Role of alanine aminotransferase in improved nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in cereals. The use of nitrogen-based fertilisers by crop plants is poor where efficiencies (nitrogen taken up to that applied) is often less than 40%. Nitrogen not used is often lost to the environment through leaching and or volatilisation. Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in agriculture will decrease overall nitrogen fertiliser use and minimise its environmental footprint. This project will characterise a nov ....Role of alanine aminotransferase in improved nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in cereals. The use of nitrogen-based fertilisers by crop plants is poor where efficiencies (nitrogen taken up to that applied) is often less than 40%. Nitrogen not used is often lost to the environment through leaching and or volatilisation. Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in agriculture will decrease overall nitrogen fertiliser use and minimise its environmental footprint. This project will characterise a novel NUE technology that when transferred to plants significantly improves NUE. We will define the phenotype at the molecular, biochemical and physiological levels to maximise its adoption to other agricultural crops such as wheat, barley and maize.Read moreRead less
Predictive Models & Decision Support Systems for Virus Diseases and Aphid Vectors of Lupin and Canola. Aphids and the viruses they transmit cause major economic losses in legume and canola crops in Australia. This project will develop innovative predictive models and decision support systems (DSS's) for Beet western yellows virus and direct aphid feeding damage in canola and two types of Bean yellow mosaic virus in lupin, and a DSS for direct aphid feeding damage in lupin. These models will gr ....Predictive Models & Decision Support Systems for Virus Diseases and Aphid Vectors of Lupin and Canola. Aphids and the viruses they transmit cause major economic losses in legume and canola crops in Australia. This project will develop innovative predictive models and decision support systems (DSS's) for Beet western yellows virus and direct aphid feeding damage in canola and two types of Bean yellow mosaic virus in lupin, and a DSS for direct aphid feeding damage in lupin. These models will greatly improve understanding of factors driving virus epidemics and aphid outbreaks. Following extensive validation with data previously collected in the WA grainbelt, the predictive models and DSS's will be extended to end-users, resulting in considerable productivity gains, reduced costs and environmental benefits.Read moreRead less
Exploiting the Arabidopsis genome sequence as a molecular 'toolbox' for Brassica improvement. Australia's position as a major exporter of canola (Brassica napus) is under threat from genetic improvements in yield and quality being made by our international competitors. We will identify genes from Arabidopsis (the 'tool-box') that will be used to increase the speed of selection of new canola varieties with improved oleic acid content, disease resistance, and agronomic traits such as early flower ....Exploiting the Arabidopsis genome sequence as a molecular 'toolbox' for Brassica improvement. Australia's position as a major exporter of canola (Brassica napus) is under threat from genetic improvements in yield and quality being made by our international competitors. We will identify genes from Arabidopsis (the 'tool-box') that will be used to increase the speed of selection of new canola varieties with improved oleic acid content, disease resistance, and agronomic traits such as early flowering and cold tolerance. Genome similarity between Arabidopsis and canola will be exploited to map specific genes from Arabidopsis directly into canola. Based on this knowledge, we will develop gene-specific molecular markers for rapid selection of Australian-adapted canola varieties.Read moreRead less
Brassica genome organisation and evolution: unlocking the potential of using genome-specific repetitive elements for crop improvement. Introgression of chromosome segments from related Brassica species provides an opportunity to develop locally adapted varieties with improved agronomic and quality traits. There is a need to understand Brassica genome organisation and how this information can be used for enhancing the efficiency of cultivar development. Dispersed and tandem repetitive DNA sequen ....Brassica genome organisation and evolution: unlocking the potential of using genome-specific repetitive elements for crop improvement. Introgression of chromosome segments from related Brassica species provides an opportunity to develop locally adapted varieties with improved agronomic and quality traits. There is a need to understand Brassica genome organisation and how this information can be used for enhancing the efficiency of cultivar development. Dispersed and tandem repetitive DNA sequences provide valuable information on the organisation and evolution of plant chromosomes. Methods for monitoring chromosome segment transfer across Brassica species will be developed based on detecting and quantifying genome-specific repetitive DNA sequences. Australian Brassica improvement programs could benefit from this research by adopting methods to detect chromosome segment transfer during interspecific hybridisation.Read moreRead less
Role of stubble management in improving soil fertility. In highly-weathered nutrient-poor soils of the south-western Australia, the amount of nutrients in stubble is critical in nutrient cycling as well as in determining optimal amounts of fertilisers to be applied. Stubble management is therefore an integral part of crop fertilisation and nutrient management. We will characterise nutrient cycling in the stubble-soil-crop continuum in a range of cropping situations. Computer modelling will be us ....Role of stubble management in improving soil fertility. In highly-weathered nutrient-poor soils of the south-western Australia, the amount of nutrients in stubble is critical in nutrient cycling as well as in determining optimal amounts of fertilisers to be applied. Stubble management is therefore an integral part of crop fertilisation and nutrient management. We will characterise nutrient cycling in the stubble-soil-crop continuum in a range of cropping situations. Computer modelling will be used to extend applicability of results over space and time. This project will provide the knowledge required for improving fertiliser recommendations to take into account changes in the cropping systems that have occurred in the last 10-20 years.Read moreRead less
