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)

41 - 60 of 152 works

2020

Journal Article

Large-scale genome-wide association study reveals that drought-induced lodging in grain sorghum is associated with plant height and traits linked to carbon remobilisation

Wang, Xuemin, Mace, Emma, Tao, Yongfu, Cruickshank, Alan, Hunt, Colleen, Hammer, Graeme and Jordan, David (2020). Large-scale genome-wide association study reveals that drought-induced lodging in grain sorghum is associated with plant height and traits linked to carbon remobilisation. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 133 (11), 3201-3215. doi: 10.1007/s00122-020-03665-2

Large-scale genome-wide association study reveals that drought-induced lodging in grain sorghum is associated with plant height and traits linked to carbon remobilisation

2020

Journal Article

From bits to bites: advancement of the Germinate platform to support prebreeding informatics for crop wild relatives

Raubach, Sebastian, Kilian, Benjamin, Dreher, Kate, Amri, Ahmed, Bassi, Filippo M., Boukar, Ousmane, Cook, Douglas, Cruickshank, Alan, Fatokun, Christian, El Haddad, Noureddine, Humphries, Alan, Jordan, David, Kehel, Zakaria, Kumar, Shiv, Labarosa, Sandy Jan, Nguyen, Loi Huu, Mace, Emma, McCouch, Susan, McNally, Ken, Marshall, David F., Mikwa, Erick Owuor, Milne, Iain, Odeny, Damaris Achieng, Plazas, Mariola, Prohens, Jaime, Rieseberg, Loren H., Schafleitner, Roland, Sharma, Shivali, Stephen, Gordon ... All our CWR Pre‐Breeding Partners and Collaborators (2020). From bits to bites: advancement of the Germinate platform to support prebreeding informatics for crop wild relatives. Crop Science, 61 (3) csc2.20248, 1538-1566. doi: 10.1002/csc2.20248

From bits to bites: advancement of the Germinate platform to support prebreeding informatics for crop wild relatives

2020

Journal Article

Genetic diversity of C4 photosynthesis pathway genes in Sorghum bicolor (L.)

Tao, Yongfu, George-Jaeggli, Barbara, Bouteillé-Pallas, Marie, Tai, Shuaishuai, Cruickshank, Alan, Jordan, David and Mace, Emma (2020). Genetic diversity of C4 photosynthesis pathway genes in Sorghum bicolor (L.). Genes, 11 (7) 806, 806-15. doi: 10.3390/genes11070806

Genetic diversity of C4 photosynthesis pathway genes in Sorghum bicolor (L.)

2020

Journal Article

A graph-based pan-genome guides biological discovery

Tao, Yongfu, Jordan, David R. and Mace, Emma S. (2020). A graph-based pan-genome guides biological discovery. Molecular Plant, 13 (9), 1247-1249. doi: 10.1016/j.molp.2020.07.020

A graph-based pan-genome guides biological discovery

2020

Journal Article

Genomic prediction for broad and specific adaptation in sorghum accommodating differential variances of SNP effects

Velazco, Julio G., Jordan, David R., Hunt, Colleen H., Mace, Emma S. and van Eeuwijk, Fred A. (2020). Genomic prediction for broad and specific adaptation in sorghum accommodating differential variances of SNP effects. Crop Science, 60 (5) csc2.20221, 2328-2342. doi: 10.1002/csc2.20221

Genomic prediction for broad and specific adaptation in sorghum accommodating differential variances of SNP effects

2020

Journal Article

Spatial and temporal patterns of lodging in grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in Australia

Wang, Xuemin, Mace, Emma, Hunt, Colleen, Cruickshank, Alan, Hammer, Graeme and Jordan, David (2020). Spatial and temporal patterns of lodging in grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in Australia. Crop and Pasture Science, 71 (4), 379-388. doi: 10.1071/cp19296

Spatial and temporal patterns of lodging in grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in Australia

2020

Conference Publication

How do crops balance water supply and demand when water is limiting?

