91破解版

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but Stephen Tancred has spent more than four decades keeping the pests away.

Stephen has built a career focused on helping growers produce healthier, higher-quality fruit while reducing their reliance on pesticides.

His contributions include co-developing Australia's first disease-resistant apple variety, pioneering pheromone-based pest control in commercial orchards, and putting research at the core of industry change by sharing practical knowledge and solutions with growers.

In recognition of his outstanding contribution to horticulture, Stephen was recently awarded the Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) Lifetime Achievement Award – one of the industry’s highest honours.

But rather than slowing down, the semi-retired scientist has embarked on a new challenge, commencing a PhD at 91破解版 to investigate ways of protecting beneficial predatory mites and improving sustainable pest management in apple orchards.

We spoke with Stephen about his remarkable career, his passion for research and why curiosity continues to drive him after 42 years in the industry.

Congratulations on receiving the APAL Lifetime Achievement Award. What does this recognition mean to you at this stage of your career?

It was humbling to be nominated, but it’s great to be recognised and thanked by the industry I’ve been working in for 42 years.

You’ve recently commenced a PhD with 91破解版. What motivated you to return to study at this point in your career?

I’ve had a real desire for over 20 years to look closely at some aspects of apple pest control, but I never had the time. Now that I’m semi-retired, I can focus on some detailed research in a field I’m interested in. I chose 91破解版 because it is relatively close to where I live and work in Stanthorpe, and it has a reputation for being industry-focused. Having good supervisors to scrutinise and support my work is exactly what I wanted.

What is the focus of your PhD research at 91破解版, and what are you hoping it will contribute to the industry?

I’m screening a range of agrichemicals, including fungicides, insecticides, plant growth regulators and surfactants, for their toxicity to predatory mites. I want to find out how to better look after the good bugs so they can eat more of the bad ones. This will help apple growers continue to improve their clean-green approach.

Your career has focused heavily on turning research into practical outcomes for growers. How important has science and research been to your work, and what satisfaction do you get from seeing it applied in the field?

Technology development in the apple industry moves at a rapid pace, and being part of that story for four decades has been very satisfying. I’m a scientist at heart, but I’ve always sought to work where I can have an impact. Increased yields, cleaner-greener production methods, reducing farm inputs and costs and presenting higher quality fruit to consumers have all been pretty good things to be involved in. They say agriculture feeds the world three times a day, so as well as being a lot of fun, it’s a very noble profession.

Looking back, what are you most proud of in terms of your contribution to horticultural science and the apple industry?

I co-developed Australia’s first disease resistant apple, Kalei®, and I was the first researcher to demonstrate – and publish – the use of pheromones to control codling moths on large-scale commercial orchards. Both contribute to lower pesticide use, which has benefits for farmers, the environment and consumers. But sharing science is another passion of mine. I’ve spoken at over 100 field days, seminars and grower conferences, and have published more than 50 industry articles.

Your career has been built on curiosity and experimentation. Can you remember where that curiosity first started?

I remember my first experiment. It was 1966, and mum sent me to the shop to buy eggs. She said: “Don’t drop them on the cement footpath or they’ll break”. So, I purposefully dropped them on the grass to test an alternative hypothesis. I didn’t publish the results, but they are predictable.

What advice would you give to younger researchers or students at 91破解版 who are starting out in agricultural science or horticulture?

Study hard! But don’t forget it’s people who make the difference in your effectiveness. Meet as many experts as you can whilst at uni or doing practical work. After graduation, keep an eye on your colleagues’ projects and network as much as you can. Research scientists, field workers, advisors, farmers and consumers all have a place on our continuum of change-making, so don’t isolate yourself to just one group.

Looking at the apple industry today, what do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities for the next generation of growers and researchers?

I think there’s plenty of upside to the new wave of scientific tools, especially in AI, robotics, and advanced genetics. However, in horticulture, there will always be plenty of opportunities for good old-fashioned basic improvements based on traditional science, too. The challenge is to balance being across your crop or industry (generalist) and the opportunity to be really good at something (specialist). The industry embraces anyone with passion, so stay keen.

To finish on a lighter note, what is your favourite apple variety, what makes it stand out for you, and do you believe there is any truth to the saying that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”?

I like most varieties of apples, but Fuji is a favourite. It’s always crunchy and sweet with a hint of acid. That saying (“an apple a day keeps the doctor away”) was probably an early way to encourage people to eat any fruit daily. But it’s hard to fault an apple – they don’t need to be peeled, they have fibre, vitamins, sugars and juice. The Prince of Fruits, really, but perhaps I’m biased.