Your enquiry has been successfully sent
Your enquiry could not be processed. Please contact us directly at www.csiro.au/Contact to make your enquiry
Contact details:
Biography
Prior to joining CSIRO Cotton Research in 1997, Dr. Heimoana worked in the horticultural export industry, on fruit fly ecology and management and quarantine disinfestation. Her background in Plant Protection and IPM fitted in well with developing IPM strategies in the Cotton Industry as well as research on economic pest thresholds, insect and plant sampling techniques, insect breeding and ecology, host plant resistance, non-target effects of Bt-cotton and insecticides, plant compensation for insect damage, resistance and insect borne diseases. The focus in the past years has been on secondary sucking pests including Green vegetable bug, whitefly, thrips, jassids and aphids. The effects of aphids and aphid honeydew on cotton photosynthesis were the subject of her PhD thesis. Dr. Heimoana extended her research on the factors that affect the discolouration of cotton lint, including insect honeydew, fungal infestations and weathering.
On the side Dr. Heimoana is interested in the Circular Economy and Entomophagy, and she has participated in a CSIRO initiative into the development of insect protein raised on agricultural waste products. Recently, she completed a SIP project that successfully grew oyster mushrooms on fibrous waste and tested the value of spent mushroom compost in insect rearing. Having lived, worked and travelled in the South Pacific, her other interests include food security in the region.
Other Interests
Reading, cooking, gardening, walking, rock climbing
Professional Areas
Fields of Research
Current Roles
-
2023 Team Leader
Pest Management Team -
2021- current Project Leader
CRDC - Developing proactive approaches to IPM in cotton production systems -
2018-2021 Project Leader
CRDC - IPM for Emerging Pests -
2018-2021 Project Leader
CRDC - Reducing the Impact of weather, insects and microbes on cotton colour -
2018-2021 Project Leader
CSD - Investigating early season pest damage in short season cotton growing areas -
2018-2021 Co-Researcher
CRDC - Improved management of Silverleaf whitefly on cotton farms -
2020-2021 Contract Research
Syngenta Seed treatment for Fall Army Worm -
2019-2020 Project Leader
Evaluation of non-target impacts of new cotton traits (Monsanto/Bayer)
Academic Qualifications
-
2012
PhD (Agricultural Science)
The University of Queensland Gatton -
1995
Master of Agricultural Science (Plant Protection/Quarantine Entomology)
The University of Queensland Gatton -
1990
Post Graduate Diploma of Applied Science (Plant Protection)
The University of Queensland Gatton -
1988
Bachelor of Applied Science (Rural Technology - Grazing Animal Production)
Queensland Agricultural College Gatton
Professional Experiences
-
2018-current
Research Officer
CSIRO Agriculture & Food -
2015-2017
Senior Experimental Scientist
CSIRO Agriculture & Food -
1998-2014
Senior Technical Officer
CSIRO Food & Agriculture -
1996-1997
Agricultural Officer (Post-Harvest Entomology/Quarantine)
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Tonga -
1995-1996
Shed & Quarantine Manager
Chiquita Brands South Pacific/Golden Goodness Fresh, Ayr -
1991-1994
Technical Officer (Plant Production)
The University of Queensland Gatton
Grants
-
September 2009-October 2009
Whitefly Study Tour, USA, CRDC Grant to explore the Biosecurity risk of Q Biotype whitefly to the Australian Cotton Industry
Community and Corporate Citizenship
-
2013-Current
Member of the Association of Australian Cotton Scientists
-
2014-2018
Representative Agriculture & Food Consultative Committee
Attachments
Publications
We have publications by Dr Simone Heimoana