Borrell, Andrew, George-Jaeggli, Barbara, Oosterom, Erik van, Hammer, Graeme, Mace, Emma, Godwin, Ian, Liu, Guoquan, Wong, Albert, Matiwos, Temesgen, Bantte, Kassahun, Christopher, Jack, Hickey, Lee, Richard, Cecile, Robinson, Hannah and Jordan, David (2020). How do crops balance water supply and demand when water is limiting?. The Third International Tropical Agriculture Conference TropAg 2019 , Brisbane, QLD Australia, 11–13 November 2019. Basel, Switzerland: MDPI. doi: 10.3390/proceedings2019036208

How do crops balance water supply and demand when water is limiting?

2020

Journal Article

Large-scale GWAS in sorghum reveals common genetic control of grain size among cereals

Tao, Yongfu, Zhao, Xianrong, Wang, Xuemin, Hathorn, Adrian, Hunt, Colleen, Cruickshank, Alan W., van Oosterom, Erik J., Godwin, Ian D., Mace, Emma S. and Jordan, David R. (2020). Large-scale GWAS in sorghum reveals common genetic control of grain size among cereals. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 18 (4), 1093-1105. doi: 10.1111/pbi.13284

Large-scale GWAS in sorghum reveals common genetic control of grain size among cereals

2020

Journal Article

Differences in temperature response of phenological development among diverse Ethiopian sorghum genotypes are linked to racial grouping and agroecological adaptation

Tirfessa, Alemu, McLean, Greg, Mace, Emma, Oosterom, Erik, Jordan, David and Hammer, Graeme (2020). Differences in temperature response of phenological development among diverse Ethiopian sorghum genotypes are linked to racial grouping and agroecological adaptation. Crop Science, 60 (2) csc2.20128, 977-990. doi: 10.1002/csc2.20128

Differences in temperature response of phenological development among diverse Ethiopian sorghum genotypes are linked to racial grouping and agroecological adaptation

2020

Journal Article

Multi environment and spatial analysis of early maturing sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] genotypes in dry lowland areas of Ethiopia

Amare, Seyoum, Amare, Nega, Kedanemaryam, Wagaw, Taye, Tadesse, Diriba, Tadesse, Alemu, Tirfessa, Habte, Nida, Adane, Gebereyhones, Sewmehone, Siraw, Tsegaye, Gebremariam, Chalachew, Endalamaw, Hailemariam, Solomon, Tamirat, Bejiga, Tokuma, Legesse, Jordan, David, Emma, Mace, Daniel, Nadew, Ligaba, Ayele and Meron, Bogale (2020). Multi environment and spatial analysis of early maturing sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] genotypes in dry lowland areas of Ethiopia. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 15 (2), 278-290. doi: 10.5897/ajar2019.14495

Multi environment and spatial analysis of early maturing sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] genotypes in dry lowland areas of Ethiopia

2020

Journal Article

The impacts of flowering time and tillering on grain yield of sorghum hybrids across diverse environments

Wang, Xuemin, Hunt, Colleen, Cruickshank, Alan, Mace, Emma, Hammer, Graeme and Jordan, David (2020). The impacts of flowering time and tillering on grain yield of sorghum hybrids across diverse environments. Agronomy, 10 (1) 35, 135. doi: 10.3390/agronomy10010135

The impacts of flowering time and tillering on grain yield of sorghum hybrids across diverse environments

2020

Journal Article

Multi-environment analysis of sorghum breeding trials using additive and dominance genomic relationships

Hunt, Colleen H., Hayes, Ben J., van Eeuwijk, Fred A., Mace, Emma S. and Jordan, David R. (2020). Multi-environment analysis of sorghum breeding trials using additive and dominance genomic relationships. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 133 (3), 1009-1018. doi: 10.1007/s00122-019-03526-7

Multi-environment analysis of sorghum breeding trials using additive and dominance genomic relationships

2020

Conference Publication

Quantifying drought tolerant crop traits using sensing technologies to enhance selection in sorghum breeding trials

Potgieter, A.B., Laws, Kenneth, George-Jaeggli, Barbara, Hunt, Colleen, Reynolds Massey-Reed, Sean, Lamprecht, Marnie, Liedtke, Jana D., Zhao, Yan, Chapman, Scott, Borrell, Andrew K., Mace, Emma S., Hammer, Graeme L. and Jordan, David R. (2020). Quantifying drought tolerant crop traits using sensing technologies to enhance selection in sorghum breeding trials. Interdrought 2020, Mexico City, Mexico, 9-13 March 2020.

