James Hunt

La Trobe Co-author Network

Dr. James Hunt is an agronomist and crop physiologist specialising in water limited productivity of dry-land cropping and mixed farming systems. His research focuses on using combinations of management and genetics to increase productivity and profitability of grain-based farming systems. Prior to joining La Trobe, he worked for CSIRO Agriculture for seven years. He has received scientific awards in 2013, 2014 and 2016, and the outcomes of his research have been widely adopted by grain growers across south eastern Australia.

Positions

Animal Plant and Soil Sciences , School of Life Sciences

Research Areas

Securing Food, Water & The Environment (Research Areas)

Publications
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selected publications

academic article
- Celestina CHunt JRSale PWGFranks AE. Attribution of crop yield responses to application of organic amendments: A critical review. Soil and Tillage Research. 186:135-145. 2019
- Hunt JRLilley JMTrevaskis BFlohr BMPeake AFletcher AZwart ABGobbett DKirkegaard JA. Early sowing systems can boost Australian wheat yields despite recent climate change. Nature Climate Change. 9:244-247. 2019
- Bloomfield MTHunt JRTrevaskis BRamm KHyles J. Ability of alleles of PPD1 and VRN1 genes to predict flowering time in diverse Australian wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars in controlled environments. Crop and Pasture Science. 69:1061-1075. 2018
- Celestina CMidwood JSherriff STrengove SHunt JTang CSale PFranks A. Crop yield responses to surface and subsoil applications of poultry litter and inorganic fertiliser in south-eastern Australia. Crop and Pasture Science. 69:303-316. 2018
- Dong JGrylls SHunt JArmstrong RDelhaize ETang C. Elevated CO2 (free-air CO2 enrichment) increases grain yield of aluminium-resistant but not aluminium-sensitive wheat (Triticum aestivum) grown in an acid soil.. Annals of Botany. 123. 2018
- Flohr BMHunt JRKirkegaard JAEvans JRTrevaskis BZwart ASwan AFletcher ALRheinheimer B. Fast winter wheat phenology can stabilise flowering date and maximise grain yield in semi-arid Mediterranean and temperate environments. Field Crops Research. 223:12-25. 2018
- Flohr BMHunt JRKirkegaard JAEvans JRSwan ARheinheimer B. Genetic gains in NSW wheat cultivars from 1901 to 2014 as revealed from synchronous flowering during the optimum period. European Journal of Agronomy. 98:1-13. 2018
- Flohr BMHunt JRKirkegaard JAEvans JRLilley JM. Genotype × management strategies to stabilise the flowering time of wheat in the south-eastern Australian wheatbelt. Crop and Pasture Science. 69:547-560. 2018
- Wang ESmith CJMacdonald BCTHunt JRXing HDenmead OTZeglin SZhao ZIsaac P. Making sense of cosmic-ray soil moisture measurements and eddy covariance data with regard to crop water use and field water balance. Agricultural Water Management. 204:271-280. 2018
- Hunt JRHayman PTRichards RAPassioura JB. Opportunities to reduce heat damage in rain-fed wheat crops based on plant breeding and agronomic management. Field Crops Research. 224:126-138. 2018
- Dong JHunt JDelhaize ETang C. The impact of elevated CO2on acid-soil tolerance of hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes varying in organic anion efflux. Plant and Soil: international journal on plant-soil relationships. 428:401-413. 2018
- Peoples MBSwan ADGoward LKirkegaard JAHunt JRLi GDSchwenke GDHerridge DFMoodie MWilhelm NPotter TDenton MDBrowne CPhillips LAKhan DF. Soil mineral nitrogen benefits derived from legumes and comparisons of the apparent recovery of legume or fertiliser nitrogen by wheat. Soil Research. 55:600-615. 2017
- Flohr BMHunt JRKirkegaard JAEvans JR. Water and temperature stress define the optimal flowering period for wheat in south-eastern Australia. Field Crops Research. 209:108-119. 2017
- Hunt JR. Winter wheat cultivars in Australian farming systems: a review. Crop and Pasture Science. 68:501-515. 2017
- Hunt JRSwan ADFettell NABreust PDMenz IDPeoples MBKirkegaard JA. Sheep grazing on crop residues do not reduce crop yields in no-till, controlled traffic farming systems in an equi-seasonal rainfall environment. Field Crops Research. 196:22-32. 2016
- Angus JFKirkegaard JAHunt JRRyan MHOhlander LPeoples MB. Break crops and rotations for wheat. Crop and Pasture Science. 66:523-523. 2015
- Kirkegaard JALilley JMHunt JRSprague SJYtting NKRasmussen ISGraham JM. Effect of defoliation by grazing or shoot removal on the root growth of field-grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Crop and Pasture Science. 66:249-259. 2015
- Frischke AJHunt JRMcMillan DKBrowne CJ. Forage and grain yield of grazed or defoliated spring and winter cereals in a winter-dominant, low-rainfall environment. Crop and Pasture Science. 66:308-317. 2015
