Overview
Background
Alice is a plant molecular physiologist leading a strong outcome-driven team at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation. Her team focuses on plant tissue culture as a platform technology delivering solutions for agriculture and ecosystems. This includes developing commercial-scale methods for year-round propagation of clean, true-to-type plants for horticultural industries, with impacts for growers, supply chains and breeding programs. This technology is also being adapated to accelerate horticultural crop improvement using gene editing and non-GM in vitro breeding tools for trees and vegetables. Her team boasts leading experts in cryopreservation for long-term conservation of plant genetic diversity - essenital to secure the breeding materials critical for Australia's tropical crops and endangered biodiveristy. Example projects with impact include: 1) Commercial-scale tissue culture pipelines for propagation of species including avocado, turmeric and macadamia, 2) Cryopreservation success for securing the germplasm of avocado and macadamia, and 3) The first in vitro conservation tools developed for Australian native plants critically impacted by pandemic myrtle rust - one of the biggest biosecurity threats to Australia's ecosystems. She is also exploring exciting innovations in plant tissue culture including cellular horticulture. She is passionate to support industry access to highest quality disease free planting materials and preserve the plant species that are core to our ecosystems and food production systems. Her vision is to support the adaptibility and security of our food- and eco- systems in response to global change.
Availability
- Dr Alice Hayward is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours), The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Platform tools for horticultural advancement
Developing platform technologies to advance horticultural production and sustainability nationally and globally
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Plant molecular biology to understand the physiological and molecular basis of plant development and productivity
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Plant cryopreservation - conservation of plant species that can not be seed banked
critical for insuring the germplasm of our recalcitrant tropical crops for the future of our industries and food production. Also critical to conserve the genetics of endangered species under extraordinary threats in situ
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Plant tissue culture as a platform technology for crop advancement and sustainable producition
Works
Search Professor Alice Hayward’s works on UQ eSpace
2019
Conference Publication
The Use Of Sucrose Pre-Culture For Cryopreservation Of Avocado (Persea Americana Mill.) Cultivar ‘Velvick’
O'Brien, Chris, Bandaralage, Jayeni Hiti, Folgado, Raquel, Lahmeyer, Sean, Hayward, Alice and Mitter, Neena (2019). The Use Of Sucrose Pre-Culture For Cryopreservation Of Avocado (Persea Americana Mill.) Cultivar ‘Velvick’. 56th Annual Meeting of the Society for Cryobiology CRYO 2019, San Diego, CA United States, 22-25 July 2019. Maryland Heights, MO United States: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2019.10.056
2018
Journal Article
Molecular characterization and analysis of conserved potyviral motifs in bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) for RNAi-mediated protection
Worrall, Elizabeth A., Hayward, Alice C., Fletcher, Stephen J. and Mitter, Neena (2018). Molecular characterization and analysis of conserved potyviral motifs in bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) for RNAi-mediated protection. Archives of Virology, 164 (1), 181-194. doi: 10.1007/s00705-018-4065-6
2018
Book Chapter
Avocado (Persea americana Mill.)
