Olivia Reynolds
Team Lead - Research
Bachelor of Science with Honours, PhD Ecology
Olivia leads Cesar’s research teams. Olivia is an applied ecologist who has successfully combined her passions – wildlife, people, experiencing new cultures, and making a difference – to develop a career in sustainable pest management.
After completing her PhD, Olivia spent two years travelling widely in Europe and gaining work experience, before commencing her lifelong dream to live and work in Africa, completing a post doctorate with the South African Sugarcane Research Institute and lecturing at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa. Prior to joining Cesar, Olivia was a Principal Research Scientist with the NSW DPI, during which she advanced her executive level leadership capabilities, graduating from the Women in Leadership Australia, Advanced Leadership Program.
Olivia values applying sustainable and ecological pest management approaches that are embraced by stakeholders. Her research interests and expertise include silicon in insect plant defences, sterile insect technique, parasitoid ecology and behaviour, biosecurity, area-wide management and landscape ecology/habitat manipulation.
Olivia is an Adjunct Associate Research Professor at Charles Sturt University, a member of the Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation and a Jinshan Scholar at the Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China.
Internationally, Olivia is an Australian representative on the International Steering Committee for Fruit Flies of Economic Importance, a co-founder of the International Atomic Energy Agency/Food and Agricultural Organisation Tephritid workers of Asia, Australia and Oceania (TAAO), an Editor on the peer-reviewed journal, Insects and an Editor on the international bulletin, Fruit Fly News.
Olivia enjoys mentoring staff and students, providing an encouraging and supporting environment to enable them to reach their full potential.
When Olivia is not working, she loves travelling and exploring new destinations with her husband and two boys, hiking, reading, skiing, spending time in the garden and entertaining.
Shuttleworth LA, Khan MAM, Osborne T, Collins D, Reynolds OL (2020) Wild bacterial probiotics fed to larvae of mass-reared Queensland fruit fly [Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt)] do not impact long-term survival, mate selection, or locomotor activity. Insect Science 27, 745-755.
Cancino J, Pérez B, Johnson AC, Reynolds OL (2019) Parasitoids are choosy: increase in the capacity to discriminate parasitised tephritid pupae by Coptera haywardi (Oglobin) (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae). BioControl 64, 357-366.
Deutscher A, Chapman T, Riegler M, Reynolds OL (2019) Symbiotic Associations of Mass-Reared Tephritid Fruit Flies: Implications for Sterile Insect Technique Programs. Special Issue of BMC Microbiology 19, 287.
Johnson SN, Reynolds OL, Gurr GM, Esveld JL, Moore BD, Tory GJ, Gherlanda AN (2019) When resistance is futile, tolerate instead: silicon promotes plant compensatory growth when attacked by above- and belowground herbivores. Biology Letters 15, 20190361.
Khan M, Shuttleworth LA, Osborne T, Collins D, Gurr GM, Reynolds OL (2019) Raspberry ketone improves mating performance of sterile male Queensland fruit fly. Pest Management Science 75, 1942-1950.
Shuttleworth LA, Khan MAM, Osborne T, Collins D, Srivastava M, Reynolds OL (2019) A walk on the wild side: gut bacteria fed to mass-reared larvae of Queensland fruit fly [Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt)] influence development. Special Issue of BMC Microbiology 19, 95.
Wyckhuys KAG, Pozsgaia G, Loveia GL, Vasseura L, Wratten SD, Gurr GM, Reynolds OL, Goettel M (2019) Global disparity in public awareness of the biological control potential of invertebrates. Science of the Total Environment 660, 799-806.
Woruba D, Morrow J, Reynolds, OL, Chapman T, Riegler M (2019) Microbiome of domesticated teneral and mature adult Bactrocera tryoni. Special Issue of BMC Microbiology 19, 281.
Coskun D, Deshmukh R, Sonah H, Menzies JG, Reynolds O, Ma JF, Kronzucker HJ, Bélanger RR (2018) The controversies of silicon’s role in plant biology. Tansley review, New Phytologist 221, 67-85.
Deutscher A, Burke CM, Darling AE, Riegler M, Reynolds OL, Chapman TA (2018) Near Full-length 16S rDNA Next-Generation Sequencing Revealed Asaia as a Common Midgut Bacterium of Wild and Domesticated Queensland Fruit Fly Larvae. Microbiome 6, 85.
Frew A, Weston A, Reynolds OL, Gurr GM (2018) The role of silicon in plant biology: a paradigm shift in research approach. Annals of Botany 121, 1265-1273.
Gurr GM, Reynolds OL, Johnson AC, Desneux N, Zalucki MP, Furlong MJ, Li Z, Akutse K, Chen J, You M (2018) Landscape ecology and expanding range of biocontrol agent taxa enhance prospects for diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) management: A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 38, 1-16.
