Kirsty Owen

Kirsty Owen is a Senior Lecturer (Crop Nematology) at the University of Southern Queensland, affiliated with both the School of Agriculture and Environmental Science and the Centre for Crop Health. With expertise in root-lesion nematode management and plant-soil interactions, her work bridges applied research with agricultural education.

Education:

• BScAg, University of Sydney (1994)
• MScAg, University of Sydney (1996)
• PhD, University of Sydney (1999)

Research Focus: Biotic constraints to crop production, particularly nematode-pathogen-plant interactions and sustainable management strategies in northern Australian grain systems.

Publications: 15+ years of research on nematode control through crop rotation, resistance breeding, and soil microbiome manipulation, with recent emphasis on digital detection methods and multi-pathogen dynamics.

Teaching: Delivers courses on plant physiology, food security, and science project management while integrating field research insights into agricultural education.