O’Brien, Christopher, Hiti-Bandaralage, Jayeni C. A., Hayward, Alice and Mitter, Neena (2018). Avocado (Persea americana Mill.). Step wise protocols for somatic embryogenesis of important woody plants. Volume II. (pp. 305-328) edited by Shri Mohan Jain and Pramod Gupta. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-79087-9_24
2018
Conference Publication
MicroRNA control of flowering and annual crop cycle in tropical/subtropical horticultural trees
Ahsan, M. U., Hayward, A., Powell, R., Wilkie, J., Beveridge, C. and Mitter, N. (2018). MicroRNA control of flowering and annual crop cycle in tropical/subtropical horticultural trees. International Symposia on Tropical and Temperate Horticulture, Cairns, QLD Australia, 20 November 2016. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2018.1205.84
2018
Conference Publication
Acclimatization of micropropagated mature avocado
Hiti Bandaralage, J. C. A., Hayward, A., O’Brien, C., Beveridge, C. and Mitter, N. (2018). Acclimatization of micropropagated mature avocado. VII International Symposium on Production and Establishment of Micropropagated Plants, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 24-28 April 2017. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2018.1224.3
2018
Conference Publication
Adventitious Rooting in Avocado - Unravelling the Bottleneck to Propagation
Gleeson, Madeleine , Hayward, Alice , Hiti Bandalarage, Jayeni , Fletcher, Stephen and Mitter, Neena (2018). Adventitious Rooting in Avocado - Unravelling the Bottleneck to Propagation. Plant and Animal Genome Conference XXIV, San Diego, CA, United States, 13-17 January 2018. San Diego, CA, United States:
2018
Conference Publication
Developing a cryopreservation protocol for avocado (Persea Americana Mill.) shoot tips
O’Brien, Chris, Hiti Bandaralage, Jayeni C. A., Folgado, Raquel, Lahmeyer, Sean, Hayward, Alice and Mitter, Neena (2018). Developing a cryopreservation protocol for avocado (Persea Americana Mill.) shoot tips. CRYO2018, Madrid, Spain, 10-13 July 2018. Maryland Heights, MO United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2018.10.199
2017
Journal Article
Micropropagation of Avocado (Persea americana Mill.)
Hiti-Bandaralage, Jayeni , Hayward, Alice and Mitter, Neena (2017). Micropropagation of Avocado (Persea americana Mill.). American Journal of Plant Sciences, 8 (11), 2898-2921. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2017.811197
2017
Conference Publication
Micropropagation: The Future of Clonal Propagation of Avocado
Hiti Bandalarage, Jayeni , Hayward, Alice , O'Brien, Christopher and Mitter, Neena (2017). Micropropagation: The Future of Clonal Propagation of Avocado. International Tropical Agriculture Conference, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 20-22 November 2017. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: TropAg.
2016
Journal Article
Analysis of the genome sequence of the medicinal plant Salvia miltiorrhiza
Xu, Haibin, Song, Jinyuan, Luo, Hongmei, Zhang, Yujun, Li, Qiushi, Zhu, Yingjie, Xu, Jiang, Li, Ying, Song, Chi, Wang, Bo, Sun, Wei, Shen, Guoan, Zhang, Xin, Qian, Jun, Ji, Aija, Xu, Zhichao, Luo, Xiang, He, Liu, Li, Chuyuang, Sun, Chao, Yan, Haixia, Cui, Guanghong, Li, Xiwen, Li, Xian'en, Wei, Jianhe, Liu, Juyan, Wang, Yitao, Hayward, Alice, Nelson, David ... Chen, Shilin (2016). Analysis of the genome sequence of the medicinal plant Salvia miltiorrhiza. Molecular Plant, 9 (6), 949-952. doi: 10.1016/j.molp.2016.03.010
2015
Journal Article
Identification and characterization of miRNAs in ripening fruit of lycium barbarum L. Using high-throughput sequencing
Zeng, Shaohua, Liu, Yongliang, Pan, Lizhu, Hayward, Alice and Wang, Ying (2015). Identification and characterization of miRNAs in ripening fruit of lycium barbarum L. Using high-throughput sequencing. Frontiers in Plant Science, 6 (September) 778, 778. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00778
2015
Journal Article
Microspore culture reveals complex meiotic behaviour in a trigenomic Brassica hybrid
Mason, Annaliese S., Takahira, Junko, Atri, Chhaya, Samans, Birgit, Hayward, Alice, Cowling, Wallace A., Batley, Jacqueline and Nelson, Mattew N. (2015). Microspore culture reveals complex meiotic behaviour in a trigenomic Brassica hybrid. BMC Plant Biology, 15 (1) 173, 1-15. doi: 10.1186/s12870-015-0555-9
2015
Journal Article
