Darren Kriticos

Program Focus

Global Pest & Disease Modeling

Appointments

Principal Research Scientist
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)

Expertise

Topics:
Weather and Climate, Risk, Pests and Diseases

Biography

Darren Kriticos is a principal research scientist with CSIRO and an adjunct professor at Charles Sturt University in Australia. He is an ecological modeler with an interest in applying models to address resource allocation questions for biosecurity and pest management under current and future climates. Darren is a co-developer of the CLIMEX and DYMEX software packages. He completed a BSc in political economy and the environment in 1987 from Griffith University; a Masters degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Adelaide, and a PhD from the University of Queensland simulating the effects of climate change on woody weeds. Through InSTePP and the HarvestChoice project, Darren is able to combine his interests in ecology and applied economics.
Darren has spent the last five years extending bioclimatic niche modelling techniques to improve their ability to estimate the impacts of invasive pests, weeds and diseases.

Content from Darren Kriticos

Right-sizing Stem Rust Research
Right-Sizing Stem-Rust Research
Measuring the Global Occurrence and Probabilistic Consequences of Wheat Stem Rust
Aspergillus and Aflatoxin in African Maize Farms
Comment on “Climatic Niche Shifts Are Rare Among Terrestrial Plant Invaders”
Potential Global Crop Pest Distributions Using CLIMEX: HarvestChoice Applications
Climex/Dymex Pest/Disease Modeling (HarvestChoice Modifications)

Author's Events

The GRDC Backs Global Rust Funding Call

May, 2013
Source: Ground Cover
Participants:
Philip Pardey, Jason Beddow, Darren Kriticos, Terry Hurley, Robert Sutherst

Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) back findings published in the Science article "Agriculture: Right-Sizing Stem-Rust Research" co-authored with HarvestChoice personnel.

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Without Adequate Funding, Deadly Wheat Disease Could Threaten Global Food Supplies, U of M Scientists Say

April, 2013
Source: University of Minnesota Press Release
Participants:
Philip Pardey, Jason Beddow, Darren Kriticos, Terry Hurley, Robert Sutherst

Reprint
Science Daily
April 15, 2013

Reprint
Science CoDex
April 15, 2013

Reprint
Phys.org
April 15, 2013

New Strains Of Common Wheat Diseases May Threaten Global Food Supplies In The Coming Years, Researchers Warn
Planet Save
April 15, 2013

"The study, published in the current edition of the journal Science, examines how Ug99 – new virulent forms of stem rust first found in Uganda in 1999—could continue its movement across Africa, the Middle East and southwest Asia. It threatens food supplies for millions of people who depend on wheat and other small grains. Scientists have developed new wheat varieties with some resistance to the deadly disease, but the disease evolves and mutates into new forms, requiring new resistant varieties to be developed. "

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Wheat Disease Threatens Global Food Supplies

April, 2013
Source: ABC News (Australia)
Participants:
Darren Kriticos, Philip Pardey

Audio Interview: Wheat Disease Threat: More Research Needed

Darren Kriticos and Philip Pardey point to their teams findings published in journal Science to encourage increased investment in wheat stem rust research.

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Science magazine: Global research to control stem rust disease saves wheat farmers losses worth US $1.12 billion per year

April, 2013
Source: CIMMYT
Participants:
Philip Pardey, Jason Beddow, Darren Kriticos, Terry Hurley, Robert Sutherst

"A study just published in Science by scientists from the University of Minnesota, CSIRO, the University of Sydney, the University of Queensland, and CIMMYT shows that research to control the wheat disease known as stem rust during 1961-2009 has added 6.2 million tons annually to world wheat harvests, worth US $1.12 billion per year at 2010 prices."

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How Science Can Help Track Threats to Global Food Supplies

February, 2012
Source: CFANS News
Participants:
Jeff Horwich, Jason Beddow, Darren Kriticos

The HarvestChoice video, "Tracking Pest and Diseases: Plotting Potential Pathways" produced by Jeff Horwich, featuring the revolutionary work of Jason Beddow and Darren Kriticos is showcased in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) February e-news.

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