorghum BCNAM panel
    Global Crop Diversity Trust
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2016
    Sorghum with more feed grain energy: bigger grain with higher starch content
    Grains Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Emma Mace is:
Not available for supervision

Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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