Chromosome-level genome map provides insights into diverse defense mechanisms in the medicinal fungus Ganoderma sinense
Zhu, Yingjie, Xu, Jiang, Sun, Chao, Zhou, Shiguo, Xu, Haibin, Nelson, David R., Qian, Jun, Song, Jingyuan, Luo, Hongmei, Xiang, Li, Li, Ying, Xu, Zhichao, Ji, Aijia, Wang, Lizhi, Lu, Shanfa, Hayward, Alice, Sun, Wei, Li, Xiwen, Schwartz, David C., Wang, Yitao and Chen, Shilin (2015). Chromosome-level genome map provides insights into diverse defense mechanisms in the medicinal fungus Ganoderma sinense. Scientific Reports, 5 (1) 11087, 1-14. doi: 10.1038/srep11087
2015
Journal Article
Integration analysis of quantitative trait loci for resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Brassica napus
Li, Jiqiang, Zhao, Zunkang, Hayward, Alice, Cheng, Hongyu and Fu, Donghui (2015). Integration analysis of quantitative trait loci for resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Brassica napus. Euphytica, 205 (2), 483-489. doi: 10.1007/s10681-015-1417-0
2015
Journal Article
Enhanced seed oil content by overexpressing genes related to triacylglyceride synthesis
Liu, Fang, Xia, Yuping, Wu, Lei, Fu, Donghui, Hayward, Alice, Luo, Junling, Yan, Xiaohong, Xiong, Xiaojuan, Fu, Ping, Wu, Gang and Lu, Changming (2015). Enhanced seed oil content by overexpressing genes related to triacylglyceride synthesis. Gene, 557 (2), 163-171. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2014.12.029
2015
Conference Publication
Gibberellin and cytokinin in synergy for a rapid nodal multiplication system of avocado
Hiti Bandaralage, J., Hayward, A., O'Brien, C. and Mitter, N. (2015). Gibberellin and cytokinin in synergy for a rapid nodal multiplication system of avocado. VIII World Avocado Congress, Lima, Peru, 13- 18 September 2015. Lima Peru: World Avocado Congress.
2015
Journal Article
Molecular marker applications in plants
Hayward, Alice C., Tollenaere, Reece, Dalton-Morgan, Jessica and Batley, Jacqueline (2015). Molecular marker applications in plants. Methods in Molecular Biology, 1245, 13-27. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-1966-6_2
2015
Conference Publication
Factors affecting avocado shoot health in culture
Mohd Rodzi, A., Hayward, A., Hiti Bandaralage, J., O'Brien, C., Gleeson, M. and Mitter, N. (2015). Factors affecting avocado shoot health in culture. VIII World Avocado Congress, Lima, Peru, 13- 18 September 2015. Lima Peru: World Avocado Congress.
2015
Conference Publication
Synergistic effect of Gibberellin and Cytokinin for a rapid nodal multiplication system of Avocado
Hiti Bandalarage, Jayeni , Hayward, Alice and Mitter, Neena (2015). Synergistic effect of Gibberellin and Cytokinin for a rapid nodal multiplication system of Avocado. International Tropical Agriculture Conference, Brisbane, Australia, 16-18 November 2015. Brisbane, Australia: International Tropical Agriculture Conference.
2014
Journal Article
Genome-wide identification of phenolic acid biosynthetic genes in Salvia miltiorrhiza
Wang, Bo, Sun, Wei, Li, Qiushi, Li, Ying, Luo, Hongmei, Song, Jingyuan, Sun, Chao, Qian, Jun, Zhu, Yingjie, Hayward, Alice, Xu, Haibin and Chen, Shilin (2014). Genome-wide identification of phenolic acid biosynthetic genes in Salvia miltiorrhiza. Planta, 241 (3), 711-725. doi: 10.1007/s00425-014-2212-1
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Alice Hayward is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Available projects
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Understanding the Physiology and Cause of Blueberry Crown Disorders
���� Exciting PhD Scholarship Opportunity - Australian Citizens and Residents Eligable! ����
We're thrilled to announce a new PhD scholarship for a domestic student focused on an intriguing project: "Impact of Nutrition on Blueberry Root Wrapping-Crown Disorder."
This research aims to uncover the role of plant nutrition on an emerging disorder that impacts root and crown structure and ultimately yield of blueberry plants. If you’re passionate about plant physiology and working closely with industry on a significant problem, this is your chance to contribute to Australian agriculture while advancing your academic career!
���� What’s in it for you?
- Engage in cutting-edge research
- Collaborate with leading experts in the field
- Work on a real-world problem for the global blueberry industry
- Make a tangible impact in horticulture
���� Applications now open! Commence no later than 1 Oct 2025 (R4 2025)!
