Mark Derbyshire 🎠
@mcderbyshire.bsky.social
Research project leader at Curtin University. Interested in plant breeding, agriculture, genetics, anything related to coding or mathematics. Proud dad. AI enthusiast. Downhill mountain biking, especially the jumps. (he/him)
What a project! Finished adding a new station to our front garden irrigation. New skills unlocked: wiring solenoids, solvent-welding PVC pipes (messily), cutting PVC pipes, and sealing with thread tape.
My 2 year old colleague left a message on our creation for future generations. 😊
My 2 year old colleague left a message on our creation for future generations. 😊
November 15, 2025 at 3:24 AM
What a project! Finished adding a new station to our front garden irrigation. New skills unlocked: wiring solenoids, solvent-welding PVC pipes (messily), cutting PVC pipes, and sealing with thread tape.
My 2 year old colleague left a message on our creation for future generations. 😊
My 2 year old colleague left a message on our creation for future generations. 😊
Exciting to see baby canola sprouting under our new drip irrigation system. Bulking some candidate #sclerotinia resistant lines.
Tap => pressure limiter 1 => timer => backflow preventer => Venturi fertiliser injector => disc filter => pressure limiter 2 => drip line.
Fertigation here we come!
Tap => pressure limiter 1 => timer => backflow preventer => Venturi fertiliser injector => disc filter => pressure limiter 2 => drip line.
Fertigation here we come!
November 7, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Exciting to see baby canola sprouting under our new drip irrigation system. Bulking some candidate #sclerotinia resistant lines.
Tap => pressure limiter 1 => timer => backflow preventer => Venturi fertiliser injector => disc filter => pressure limiter 2 => drip line.
Fertigation here we come!
Tap => pressure limiter 1 => timer => backflow preventer => Venturi fertiliser injector => disc filter => pressure limiter 2 => drip line.
Fertigation here we come!
Does anyone know what this tree is? It grew to this size in our garden in about 2 years. I think it might be a native sheoak. Amazingly, it filled in the bare patch that our sprinklers don't reach in the summer. Sadly, we may have to remove it.
November 6, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Does anyone know what this tree is? It grew to this size in our garden in about 2 years. I think it might be a native sheoak. Amazingly, it filled in the bare patch that our sprinklers don't reach in the summer. Sadly, we may have to remove it.
First manifold assemlby, including solvent-welding PVC pipes. Live in Perth long enough and you'll end up in the Bunnings irrigation aisle scratching your head...
October 22, 2025 at 12:18 PM
First manifold assemlby, including solvent-welding PVC pipes. Live in Perth long enough and you'll end up in the Bunnings irrigation aisle scratching your head...
Overhead irrigation very satisfying to watch.
September 26, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Overhead irrigation very satisfying to watch.
Big reveal today! After uncovering the #sclerotinia in canola trial at @curtinuniversity.bsky.social for the first time in a week, we see exceptionally good and seemingly consistent infections! @theccdm.bsky.social @tobyenewman.bsky.social
September 26, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Big reveal today! After uncovering the #sclerotinia in canola trial at @curtinuniversity.bsky.social for the first time in a week, we see exceptionally good and seemingly consistent infections! @theccdm.bsky.social @tobyenewman.bsky.social
Saving the field trial version 2.0. First a severe storm, now an early heatwave. Not only are the plants not overheating under the covers, evaporative cooling seems to be keeping it a few degrees cooler than outside. So far, some nice #sclerotinia lesions under there, which is what we like to see!
September 22, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Saving the field trial version 2.0. First a severe storm, now an early heatwave. Not only are the plants not overheating under the covers, evaporative cooling seems to be keeping it a few degrees cooler than outside. So far, some nice #sclerotinia lesions under there, which is what we like to see!
Been on a journey recently. Chasing consistent #sclerotinia across 660 randomised canola plants in a field plot led to temporary hoop-houses for uniform misting. Worked for two days then damaged by the storm. Managed to improvise a fix better than the original. Very grateful for my wonderful team.
September 16, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Been on a journey recently. Chasing consistent #sclerotinia across 660 randomised canola plants in a field plot led to temporary hoop-houses for uniform misting. Worked for two days then damaged by the storm. Managed to improvise a fix better than the original. Very grateful for my wonderful team.
#Botryscleromoni day 2. Another great talk by Daohong Jiang, thinking outside the box. Non-infective sclerotinia strain colonised with a mycovirus as a control for... sclerotinia. May be as effective as fungicides.
May 27, 2025 at 8:13 AM
#Botryscleromoni day 2. Another great talk by Daohong Jiang, thinking outside the box. Non-infective sclerotinia strain colonised with a mycovirus as a control for... sclerotinia. May be as effective as fungicides.
#Botryscleromoni day 2. Wonderful inspiring talk from Xin Li. Two nuclei = one haploid genome in #Science (www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...). Nucleus besties stick together through thick and thin.
May 26, 2025 at 7:37 AM
#Botryscleromoni day 2. Wonderful inspiring talk from Xin Li. Two nuclei = one haploid genome in #Science (www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...). Nucleus besties stick together through thick and thin.
In the midst of all the crazy things happening in the world, it has been nice to have a morning stroll through sunny Melbourne. Good for the soul. Feeling lucky.
March 3, 2025 at 1:33 AM
In the midst of all the crazy things happening in the world, it has been nice to have a morning stroll through sunny Melbourne. Good for the soul. Feeling lucky.
A few years of practice later...
January 27, 2025 at 12:23 PM
A few years of practice later...