Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC230100016
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,000,000.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre in Predictive Breeding for Agricultural Futures. This Centre aims to develop the advanced capacity needed to secure Australia’s food and fibre production and export value into the future. Leveraging immense industry support, the Centre expects to develop and integrate cutting-edge plant and animal breeding technologies and deliver world-class training that addresses critical demand for highly skilled industry leaders. Expected outcomes include a future-ready predictive breedi ....ARC Training Centre in Predictive Breeding for Agricultural Futures. This Centre aims to develop the advanced capacity needed to secure Australia’s food and fibre production and export value into the future. Leveraging immense industry support, the Centre expects to develop and integrate cutting-edge plant and animal breeding technologies and deliver world-class training that addresses critical demand for highly skilled industry leaders. Expected outcomes include a future-ready predictive breeding industry able to transform data into optimised decisions, and the human capacity to drive it. This should provide significant benefits to enhance the sustainability and profitability of all major Australian agriculture sectors, including livestock, grains, horticulture, cotton, wine, dairy, forestry and fisheries.Read moreRead less
Reducing environmental footprint by improving phosphorous use efficiency. While modern agriculture relies heavily on the use of phosphorous fertilizers, most of them are not used by plants and lost in runoff, resulting in a massive environmental damage through contamination of waterways (termed eutrophication). This project takes advantage of an untapped resource - a unique collection of Tibetan wild barley genotypes, to reveal key traits that confer superior phosphorus use efficiency in wild ba ....Reducing environmental footprint by improving phosphorous use efficiency. While modern agriculture relies heavily on the use of phosphorous fertilizers, most of them are not used by plants and lost in runoff, resulting in a massive environmental damage through contamination of waterways (termed eutrophication). This project takes advantage of an untapped resource - a unique collection of Tibetan wild barley genotypes, to reveal key traits that confer superior phosphorus use efficiency in wild barley and identify appropriate candidate genes and their position on chromosomes for further incorporating these traits into commercial barley cultivars. This will reduce the environmental footprint of modern agricultural practices on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems without compromising food security.Read moreRead less
Gene identification and genetic marker analysis of herbicide resistance in Lolium rigidum. Herbicide resistance threatens the vibrant, export-focused Australian cropping industry and environmental sustainability. The Australian herbicide resistance problem is far greater than elsewhere in the world. Herbicide resistance must be avoided, managed and reversed to ensure profitable agriculture and an environmentally sustainable landscape. This research will contribute to the national wealth through ....Gene identification and genetic marker analysis of herbicide resistance in Lolium rigidum. Herbicide resistance threatens the vibrant, export-focused Australian cropping industry and environmental sustainability. The Australian herbicide resistance problem is far greater than elsewhere in the world. Herbicide resistance must be avoided, managed and reversed to ensure profitable agriculture and an environmentally sustainable landscape. This research will contribute to the national wealth through helping ensure the profitability of vital Australian export agricultural industries and the sustainability of the soil/land resource. This proposal will ensure that Australia leads international herbicide resistance research and will enable the capture of intellectual property and commercial opportunities. Read moreRead less
Improved growth of Pinus radiata through better modelling and management of photosynthesis and respiration. This research will use recently developed technologies to deliver the first comprehensive analysis of the effects of thinning and fertilizer on distribution of photosynthetically active proteins and nitrogenous metabolites in P. radiata. We seek to develop mechanistic and empirical understandings of photosynthesis, respiration, water use and growth and thus better model and predict effec ....Improved growth of Pinus radiata through better modelling and management of photosynthesis and respiration. This research will use recently developed technologies to deliver the first comprehensive analysis of the effects of thinning and fertilizer on distribution of photosynthetically active proteins and nitrogenous metabolites in P. radiata. We seek to develop mechanistic and empirical understandings of photosynthesis, respiration, water use and growth and thus better model and predict effects of management actions on yield of commercial softwood plantations. We will also apply similarly new but complementary and compatible technologies to assess photosynthesis, water use and respiration characteristics of a range of P. radiata genotypes of known growth potential. Our aim here is to develop new tools to help selection of high-yielding genotypes. The data collected will again be used to inform our development of a new growth model where the 'driver' of growth is respiration and where hydraulic architecture and soil water balance limits photosynthesis and water use.
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Engineering safer pastures for livestock. This project aims to develop subterranean clover with elevated condensed tannins in leaves. This important pasture legume is currently a bloat risk for cattle and sheep due to low condensed tannins and high soluble proteins. Bloat is a health issue that costs the Australian and New Zealand livestock industries over $200 million per annum. Condensed tannins can reduce bloat, decrease methane production and improve efficiency of production. A novel approac ....Engineering safer pastures for livestock. This project aims to develop subterranean clover with elevated condensed tannins in leaves. This important pasture legume is currently a bloat risk for cattle and sheep due to low condensed tannins and high soluble proteins. Bloat is a health issue that costs the Australian and New Zealand livestock industries over $200 million per annum. Condensed tannins can reduce bloat, decrease methane production and improve efficiency of production. A novel approach using CRISPR and other innovative molecular techniques will generate breeding lines high in condensed tannins and deliver knowledge applicable to other pasture legumes. Expected outcomes for livestock producers include improved animal welfare, reduced carbon emissions and enhanced profits.Read moreRead less
Control points in nitrogen uptake: enhancing the response of cereals to nitrogen supply and demand. Vast amounts of nitrogen fertiliser are applied to cereal crops to maintain yields. By uncovering what limits nitrogen uptake in cereals, this project will provide the scientific basis for improving nitrogen use efficiency and decreasing fertiliser use, with significant economic and environmental benefits.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100081
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
Spectral climate chamber facilities for phenomic studies of plant light response adaptation. Climates are changing, altering planting regimes in agriculture, and disrupting local adaptation in foundation species. The genetic basis of climate adaptation will be dissected in new plant growth facilities, equipped with real-time imaging and environmental controls that can mimic dynamic seasonal growing conditions and weather stress events.