Dr Michelle Wirthensohn

Teaching Interests

 Lecturer in Olive Production and Marketing, and Production Horticulture.

Research Interests

Plant breeding and improvement for horticultural crops including Almonds, Banksia, Eucalyptus, and Olives.

Development, evaluation, and commercialisation of new improved almond cultivars.

Development of a genetic map for almond.

Almond flavour analysis.

Biochemistry of plant oils and waxes.

Reproductive biology including pollination, fruit set and development of ornamental and fruit and nut crops.

Identification of horticultural crops by DNA fingerprinting. Almond Research programs:

• Australian almond breeding program http://www.agwine.adelaide.edu.au/wine/horticulture/plant_improvement/almond/
• Almond flavour analysis http://www.agwine.adelaide.edu.au/wine/horticulture/plant_improvement/marzipan/
• Mapping of the almond genome
• Almond transformation for self-compatibility
• Identification of S-alleles in almond http://www.agwine.adelaide.edu.au/wine/horticulture/plant_improvement/self_incompat/
• Molecular probes for Prunus Necrotic Ringspot Virus, and Prune Dwarf Virus

Honours Projects
http://www.agwine.adelaide.edu.au/students/honours/wine_and_hort.html

Publications

Sorkheh, K., Malysheva-Otto^, L.V., Wirthensohn, M.G., Tarkesh-Esfahani, S. and Martínez-Gómez, P. (2008). Linkage Disequilibrium, Genetic Association Mapping and Gene Localization in Crop Plants. Genetics and Molecular Biology 31, 805-814.

Sorkheh, K., Vezvaei, A., Wirthensohn, M.G., Martinez-Gomez, P. (2008). Pollen Ultrastructure Characterization in Californian and Australian almond cultivars. Journal of the American Pomological Society, 62: 173-177.

Wu, S.-B., Wirthensohn, M., Hunt, P., Gibson, J. and Sedgley, M. (2008). High resolution melting curve (HRM) analysis of almond SNPs derived from EST database. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 118: 1-14.

Franks, T.K., Yadollahi, A., Wirthensohn, M.G., Guerin, J.R., Kaiser, B.N., Sedgley, M. and Ford, C.M. (2008). A seed coat cyanohydrin glucosyltransferase is associated with bitterness in almond (Prunus dulcis) kernels. Functional Plant Biology 35, 236-246.

Wirthensohn, M.G., Chin, W.L., Franks, T.K., Baldock, G., Ford, C.M. and Sedgley, M. (2008). Characterizing the flavour phenotypes of almond (Prunus dulcis Mill., Rosaceae) kernels. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology 83, 462-468.

Kolesik, P., Woods, B., Crowhurst, M. and Wirthensohn, M.G. (2007). Dasineura banksiae, a new species of gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) feeding on Banksia coccinea (Proteaceae) in Australia. Australian Journal of Entomology 46, 40-44.

Wirthensohn, M., Channuntapipat, C., Collins, G., and Sedgley, M. (2006). Long-term cryopreservation of almond germplasm-an update. FAO-CIHEAM-NUCIS Newsletter 13, 25-27.

Wirthensohn, M., Channuntapipat, C., Collins, G. and Sedgley, M. (2006). Update on long-term cryopreservation of almond germplasm. Acta Hort. 726, 127-131.

Tavassolian, I., Wirthensohn, M., Kaiser, B., Sedgley, M. and Ford, C. (2006). The construction of an almond linkage map using morphological and SSR markers on a Nonpareil and Lauranne population. Proceedings of 3rd International Rosaceae Genomics Conference. Napier, New Zealand, 19-22 March 2006, p74.

Wilkinson, J. and Wirthensohn, M. (2005). In search of the perfect almond. Australian Nutgrower 19(3), 14-16.

Gregory, D., Sedgley, M., Wirthensohn, M.G., Arus, P., Kaiser, B. and Collins, G.G. (2005). An integrated genetic linkage map for almond based on RAPD, ISSR, SSR and morphological markers. Acta Horticulturae 694, 67-72.

Wirthensohn, M. and Sedgley, M. (2005). The Prunus Genome, Studies from the Australian almond breeding programme. Summerfruit Australia, 7 (1), 8-9.

Wirthensohn, M., Channuntapipat, C., Ramesh, S. A., Collins, G. and Sedgley, M. (2005) Determination of almond S alleles using PCR primers designed from their introns. Options Mediterraneennes, Serie A, 63, 333-340.

Mekuria, G., Ramesh, S.A., Alberts, E., Bertozzi, T., Wirthensohn, M., Collins, G. and Sedgley, M. (2005). Comparison of ELISA and RT-PCR for the detection of PNRSV and PDV in Australian almond trees. Options Mediterraneennes Serie A, 63, 193-196.

Mekuria, G., Ramesh, S.A., Alberts, E., Bertozzi, T., Wirthensohn, M., Collins, G. and Sedgley, M. (2003). Comparison of ELISA and RT-PCR for the detection of Prunus necrotic ring spot virus and prune dwarf virus in almond (Prunus dulcis). Journal of Virological Methods 114, 65-69.

Channuntapipat, C., Wirthensohn, M., Ramesh, S.A., Batlle, I., Arus, P., Sedgley, M. and Collins, G. (2003). Identification of incompatibility genotypes in almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.) using specific primers based on the introns of the S-alleles. Plant Breeding 122, 164-168.

Guerin, J., Wu, S., Mekuria, G., Collins, G., Jones, G., Burr, M., Wirthensohn, M., Lavee, S. and Sedgley, M. (2002). Olive cultivar improvement through selection and biotechnology. Advances in Horticultural Science 16, 198-203.

Wirthensohn, M.G. and Sedgley, M. (2002). Almond breeding in Australia. Acta Horticulturae 591, 245-248.

Wirthensohn, M.G. and Sedgley, M. (2000). Production, postharvest treatment and epicuticular wax structure of cut stems of Eucalyptus L.Her foliage. Acta Horticulturae 518, 183-186.

Wirthensohn, M.G., Sedgley, M. and Jones, G.P. (2000). Epicuticular Wax of Juvenile Eucalyptus Leaves and Headspace Analysis of Leaf Volatiles. Journal of Essential Oils 12, 401-411.

Wirthensohn, M.G., Collins, G., Jones, G. and Sedgley, M. (1999). Variability in Waxiness of Eucalyptus gunnii Foliage for Floriculture. Scientia Horticulturae 82, 279-288.

Wirthensohn, M.G. and Sedgley, M. (1998). Effect of pruning on regrowth of cut foliage stems of 17 Eucalyptus species. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 38, 631-636.

Wirthensohn, M.G., Sedgley, M. and Ehmer, R. (1996). Production and Postharvest Treatment of Cut Stems of Eucalyptus L.Her. Foliage. HortScience 31, 1007-1009.

Professional Interests

Professional service: Member of Editorial Board, Acta Horticulturae 726

Entry last updated: Tuesday, 21 Jul 2009