TIA Research Fellow, Dr Matt Harrison, has a focus on systems modelling research across several fields including crop genetics, climate science, soil microbiology, plant physiology and livestock production.
Dr Harrison has been recognised for research excellence and industry impact, being named Agronomy Australia’s Young Agronomist of the Year in 2017.
Recently, Dr Harrison was part of a collaborative research team that developed an online framework known as the Pasture Predictor, a free online tool and mobile app to help Tasmanian farmers predict pasture growth to maximise productivity. The Pasture Predictor was developed in collaboration with Sense-T, CSIRO and Dairy Australia.
“This is a great example of how data can be presented in a user-friendly platform to support industry in its decision-making. Being able to forecast accurately your pasture growth is extremely important for dairy farmers and enhances productivity, efficiency and sustainability,” Dr Harrison said.