The Centre for Sustainable Farming Systems works to reconcile food production with waste reuse and sustainability. The centre's research addresses the agricultural challenges of climate change, limited water, soil degradation, plastic pollution and the need to feed more people while reducing environmental footprint.
The centre’s four research pillars
We apply multi and interdisciplinary research to produce independent, evidence-based information that is practical and translatable.
What if microbes directed plant responses?
Legume Rhizobium Sciences focuses on understanding the basic biology of rhizobia-legume symbioses and their application in the field to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability.
SoilsWest was established in 2016 to bring together researchers, industry and students, and create stronger partnerships to deliver high-quality soil research to farmers and funding partners in one collaborative portal. It is an independent entity focused on providing a pathway for the discovery and development of soil research to improve both profitability and soil resource management across the Western Australian grains industry and beyond.
Centred from 2021 at Murdoch University, the SoilsWest alliance was founded initially between The University of Western Australia and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
What if plastic pollution ceased on land and in water?
The Bioplastics Innovation Hub (BIH) (link) is a collaboration between Murdoch University, CSIRO and industry partners. Its research and development support CSIRO’s Mission for Ending Plastic Waste, which aims to reduce by 80% the amount of plastic waste entering the Australian environment by 2030. The hub represents a significant partnership where science, innovation, and industry come together to tackle one of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.
What if insect pests were controlled without reliance on chemicals?
The Entomology Groupfocuses on insect behaviour and ecology in particular, pest management strategies, invasive species control, conservation biology and biodiversity, and the possibilities around insect’s ability to eat plastic.
Director Centre for Sustainable Farming Systems - Director Bioplastics Innovation Hub
Professor Murphy is an expert in soil-plant-microbial interactions (rhizosphere engineering). He leads major research programs on the development of sustainable management practices for agricultural farming systems. This includes quantifying soil organic carbon, improving nutrient and water use efficiency, regenerating soil function in degraded agricultural land and monitoring soil quality.
Associate Professor Fran Hoyle's research interests are in soil, environment and management factors driving changes in soil carbon and function in agriculture. Her work contributes to research on soil constraints and management. She is focussed on interdisciplinary and cross-institutional programs of research and engagement.
My research focuses on understanding the interaction between soil bacteria (rhizobia) and their legume hosts. Rhizobia are unique in their ability to “fix” atmospheric nitrogen into plant-available nitrogen via their symbiotic association with legumes. In agriculture, when legumes are inoculated with elite rhizobial strains in crop rotations, all the nitrogen demands of the legume and subsequent cereal crops can be met, without the need for energy-expensive and CO2-producing industrially synthesised fertilisers.
Associate Professor Wei Xu is an insect biologist. His research focuses are on insect chemical ecology, molecular biology, biochemistry, biological control and functional genomics to improve our understanding of insect behaviors, insect-host interaction and evolution.