- Bell LWLilley JMHunt JRKirkegaard JA. Optimising grain yield and grazing potential of crops across Australia’s high-rainfall zone: a simulation analysis. 1. Wheat. Crop and Pasture Science. 66:332-348. 2015
- Holzworth DPHuth NIdeVoil PGZurcher EJHerrmann NIMcLean GChenu Kvan Oosterom EJSnow VMurphy CMoore ADBrown HWhish JPMVerrall SFainges JBell LWPeake ASPoulton PLHochman ZThorburn PJGaydon DSDalgliesh NPRodriguez DCox HChapman SDoherty ATeixeira ESharp JCichota RVogeler ILi FYWang EHammer GLRobertson MJDimes JPWhitbread AMHunt Jvan Rees HMcClelland TCarberry PSHargreaves JNGMacLeod NMcDonald CHarsdorf JWedgwood SKeating BA. APSIM - Evolution towards a new generation of agricultural systems simulation. Environmental Modelling and Software. 62:327-350. 2014
- Kirkegaard JAHunt JRMcBeath TMLilley JMMoore AVerburg KRobertson MOliver YWard PRMilroy SWhitbread AM. Improving water productivity in the Australian Grains industry—a nationally coordinated approach. Crop and Pasture Science. 65:583-601. 2014
- Van Rees HMcClelland THochman ZCarberry PHunt JHuth NHolzworth D. Leading farmers in South East Australia have closed the exploitable wheat yield gap: Prospects for further improvement. Field Crops Research. 164:1-11. 2014
- Kirkegaard JAConyers MKHunt JRKirkby CAWatt MRebetzke GJ. Sense and nonsense in conservation agriculture: principles, pragmatism and productivity in Australian mixed farming systems. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 187:133-145. 2014
- Richards RAHunt JRKirkegaard JAPassioura JB. Yield improvement and adaptation of wheat to water-limited environments in Australia – a case study. Crop and Pasture Science. 65:676-689. 2014
- Mesgaran MBMashhadi HRAlizadeh HHunt JYoung KRCousens RD. Importance of distribution function selection for hydrothermal time models of seed germination. Weed Research. 53:89-101. 2013
- Hunt JRBrowne CMcBeath TMVerburg KCraig SWhitbread AM. Summer fallow weed control and residue management impacts on winter crop yield though soil water and N accumulation in a winter-dominant, low rainfall region of southern Australia. Crop and Pasture Science. 64:922-934. 2013
- Peoples MBBrockwell JHunt JRSwan ADWatson LHayes RCLi GDHackney BNuttall JGDavies SLFillery IRP. Factors affecting the potential contributions of N2 fixation by legumes in Australian pasture systems. Crop and Pasture Science. 63:759-786. 2012
- Verburg KBond WJHunt JR. Fallow management in dryland agriculture: Explaining soil water accumulation using a pulse paradigm. Field Crops Research. 130:68-79. 2012
- Bell LWKirkegaard JASwan AHunt JRHuth NIFettell NA. Impacts of soil damage by grazing livestock on crop productivity. Soil and Tillage Research. 113:19-29. 2011
- Hunt JRKirkegaard JA. Re-evaluating the contribution of summer fallow rain to wheat yield in southern Australia. Crop and Pasture Science. 62:915-929. 2011
- Kirkegaard JAHunt JR. Increasing productivity by matching farming system management and genotype in water-limited environments. Journal of Experimental Botany. 61:4129-4143. 2010
- Hunt JRCousens RDKnights SE. Heliotropium europaeum only germinates following sufficient rainfall to allow reproduction. Journal of Arid Environments. 73:602-610. 2009
- Hochman ZHolzworth DHunt JR. Potential to improve on-farm wheat yield and WUE in Australia. Crop and Pasture Science. 60:708-708. 2009
- Carberry PSHochman ZHunt JRDalgliesh NPMcCown RLWhish JPMRobertson MJFoale MAPoulton PLvan Rees H. Re-inventing model-based decision support with Australian dryland farmers. 3. Relevance of APSIM to commercial crops. Crop and Pasture Science. 60:1044-1044. 2009
- Hochman Zvan Rees HCarberry PSHunt JRMcCown RLGartmann AHolzworth Dvan Rees SDalgliesh NPLong WPeake ASPoulton PLMcClelland T. Re-inventing model-based decision support with Australian dryland farmers. 4. Yield Prophet � helps farmers monitor and manage crops in a variable climate. Crop and Pasture Science. 60:1057-1057. 2009
- Hunt JRCousens RDKnights SE. The biology of Australian weeds 51. Heliotropium europaeum L.. Plant Protection Quarterly. 23:146-152. 2008
conference paper
- Gobbett DHunt J. Detecting trends in cereal crop sowing dates using landsat. CEUR Workshop Proceedings. 37-42. 2017
- Hunt JFlohr BFettell NStear MRheinheimer BHaskins BKirkegaard J. Genetic yield progress in popular southern NSW bread wheat cultivars from 1901-2014. Proceedings of the 18th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference. 2017
- Swan TBreust PBrown CCook AGoward LHunt JRJones KMcMillan HNoack SPotter TRheinheimer BSchefe CScholz NTurner FKirkegaard J. Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble across various rainfall environments. GRDC Update Papers. 2017
