{"id":145744,"date":"2026-07-01T08:56:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T00:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/?post_type=hdr-r-projects&p=145744"},"modified":"2026-07-01T08:56:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T00:56:25","slug":"hidden-fungicide-pools-in-barley-understanding-conjugation-persistence-and-opportunities-to-improve-disease-protection","status":"publish","type":"hdr-r-projects","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/hdr-r-projects\/hidden-fungicide-pools-in-barley-understanding-conjugation-persistence-and-opportunities-to-improve-disease-protection\/","title":{"rendered":"Hidden fungicide pools in barley: understanding conjugation, persistence and opportunities to improve disease protection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\"Corner<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fungicides are a critical component of disease management in cereal production, yet their behaviour within plants remains incompletely understood. Current approaches typically focus on the freely available active ingredient and assume that fungicide performance is determined by its measurable concentration in plant tissues. However, recent work in our laboratory suggests this view is incomplete. It indicates that fungicide-derived residues occurring as metabolically conjugated forms and missed by conventional analyses, have the potential to explain previously unaccounted patterns of fungicide persistence and distribution during plant development. These conjugated forms may represent biologically inactive end-products, or, if conjugation is reversible, they may indirectly influence future fungicide availability through redistribution, storage, and release of active fungicide residues. Understanding this distinction is important because it affects how fungicide persistence, efficacy and exposure heterogeneity are interpreted in crops.
This project will investigate hidden fungicide pools in barley using a model fungicide system. It will define where and when conjugated residues accumulate, identify the dominant residue forms, and test whether these pools can be manipulated to improve disease protection. The project is guided by the hypothesis that conjugated fungicide residues form structured hidden pools that influence fungicide persistence and in planta distribution during development.
Importantly, the project is not dependent on this hypothesis being fully supported. It has been designed with a strong low-risk core that will generate robust thesis outputs regardless of outcome. These include: (i) spatial and temporal mapping of free and conjugated residues; (ii) characterisation of the dominant conjugated residue classes; and (iii) evaluation of practical intervention strategies to reduce sequestration or promote release of useful fungicide-derived pools. This combination of descriptive, mechanistic and applied research provides both a sound foundation for HDR completion and the potential for high-impact discovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Aim\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Main Aim<\/strong>
To determine whether hidden pools of conjugated fungicide residues can be understood and exploited to improve disease protection in barley.

Specific Aims<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Define the spatial and temporal dynamics of free and conjugated fungicide residues across barley development<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Identify the dominant conjugated residue forms associated with fungicide persistence and redistribution<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Investigate the biochemical basis of fungicide conjugation and hydrolysis.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Evaluate practical strategies to manipulate conjugation or hydrolysis to improve active fungicide availability<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n


    Objectives\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Use targeted LC\u2013HRMS to map free and conjugated fungicide residues in above- and belowground tissues across developmental stages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Use untargeted metabolite profiling to characterise the complexity of the conjugated residue fraction and identify the most relevant metabolites.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Use labelled fungicide tracers, where available, to test whether hidden residue pools are remobilised during plant development.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Investigate candidate enzymes likely to mediate conjugation and hydrolysis.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Test strategies (e.g. application of candidate glycosidases) to assess whether fungicide availability can be altered in planta.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n


      Significance\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      This project addresses an important gap in crop protection by investigating the hidden metabolic dimension of fungicide fate in plants. By moving beyond the parent compound alone, it will generate a more complete understanding of fungicide persistence, redistribution and potential bioavailability in crop tissues.
      The project is significant even if reversible release of active fungicide is not strongly supported. A detailed account of where, when and in what form fungicide residues are conjugated would itself represent a meaningful advance in understanding fungicide dissipation in crops. Likewise, identifying dominant conjugated residue classes and the biochemical pathways associated with them would provide valuable new knowledge in plant xenobiotic metabolism and chemical crop protection.
      If these hidden pools can be manipulated, the project has clear translational value. Reducing unnecessary sequestration or promoting release of useful fungicide-derived pools could improve the duration and reliability of protection, increase return on fungicide investment, and contribute to more sustainable disease management. Because heterogeneous fungicide exposure can influence both disease control and resistance selection, the work also has relevance to resistance management.
      The project aligns well with Curtin\u2019s strategic commitment to making a difference for people and the planet leading high impactful research for a sustainable future, and with CCDM\u2019s mission to reduce the impact of crop disease and increase return on investment in the Australian grains industry through improved understanding and management of crop disease and fungicide use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


      Ideal Candidate\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate with a tertiary degree in plant science, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, molecular biology, or related disciplines; the applicant should have completed an Honours or Masters research project and demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills. Experience in LC\u2013MS, plant physiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, or data analysis will be highly regarded. The successful applicant should have excellent organisation, problem-solving, and data analysis and statistical skills, and the ability to work independently in a multidisciplinary research environment. Additionally, the applicants should meet the eligibility criteria for entry into a PhD program at Curtin University.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      This project is open to Domestic applicants only.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n


      Scholarship\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      If you are identified as the preferred candidate for this project, you may be considered for an RTP scholarship<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


      Enquires and How to Apply\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      For enquires about this opportunity contact Dr Jordi Muria Gonzalez at\u00a0Jordi.Muria@curtin.edu.au<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      To formally apply submit an\u00a0Expression of Interest<\/a>\u00a0to Dr Jordi Muria Gonzalez during the Central Scholarship round (July 1st – July 31st 2026)\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":125,"featured_media":0,"template":"","faculties":[51],"hdr_types":[5487],"research_areas":[34],"class_list":["post-145744","hdr-r-projects","type-hdr-r-projects","status-publish","hentry","faculties-science-and-engineering","hdr_types-rtp-scholarship","research_areas-agriculture-and-environment"],"acf":false,"featured_image":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hdr-r-projects\/145744","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hdr-r-projects"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/hdr-r-projects"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/125"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hdr-r-projects\/145744\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=145744"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"faculties","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/faculties?post=145744"},{"taxonomy":"hdr_types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hdr_types?post=145744"},{"taxonomy":"research_areas","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/research_areas?post=145744"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}