“Antimicrobial resistance is not limited to antibiotics, hospitals or human medicine. When fungicides lose their effectiveness, the consequences can extend beyond a single crop to food production, farm profitability, biosecurity and environmental sustainability.”

Subash Gautam is a SAAFE PhD Scholar in molecular plant pathology at the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM), Curtin University. Subash has also been awarded a WAARC (WA Agricultural Research Collaboration) Top-Up PhD Scholarship. Working with the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and the CCDM fungicide resistance team, his research focuses on fungicide resistance in Venturia inaequalis, the fungus that causes apple scab, and on developing an integrated toolkit for characterising and monitoring that resistance.

With a background in agriculture and plant pathology, Subash completed a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and a Master’s degree in Plant Pathology in Nepal, where his research evaluated biocontrol agents and botanicals as organic alternatives for plant disease management. He went on to complete a Master of Agriculture and Food Security at Curtin University, where he worked on fungicide resistance and explored the extraction of fungal-specific proteins that could serve as new modes of action – the experience that turned antimicrobial resistance (AMR) into a clear research focus.

At SAAFE CRC, Subash is investigating both target-site and non-target-site fungicide resistance mechanisms using bioinformatics and structural modelling. His days move between culturing fungal isolates, extracting DNA, running PCR assays and fungicide-sensitivity experiments, and molecular docking. He aims to deliver tools that allow fungicide resistance to be detected and monitored earlier, more accurately and at a scale that is genuinely useful for surveillance and management decisions.

Subash approaches AMR as a connected challenge involving people, animals, plants, food systems and the environment. He is passionate about helping people understand that resistance is not limited to antibiotics or human medicine – when fungicides lose their effectiveness, the consequences can reach food production, farm profitability, biosecurity and environmental sustainability.

Outside of research, Subash enjoys table tennis, badminton, running and hiking, as well as catching up with friends at social gatherings. He describes his father as his hero, having watched him persevere through hardship while always showing love for his family and kindness to others. Subash lives by the motto “The quietest mind carries the loudest perseverance” – staying calm, focusing on solutions and working steadily towards his goals.

Subash’s long-term goal is to translate laboratory findings into evidence that supports better fungicide selection, rotation and stewardship – helping growers maintain effective plant disease control while reducing unnecessary fungicide use and easing the selection pressure that drives resistance.