Dr Sarah Pethybridge – Agricultural Research Manager, Botanical Resources Australia – Agricultural Services Pty. Ltd

Biography: Sarah J. Pethybridge obtained her Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree with first class honors in plant pathology from the University of Tasmania, Australia, in 1995. Four years later, she was awarded her Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from the same university. Afterward, she joined the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research, University of Tasmania, as a junior research fellow, working initially with the Australian hop industry. Within two years, pyrethrum pathology was also incorporated into her portfolio, and the theme of her research expanded into the development and extension of integrated disease management programs across these industries. She spent 10 years with the University of Tasmania in this role, progressing through the ranks to the position of senior research fellow. In 2009, Pethybridge joined the Australian pyrethrum company, Botanical Resources Australia Pty. Ltd., in the position of Agricultural Research Manager. She continues her relationship with the University of Tasmania as an honorary research faculty member.

Pethybridge’s main research area is quantitative disease epidemiology and her work has balanced fundamental research with applied outcomes to ensure that efficient and sound disease management strategies are adopted widely by producers and other stakeholders. Pethybridge has made substantial contributions to our understanding of the epidemiology and management of virus diseases of hop. Additionally, she conducted a risk analysis for two exotic fungal diseases-powdery and downy mildew-that have assisted in tightening quarantine regulations to reduce the probability of introduction of these diseases into Australia. Pethybridge has made outstanding contributions toward clarifying the etiology, epidemiology, and management of a new fungal disease of pyrethrum, ray blight, which caused substantial losses to the Australian pyrethrum industry in 2000. As a result of her research, management strategies were implemented within two years of disease identification, and economic losses from this disease have been minimized. Her research findings and management recommendations have been broadly adopted by the Australian pyrethrum industry, being implemented by greater than 90% of the industry. Moreover, Pethybridge’s collaborative approach to this problem has resulted in extensive international research efforts, with nine scientists visiting her laboratory in the last eight years, all resulting in peer-reviewed journal articles.

Pethybridge has also participated in teaching programs for plant pathology and crop health management within the University of Tasmania. Her course and teaching were awarded Teaching Merit Certificates (nominated by the participants) in 2004. She has also contributed to the supervision team of 12 graduate students. In 2003, she was awarded the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology’s Agri-Industry Award, and in the subsequent year, the University of Tasmania’s Foundation Award for Outstanding Graduates. In 2010, she was awarded the Syngenta Award for an outstanding contribution to plant pathology in the first decade of her career by the American Phytopathological Society (APS).