FOR Greg Platz, growing up on a farm plunged him into a lifelong career in plant science.

The researcher was recently honoured for his work with the barley pathology unit at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Hermitage Research Facility, east of Warwick.

Mr Platz is the first winner from the district to receive the prestigious Lester Burgess Award for Disease Diagnostics and Extension, presented at the Science Protecting Plant Health Conference last week.

"Growing up on a farm gives you an idea of the problems farmers face," he said.

"Plant science has been challenging and stimulating career.

"It's nice to be able to help people understand different diseases in their crops and work out why they've got them and how it can be controlled."

Mr Platz has been based at The Hermitage Research Facility for the past 20 years after working previously at the Queensland Wheat Research Institute in Toowoomba.

He said it was rewarding to work with producers locally and abroad using home-grown research to sustain crops.

"I've spent most of my working life across wheat, barley and oats - all the winter cereals," Mr Platz said.

"The award was given for the ability and dedication to give farmers and advisers accurate information about diseases in crops, why they have a particular disease and how they can control it.

"A lot of the bigger growers now have their own agronomist who I will make recommendations to but I have a fair bit of direct contact with producers as well.

"I find it a lot more meaningful when someone can understand the biology behind these diseases and not just how to stop them."

Though he has dedicated his life to the field, the Warwick scientist said he was not prepared to receive the award.

"I became aware of it two weeks beforehand," Mr Platz said.

"There was a nomination and selection process but I didn't really know what was going on until they phoned and said I would need accommodation to come and accept the award."

Mr Platz was nominated by his Toowoomba-based supervisor and the award was presented in recognition of outstanding service to industry.

The award, organised by the Australasian Plant Pathology Society, is presented to scientists from public and private labs in Australia and New Zealand periodically.

There were three winners at the 2017 conference but the award is only presented based on merit over a significant portion of the nominees' career.

Mr Platz said, despite being a state-based facility, the Hermitage had a national focus and were also collaborating with scientists around the world.

"I really enjoy the people I work with including the growers and agronomists I work with, it makes work life very enjoyable," he said.

"We've also been able to capitalise we have with people in Germany, Finland, Russia and elsewhere around Europe. There's a very global approach these days.

"It's easy enough to breed for disease resistance but you get mutations of diseases and resistant strains, so we identify new strains and what we can do to provide resistance.

"It makes it fun and challenging work."