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Government of South Australia SARDI - South Australian Research and Development Institute

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Geoff Auricht

Principal Scientistgeoffa

B.Ag.Sc., M.Sc.

Read our tribute to the late Geoff Auricht, former leader of SARDI's pasture program.

Enquiries about SARDI's pasture program can be directed to Dr Alan Humphries.

Roles and expertise:

Geoff led the SARDI Pastures Group of 25 scientific and technical staff at 3 SA locations.
Expertise in plant genetic resources conservation, pasture plant breeding, the commercialisation of pasture varieties and research program management.

Experience:

27 years of international agricultural research and development in pastures.
Worked in pasture improvement and genetic resources conservation since 1981. Curator of the pasture germplasm collection from 1988 to 1994, Senior Lucerne Breeder from 1994 until 2001 and currently Leader of the SARDI Pastures Group.

Overseas involvment in pasture germplasm collection activities in 10 different countries and lucerne improvement in countries such as Argentina, China, Bhutan and Laos. Leader of an ACIAR funded project focus on lucerne improvement in China and Australia.  

Recent projects:

Australian Pastures Alliance Annual Pasture Breeding; Future Farm Industries CRC Acid Tolerant Lucerne; GRDC Australian Agricultural Genebanks; RIRDC Red Leaf Disease; ACIAR Lucerne for Adverse Environments in China and Australia; GRDC Lucerne for Cropping Districts; AWI NAPLIP for Wool Producers.National annual and perennial pasture improvement programs; the conservation of plant germplasm; a wide array of plant breeding activities and Cooperative Research Centres such as the CRC for Plant Based Management of Dryland Salinity. Recently, leading the development of lucerne cultivars 'SARDI Seven' and 'SARDI Ten'. Funding for these activities has come from sources such as State Government, from Rural Industry Research Corporations (Grains, Wool, Meat, Dairy) and Industry.