Academic and Professional Background

• Background:

  BAgrSc

  MAgrSc (Hons I)

  PhD

  Plant pathologist

• Personal Resume:

  Prof Richard Falloon took on the role of Interim Director of the Bio-Protection Research Centre at the start of 2012. In this role he oversees the Centre's strategic direction, science leadership and research management. 
  
  Also employed by Plant & Food Research, Lincoln, Prof Falloon has extensive expertise in plant pathology. His career has spanned several facets of the plant pathology spectrum, from detailed pathogen characterisation and study of particular host/pathogen interactions, to crop loss assessment, disease epidemiology, and development of practical disease management strategies. His research has covered aspects of plant diseases in pasture, forage and arable crops, and vegetables.

  His most recent research has concentrated on soil-borne diseases of vegetables, particularly powdery scab of potato caused by the plasmodiophorid Spongospora subterranea. He leads a multi-disciplinary research effort on this disease, which causes severe problems for intensively managed potatoes throughout the world.

  Richard has held several research management positions in New Zealand government research institutions. He is the Immediate Past President of the International Society for Plant Pathology, and Past President of both the NZ Plant Protection Society and the Australasian Plant Pathology Society. He is a Fellow of the NZ Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science and a Fellow of the Australasian Plant Pathology Society.