Deutscher A, Reynolds OL, Chapman T (2017) Yeast: an Overlooked Component of Bactrocera tryoni (Diptera: Tephritidae) Larval Gut Microbiota. Journal of Economic Entomology 110, 298-300.
Khan, MAM, Manoukis N, Gurr GM, Osborne T, Barchia I, Reynolds OL (2017) Raspberry ketone increases survival and reduces sterile male Bactrocera tryoni Froggatt response to cue-lure: implications for sterile insect technique programs. Scientific Reports 7, 13366.
Liu J, Zhang P, Zhu J, Han L, Reynolds OL, Wu J, Shao Y, Zeng R, You M, Gurr G (2017) First evidence of silicon supplementation altering plant herbivore induced plant volatiles to enhance attraction of parasitoids. Frontiers in Plant Science 8, 1265.
Reynolds OL, Osborne T, Barchia I (2017) Efficacy of Chemicals for the Potential Management of the Queensland Fruit Fly Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Insects 8, 49.
Reynolds OL, Barchia I, Osborne T, Crisp P (2016) Specialized Pheromone and Lure Application Technology as an alternative male annihilation technique to manage Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 109, 1254-1260.
Reynolds OL, Padula M, Zeng RS, Gurr GM (2016) Silicon: potential to promote direct and indirect effects on plant defense against arthropod pests. Frontiers in Plant Science 7, 744.
Reynolds OL, Finlay A, Osborne T (2015) Osage orange, Maclura pomifera (Rafinesque.) C.K. Schneid.: a new host record for Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae) and Delia platura (Meigen) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae). General and Applied Entomology 43, 19-23.
Reynolds OL, Orchard BA (2015) Roving and stationary release of adult sterile Queens-land fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera; Tephritidae). Crop Protection 76, 24-32.
Collins S, Taylor P, Reynolds OL (2014) Combined effects of dietary yeast supplementation and methoprene treatment on sexual maturation of Queensland fruit fly. Journal of Insect Physiology 61, 51–57.
Mo J, Dominiak BC, Stevens MM, Reynolds OL (2014) Pest behaviour insights from quar-antine surveillance of male Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Crop Protection 62, 55-63.
Reynolds OL, Orchard BA, Collins S, Taylor P (2014) Yeast hydrolysate supplemen-tation increases sterile Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) field longevity and abundance. Bulletin of Entomological Research 104, 251-61.
Taylor PW, Khan M, Collins SR, Reynolds OL (2013) Yeast hydrolysate supplement in-creases starvation vulnerability of Queensland fruit fly. Physiological Entomology 38, 337-343.
Zamek AL, Reynolds OL, Mansfield S, Micallef JL, Gurr GM (2013) Carbohydrate diet and reproductive performance of a fruit fly parasitoid, Diachasmimorpha tryoni. Journal of Insect Science 13, 74.
Harris AR, Pratt CF, Jessup AJ, Banos C, Lindhout K, Gurr G, Reynolds OL (2012) Rearing the biological control agent Diachasmimorpha kraussii (Fullaway) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on irradiated larvae of the Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Fruit Flies of Economic Importance, Valencia, Spain 2010, 229-251.
James D, Orre S, Reynolds O, Simpson M (2012) Employing chemical ecology to understand and exploit biodiversity for pest management. In ‘Biodiversity and insect pests: key issues for sustainable management’. (Eds GM Gurr, SD Wratten, BE Snyder) pp. 85-195. (John Wiley & Sons: Chichester, West Sussex)
Jenkins C, Chapman T, Micallef JL, Reynolds OL (2012) Molecular Techniques for the Detection and Differentiation of Parasitoid Species and the Implications for Fruit Fly Management. Insects 3, 763-788.
Reynolds OL, Smallridge C, Cockington V, Penrose LDD (2012) Field release of adult sterile Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt): the effect of release method and location on trap recapture rates. Australian Journal of Entomology 51, 116-126.
Simpson M, Connick VJ, Guisard Y, Reynolds OL, Saliba A, Gurr GM (2012) Chemical ecology providing novel strategies against vineyard pests in Australia. In ‘Arthropod Management in Vineyards’. (Eds C Vincent, N Bostanian, R Isaacs) pp. 119-138 (Springer: Dordrecht)
Zamek AL, Spinner JE, Micallef JL, Gurr GM, Reynolds OL (2012) Parasitoids of Queensland Fruit Fly Bactrocera tryoni in Australia and Prospects for Improved Biological Control. Insects 3, 1056-1083.
Reynolds OL, Orchard BA (2011) Effect of adult chill treatments on recovery, longevity and flight ability of Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Bulletin of Entomological Research 101, 63-71.
Spinner JE, Cowling AM, Gurr GM, Jessup AJ, Reynolds OL (2011) Parasitoid fauna of Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni Froggatt (Diptera: Tephritidae) in inland New South Wales, Australia and its potential for use in augmentative biological control. Australian Journal of Entomology 50, 445-452.
Gurr GM, Kvedaras OL (2010) Synergizing biological control: Scope for sterile insect technique, induced plant defences and cultural techniques to enhance natural enemy impact? Biological Control 52, 198-207.
Reynolds OL, Dominiak BC, Orchard BA (2010) Pupal release of the Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera:Tephritidae), in the sterile insect technique: sea-sonal variation in eclosion and flight. Australian Journal of Entomology 49, 150-159.
Kvedaras OL, An M, Choi YS, Gurr GM (2010) Silicon enhances natural enemy attraction to pest-infested plants through induced plant defences. Bulletin of Entomological Research 100, 367-371.
McKechnie SW, Blacket MJ, Song SV, Rako L, Carroll X, Johnson TK, Jensen LT, Lee SF, Wee CW, Hoffmann AA (2010) A clinally varying promoter polymorphism associated with adaptive variation in wing size in Drosophila. Molecular ecology 19, 775-84.
Reynolds OL, Orchard BA (2010) Container loadings and emergence substrates for sterile insect technique programs of Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae). General and Applied Entomology 39, 19-22.
Keeping MG, Kvedaras OL (2009) Epidermal silicon in sugarcane in relation to soil amendment with silicon and cultivar resistance to sugarcane borer Eldana saccharina. Environmental and Experimental Botany 66, 54-60.
Keeping MJ, Reynolds OL (2009) Silicon in agriculture: New insights, new significance and growing application. Annals of Applied Biology 155, 153-154.
Kvedaras OL, Byrne MJ, Coombs NE, Keeping MG (2009) Influence of plant silicon and sugarcane cultivar on mandibular wear in larval Eldana saccharina Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Agricultural and Forest Entomology 11, 301-306.
Reynolds OL, Keeping MJ, Meyer J (2009) Silicon-augmented resistance of plants to herbivorous insects: a review. Annals of Applied Biology 155, 171-176.
Keeping MG, Kvedaras OL (2008) Silicon as a plant defense against insect herbivory: response to Massey, Ennos and Hartley. Journal of Animal Ecology 77, 631-633.
Kvedaras OL, Gregg PC, Del Socorro AP (2007) Effects of phenylacetaldehyde and (Z)-3- hexenyl acetate on male response to synthetic sex pheromone in Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Australian Journal of Entomology 46, 224-230.
Kvedaras OL, Keeping MG (2007) Silicon impedes stalk penetration by the borer Eldana saccharina Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in sugarcane. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 125, 103-110.
Kvedaras OL, Keeping MG, Goebel FR, Byrne MJ (2007) Eldana saccharina Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larval performance and stalk damage in sugarcane: influence of plant silicon and feeding site. International Journal of Pest Management, 53, 183-194.
Kvedaras OL, Keeping MG, Goebel FR, Byrne MJ (2007) Silicon and water stress synergy in resistance of sugarcane cultivars to the stalk borer, Eldana saccharina Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). International Sugar Journal 25, 3-6.
Kvedaras OL, Keeping MG, Goebel FR, Byrne MJ (2007) Water stress augments silicon-mediated resistance of susceptible sugarcane cultivars to the stalk borer, Eldana saccharina Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Bulletin of Entomological Research 97, 75-183.
Smith M, Kvedaras OL, Keeping MG (2007) A novel method to determine larval mandibular wear of the African stalk borer, Eldana saccharina Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). African Entomology 15, 204-208.
Kvedaras OL, Keeping MG, Goebel FR, Byrne MJ (2006) Silicon and water stress synergy in resistance of sugarcane cultivars to the stalk borer, Eldana saccharina Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Proceedings of the South African Sugar Technologist’s Association 80, 291-296.
Kvedaras OL, Keeping MG, Goebel R, Byrne M (2005) Effects of silicon on the African stalk borer, Eldana saccharina (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in susceptible and resistant sugar-cane. Proceedings of the South African Sugar Technologists Association 79, 359-363.
Kvedaras OL, Gregg PC, Del Socorro AP (2000) Techniques used to determine the mating behaviour of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in relation to host plants. Australian Journal of Entomology 39, 188-194.
Kvedaras OL, Gregg PC, Del Socorro AP (2000) The influence of host plants on the mating success of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Proceedings of the World Cotton Research Conference – 2, Athens, Greece, 6-12 September 1998, 652-656.
Kvedaras O, Gregg P, Del Socorro A, Alter D, Moore C (1999) Laboratory and field trials to determine the mating behaviour of Helicoverpa armigera in relation to host crops. The Cotton CRC Research Conference Proceedings, Narrabri, NSW.