���� Apply here: https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/phd-mphil-professional-doctorate/projects/impact-nutrition-blueberry-root-wrapping-crown-disorder
For more information or to express your interest in this project, please contact Dr. Eveline Kong at e.kong@uq.edu.au.
Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to deepen your knowledge and drive innovation in agricultural science!
#PhD #Scholarship #BlueberryResearch #Agriculture #DomesticStudents
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Propagation innovation for foods, fibers and ecosystems
The QAAFI tissue culture lab pioneered by Prof Neena Mitter (ATSE) has received global media coverage for developing the world’s first tissue-culture production system for avocado plants. The team has also developed systems for pharma crops, tuber species, corm species and Australian native species under threat of climate change and disease pandemics.
Dedicated students will be part of our expanding research in a new $20M tissue-culture facility at UQ, developing systems for other high-value crop species as well as endangered native species where prior research is lacking or proved too challenging. Students will work very closely with internationally leading researchers, industry and partners to deliver real-world outcomes and value-add student experience. There is also opportunity for students to discover novel aspects of plant genetics and molecular physiology in relation to tissue culture and crop function.
**We are NOW searching for**:
- A PhD student focused on innovating propagation for Australia's emerging vanilla industry
- Honours/coursework students interested in saffron, turf, native Australian endangered species!
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The next generation of horticultural crop improvement
Our Lab in QAAFI has been part of a large effort sequencing the genomes of major sub-tropical fruit crops including avocado. Combining our world-leading strengths in tissue culture innovation with genetics, projects are available to develop novel platform technologies for crop improvement exploring options for mutatgenesis breeding and gene-editing. The outcomes if successfull could be a game changer for horticultural crop development into the future.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Impacts of Nursery Practices on Root-Crown Disorders in Blueberries
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chris O'Brien, Professor Paul Gauthier, Dr Eveline Kong
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Doctor Philosophy
Cryopreservation for Conservation of Endangered Gossia Species
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chris O'Brien
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Doctor Philosophy
Developing cryopreservation for endangered Myrtaceae
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chris O'Brien, Dr Eveline Kong, Dr Lily Whelehan
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Doctor Philosophy
Novel propagation and conservation technologies for Australian macadamia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chris O'Brien
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Doctor Philosophy
Accelerating in vitro Plant Biodiversity Conservation
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chris O'Brien, Dr Lily Whelehan
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Doctor Philosophy
Fast-tracking genetic gains for E. smithii pulp plantations
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Craig Hardner
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Doctor Philosophy
Novel Propagation Technology for Australian Macadamia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Albert Wong, Dr Chris O'Brien
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Doctor Philosophy
Dissecting the Physiological Basis of Blueberry Root Wrapping and Crown disorder
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alison Kelly, Dr Eveline Kong
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Master Philosophy
Unravelling the identity and relationships of Australian apple varieties
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Craig Hardner
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Doctor Philosophy
Establishment of avocado genome editing: Dwarfing avocado
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chris O'Brien
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Doctor Philosophy
Developing Root and Canopy Trait Analysis Tools for Breeding and Yield Optimisation in Controlled Environment Vertical Farming Systems
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chris O'Brien, Dr Eveline Kong, Dr Liqi Han
Completed supervision
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the mechanism responsible for zeaxanthin accumulation in orange-coloured Capsicum.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stephen Harper
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Genome Sequencing, annotation and application in avocado (Persea americana Mill.)
Associate Advisor
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Cryopreservation of avocado shoot tips for the conservation of Persea germplasm
Associate Advisor
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Topical application of biomolecules to manipulate the adventitious rooting pathway
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Brett Ferguson
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Micropropagation as an Alternative for Avocado Clonal Propagation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Christine Beveridge
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Molecular regulation of phase transition and flowering in tropical/subtropical tree crops.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Christine Beveridge
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Regulation of adventitious rooting in avocado for improved clonal propagation technologies
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Christine Beveridge
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Alice Hayward directly for media enquiries about:
- horticulture
- plant genetics
- Plant science
- tissue culture
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: