Biography
Dr Yvette Oliver is a senior experimental scientist in the Agriculture and Food business unit, in Floreat. Yvette has a background of chemistry, soil science and simulation modelling. She has a keen interest in understanding the variation in both soil properties and seasons which influence crop yield and farm management decisions. Yvette’s work combines information from farmers, precision agriculture, sensors, soil science and simulation modelling to improve management decision at the paddock and farm scale. She leads and is involved in projects which partner with grower groups, agribusiness, other agencies and universities.
Yvette began working at CSIRO in 2003 to research the trade-off in crop yield with the increased water use from the integration of perennials (trees and Lucerne) into the farming system to mitigate salinity. This lead to projects on understanding and managing soil water for farming decisions; such as measuring the plant available water capacity (PAWC) for use in modelling tools, yield increases from fallow in Western Australia and benefits from summer weed control and stubble management options to increase water use efficiency. Yvette is also involved in measuring and modelling water use of crops under different soil amelioration strategies.
Yvette’s research in precision agriculture began in 2004 and continues today. She is currently linking geophysics, yield maps and point data to map soil constraints at the paddock and farm scale. This is a continuation of previous work combining in spatial data, farming knowledge and models for identification and management of poor areas on the farm. This links understanding the accuracy of zoning required for different management decisions and the drivers of nutrient management decisions based on yield.
Other Interests
I love the river, so spend alot of time in, on or around river with my dog and daughter. I enjoy renovating and gardening shows which have led me to trying many projects around my own home and garden (on a budget though).
Academic Qualifications
-
2002
PhD (Soil Science)
University of Western Australia -
1995
Post Graduate Diploma (Soil Science)
University of Western Australia -
1992
BSc (Applied Chemistry)
Curtin University