Role of nitrogen and sulphur nutrition in determining quantity and quality of oil in canola seed. Canola is the second most important crop in Australia, with exports worth $1 billion a year. However, competitiveness of Australian canola on the world markets is hampered by low and inconsistent oil content. Nitrogen fertilisation increases seed yield and seed protein content, but decreases oil content. This project will elucidate regulation by nitrogen and sulphur (the other important nutrient in ....Role of nitrogen and sulphur nutrition in determining quantity and quality of oil in canola seed. Canola is the second most important crop in Australia, with exports worth $1 billion a year. However, competitiveness of Australian canola on the world markets is hampered by low and inconsistent oil content. Nitrogen fertilisation increases seed yield and seed protein content, but decreases oil content. This project will elucidate regulation by nitrogen and sulphur (the other important nutrient in canola growth) of protein and oil biosynthesis in developing canola grain. The knowledge generated in this project will allow optimisation of canola agronomy and more effective breeding for increased nitrogen- and sulphur-use efficiency, seed yields and oil content in canola, thus enhancing the competitiveness of Australian canola on the world markets.Read moreRead less
Developing technology for the cost effective de novo sequencing and analysis of complex genomes. Applying the latest scientific advances supports society directly through promoting a knowledge based economy, as well as indirectly through securing agricultural productivity and improved biomedical applications. Establishing these methods places Australia at the forefront of genomics technology with direct applications for Australian biomedical and biotechnology industries. Maintaining agricultural ....Developing technology for the cost effective de novo sequencing and analysis of complex genomes. Applying the latest scientific advances supports society directly through promoting a knowledge based economy, as well as indirectly through securing agricultural productivity and improved biomedical applications. Establishing these methods places Australia at the forefront of genomics technology with direct applications for Australian biomedical and biotechnology industries. Maintaining agricultural production in an unreliable environment remains a national challenge, both for rural and urban communities. This sequencing technology will provide a detailed understanding of crop genome structure and lead to the development of crops that are better suited to the Australian climate, supporting a sustainable agricultural industry. Read moreRead less
Characterising genetic variation in Brassica napus. Applying the latest scientific advances supports society through promoting a knowledge based economy, as well as through securing agricultural productivity and biomedical applications. Establishing these methods places Australia at the forefront of genomics technology with direct applications for Australian agricultural, biomedical and biotechnology industries. Maintaining agricultural production in an unreliable environment remains a national ....Characterising genetic variation in Brassica napus. Applying the latest scientific advances supports society through promoting a knowledge based economy, as well as through securing agricultural productivity and biomedical applications. Establishing these methods places Australia at the forefront of genomics technology with direct applications for Australian agricultural, biomedical and biotechnology industries. Maintaining agricultural production in an unreliable environment remains a national challenge, both for rural and urban communities. This technology will provide a detailed understanding of crop genome variation in relation to agronomic traits and lead to the development of crops that are better suited to the Australian climate, supporting a sustainable agricultural industry.Read moreRead less
Vegetable Oils as Dielectric Liquid for Oil Filled Distribution and Power Transformers. A new transformer cooling and insulating liquid is proposed from vegetable oil seeds available in Australia. The proposed liquid will be fully biodegradable and non-toxic and will cause no harm in the event of explosions or accidental leakage from a transformer. Approximately, 30 to 40 billion liters of oils are in use in transformers worldwide. The development of this liquid requires selection of suitable ve ....Vegetable Oils as Dielectric Liquid for Oil Filled Distribution and Power Transformers. A new transformer cooling and insulating liquid is proposed from vegetable oil seeds available in Australia. The proposed liquid will be fully biodegradable and non-toxic and will cause no harm in the event of explosions or accidental leakage from a transformer. Approximately, 30 to 40 billion liters of oils are in use in transformers worldwide. The development of this liquid requires selection of suitable vegetable oil base;thermal and oxidation stabilization; electrical performance,biodegradability,and endurance testings, viscosity and pour point improvements, compatibility tests with existing oils, and characterization of its gassing phenomena. The development of this new liquid from local oil seeds will provide the Australian industry huge export potentials. The prject will also provide Australian farmers a new avenue for their oilseed market.Read moreRead less
Combining molecular plant physiology and breeding to improve canola (Brassica napus) performance in dry environments. Canola is Australia's most important oilseed crop with 1,400,000 hectares sown annually worth $560m. The major abiotic factor limiting canola production in Australia is water availability. Transpiration efficiency (TE) is a trait with potential to contribute to improved drought tolerance of grain crops. This project seeks to select canola germplasm with improved TE by indirect s ....Combining molecular plant physiology and breeding to improve canola (Brassica napus) performance in dry environments. Canola is Australia's most important oilseed crop with 1,400,000 hectares sown annually worth $560m. The major abiotic factor limiting canola production in Australia is water availability. Transpiration efficiency (TE) is a trait with potential to contribute to improved drought tolerance of grain crops. This project seeks to select canola germplasm with improved TE by indirect selection for carbon-isotope-discrimination. In addition we will use the extensive Brassica-Arabidopsis genome synteny to locate and alter the expression of genes involved in TE using Arabidopsis as a model. The longterm aim is to improve the reliability and overall grain production of canola in Australia. Read moreRead less