- Celestina CMidwood JFranks AHunt J. Nitrogen fertility drives the crop response to subsoil manuring in the high rainfall zone of south western Victoria. Doing More with Less: Proceedings of the 18th ASA Conference. 1-4. 2017
- Kirkegaard JHunt JRPeoples MLlewellyn RAngus JSwan TKirkby CPratt TJones KBurke K. Opportunities and challenges for continuous cropping systems. GRDC Updates Papers. 2017
- Flohr BMHunt JRKirkegaard JAEvans JR. Stabilising the flowering time of wheat. GRDC Updates Papers. 2017
- Flohr BHunt JEvans JKirkegaard J. Winter is coming: the potential for a fast winter wheat to stabilise flowering and maximise yield in southern and Western Australia. Doing More with Less: Proceedings of the 18th ASA Conference. 1-4. 2017
- Peoples MBSwan ADGoward LHunt JR. Estimates of the apparent net mineralisation of legume N and comparisons of the subsequent recovery of legume or fertiliser nitrogen by wheat. International Nitrogen Conference 2016. 1-4. 2016
- Hunt JRSwan ADBreaust PDPeoples MBKirkegaard JA. Sheep grazing on crop residues increase soil mineral N and grain N uptake in subsequent wheat crops. Proceedings of the 2016 International Nitrogen Initiative Conference, "Solutions to improve nitrogen use efficiency for the world",. 1-4. 2016
- Flohr BMHunt JRKirkegaard JAEvans JR. Identifying the optimal flowering period for wheat in south eastern Australia: A simulation study 2015
- Hunt JRTrevaskis BFletcher APeake AZwart AFettell N. Novel wheat genotypes for early sowing across Australian wheat production environments 2015
- Swan AGoward LPeoples MBHunt JRPratt T. Profitable crop sequences to reduce ryegrass seedbank where herbicide resistant ryegrass is a major constraint to sustainability of cropping systems 2015
- Peoples MBHunt JRSwan AGoward LHart BHart R. Legume effects on available soil nitrogen and comparisons of estimates of the apparent mineralisation of legume nitrogen. Building Productive, Diverse and Sustainable Landscapes. 2015
- Bell LWLilley JMHunt JRKirkegaard JA. Simulating grain and grazing yield of diverse wheat genotypes in the HRZ. Proceedings of the 17th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference, 20 – 24 September 2015, Hobart, Australia. 2015
- Browne CHunt JRMcBeath T. Break crops pay in the Victorian Mallee. Capturing Opportunities and Overcoming Obstacles in Australian Agronomy: 16th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference', 14-18 October 2012, Armidale, Australia.. 2012
- Moore ADHunt JR. Does control of summer fallow weeds improve whole-farm productivity in both Mediterranean and temperate environments?. Capturing Opportunities and Overcoming Obstacles in Australian Agronomy: 16th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference', 14-18 October 2012, Armidale, Australia.. 2012
- Hunt JFettell NAMidwood JBreust PPeries RGill JParidaen A. Optimising flowering time, phase duration, HI and yield of milling wheat in different rainfall zones of southern Australia. Capturing Opportunities and Overcoming Obstacles in Australian Agronomy: 16th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference', 14-18 October 2012, Armidale, Australia.. 2012
- Love AHHunt JRVogel JSKnezovich JP. Improving tritium exposure reconstructions using accelerator mass spectrometry. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. 198-203. 2004
- Hunt JRHolden PAFirestone MK. Coupling transport and biodegradation of VOCs in surface and subsurface soils. Environmental Health Perspectives. 75-78. 1995
- Kessler JHHunt JR. Open channels in fractures maintained by deposition and erosion of colloids. High Level Radioactive Waste Management. 1547-1553. 1993
conference poster
- Flohr BMHunt JKirkegaard JAEvans JR. Cultivars for flowering date and yield stability. InterDrought V. P-060-P-060. 2017
erratum
- Bell LWLilley JMHunt JRKirkegaard JA. Erratum: Optimising grain yield and grazing potential of crops across Australia's high-rainfall zone: A simulation analysis. 1. Wheat (Crop and Pasture Science (2015) 66 (332-348)). Crop and Pasture Science. 117. 2016
report
- Kirkegaard JHunt JParidaen AWylie TBreust PFettell NMcMillan DFletcher AHaskins BWhitworth RFlohr BSwan TRheinheimer BGoward LAngel KIck DBrowne CFrischke APoole NKreeck GMidwood J. Final report: Increasing yield and reducing risk through early sowing in the Southern Grains Region. 1-30. 2017
- Hunt JR. Developing long-fallow farming systems that maximise plant water use and farm profit in the southern region. 1-27. 2016
- Hunt JR. Development of crop management packages for early sown winter wheats in the southern region. 1-27. 2016

presentations

presentation
- Early sowing systems can adapt Australian wheat production to rainfall decline, Presenter