Quantifying drought tolerant crop traits using sensing technologies to enhance selection in sorghum breeding trials

2019

Journal Article

Crop genomics goes beyond a single reference genome

Tao, Yongfu, Jordan, David R. and Mace, Emma S. (2019). Crop genomics goes beyond a single reference genome. Trends in Plant Science, 24 (12), 1072-1074. doi: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.10.001

Crop genomics goes beyond a single reference genome

2019

Journal Article

Genomic prediction of grain yield and drought-adaptation capacity in sorghum is enhanced by multi-trait analysis

Velazco, Julio G., Jordan, David R., Mace, Emma S., Hunt, Colleen H., Malosetti, Marcos and van Eeuwijk, Fred A. (2019). Genomic prediction of grain yield and drought-adaptation capacity in sorghum is enhanced by multi-trait analysis. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10 997, 997. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00997

Genomic prediction of grain yield and drought-adaptation capacity in sorghum is enhanced by multi-trait analysis

2019

Journal Article

Combining pedigree and genomic information to improve prediction quality: an example in sorghum

Velazco, Julio G., Malosetti, Marcos, Hunt, Colleen H., Mace, Emma S., Jordan, David R. and van Eeuwijk, Fred A. (2019). Combining pedigree and genomic information to improve prediction quality: an example in sorghum. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 132 (7), 2055-2067. doi: 10.1007/s00122-019-03337-w

Combining pedigree and genomic information to improve prediction quality: an example in sorghum

2019

Journal Article

A domestication history of dynamic adaptation and genomic deterioration in Sorghum

Smith, Oliver, Nicholson, William V., Kistler, Logan, Mace, Emma, Clapham, Alan, Rose, Pamela, Stevens, Chris, Ware, Roselyn, Samavedam, Siva, Barker, Guy, Jordan, David, Fuller, Dorian Q. and Allaby, Robin G. (2019). A domestication history of dynamic adaptation and genomic deterioration in Sorghum. Nature Plants, 5 (4), 369-379. doi: 10.1038/s41477-019-0397-9

A domestication history of dynamic adaptation and genomic deterioration in Sorghum

2019

Journal Article

Exploring and exploiting pan-genomics for crop improvement

Tao, Yongfu, Zhao, Xianrong, Mace, Emma, Henry, Robert and Jordan, David (2019). Exploring and exploiting pan-genomics for crop improvement. Molecular Plant, 12 (2), 156-169. doi: 10.1016/j.molp.2018.12.016

Exploring and exploiting pan-genomics for crop improvement

2019

Conference Publication

Basking in the heat vs. burning out: elucidating the difference between successful and unsuccessful acclimations to heat shock using two contrasting Sorghum bicolor genotypes

Watson-Lasowski, Alexander, Cano, Francisco Javier, Warren, Charles, Koller, Fiona, George-Jaeggli, Barbara, Mace, Emma, Jordan, David and Ghannoum, Oula (2019). Basking in the heat vs. burning out: elucidating the difference between successful and unsuccessful acclimations to heat shock using two contrasting Sorghum bicolor genotypes. Innovations in Agriculture for Food Security, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Australia, 30 June - 3 July 2019.

Basking in the heat vs. burning out: elucidating the difference between successful and unsuccessful acclimations to heat shock using two contrasting Sorghum bicolor genotypes

2019

Conference Publication

Predicting lodging using sensing technologies to enhance selection in sorghum breeding trials

Potgieter, Andries, Laws, Kenneth, George-Jaeggli, Barbara, Hunt, Colleen, Guo, Wei, Reynolds Massey-Reed, Sean, Chapman, Scott, Borrell, Andrew, Mace, Emma, Hammer, Graeme and Jordan, David (2019). Predicting lodging using sensing technologies to enhance selection in sorghum breeding trials. 6th International Plant Phenotyping Symposium, Nanjing, China, 22-26 October 2019.

Predicting lodging using sensing technologies to enhance selection in sorghum breeding trials

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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