We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Leslie A. Weston has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395).

Prof. Dr. Leslie A. Weston is a Research Professor of plant biology at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia. She moved to Australia in 2008 after holding research and instruction posts at Cornell University and the University of Kentucky, USA, in the Department of Horticulture. In recent years, her field of focus has shifted to plant/soil interactions and agronomic cropping systems in particular.

Prof. Dr. Weston’s research focuses on chemical ecology and physiology, with an emphasis on the generation of a deeper understanding of the plant rhizosphere and its associated microbiome, as well as how plant interactions with weeds, herbivores, pests and biocontrol organisms are mediated by secondary products.

Her research interests have included the development of a fundamental understanding of the localization, biosynthesis, and regulation of secondary plant products, particularly those in root exudates as sources of novel chemistry. Recently, metabolomics and genomics approaches have been undertaken to investigate how complex biosynthetic pathways impact plant defenses and microbial interactions.

The applied research conducted by Prof. Dr. Weston has focused on large multidisciplinary research projects for the prevention of herbicide resistance in common pasture and crop weeds, as well as the development of alternative management strategies for weeds and livestock pests, including the use of biocontrol agents such as dung beetles, crown weevils and flea beetles. Prof. Dr. Weston has also explored soil health and microbial diversity within the plant rhizosphere, in addition to examining the role of bioactive molecules in plant defense and weed suppression.

Prof. Dr. Weston is a charter member of RACI, the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, and a member of CAWS and the Weeds Society of NSW. She is also heavily involved in the International Allelopathy Society, where she has served as president and vice president, as well as conference organizer. She has received both the Molisch Award for Outstanding Research and the Grodzinsky Award for Outstanding Papers in IAS.  In recent years, she has also served as both the Section Editor-in-Chief of the “Weed Science and Weed Management” Section in MDPI’s Agronomy and the Associate Editor of the Peer J. Weed Technology and Frontiers in Agronomy. In May 2023, Prof. Dr. Weston was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.

Prof. Dr. Leslie A. Weston is taking over from Prof. Dr. Peter Langridge, the former Editor-in-Chief, whose passion for advancing agricultural science and visionary guidance has left an indelible mark on our journal. During his 13-year tenure, Agronomy has been shaped and improved by his direction, and his influence will surely benefit our research community for years to come. We wish Dr. Langridge great success in his future pursuits and are extremely grateful for his exceptional leadership, dedication, and commitment as Editor-in-Chief of Agronomy since 2011.

With this announcement, we warmly welcome Prof. Dr. Leslie A. Weston as the new Editor-in-Chief and look forward to her contributions and the continued success of Agronomy.

Agronomy Editorial Office