Developing Zn-dense, high-yielding wheat by molecular marker technology. The objective of this project is to identify pathways leading to the accumulation of zinc — an important element for human nutrition — in wheat. The project aims to provide biochemical and molecular markers for breeding programs that will facilitate the selection of superior breeding lines for improved human nutrition and seed health. This project builds on studies using a wheat diversity panel with 90 000 gene-based single ....Developing Zn-dense, high-yielding wheat by molecular marker technology. The objective of this project is to identify pathways leading to the accumulation of zinc — an important element for human nutrition — in wheat. The project aims to provide biochemical and molecular markers for breeding programs that will facilitate the selection of superior breeding lines for improved human nutrition and seed health. This project builds on studies using a wheat diversity panel with 90 000 gene-based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, where zinc–SNP associations were identified. The project also builds on recent studies that show particular metabolites and macronutrients around anthesis are linked to improved grain zinc concentration at maturity.Read moreRead less
Diversity in large crop genomes via enhanced recombination. The project aims to understand genetic and environmental factors that limit how fast genomic combinations can be generated by modifying the recombination rates between chromosomes. Plant breeding is based around genetic diversity, but modern breeding programs have captured only a small proportion of the variation available in wild relatives and land races. Knowledge of diversity in this wild germplasm pool is increasing and the challeng ....Diversity in large crop genomes via enhanced recombination. The project aims to understand genetic and environmental factors that limit how fast genomic combinations can be generated by modifying the recombination rates between chromosomes. Plant breeding is based around genetic diversity, but modern breeding programs have captured only a small proportion of the variation available in wild relatives and land races. Knowledge of diversity in this wild germplasm pool is increasing and the challenge is to quickly and efficiently introduce this variation into elite lines. This project’s findings are expected to transform wheat and barley breeding methods by unlocking the genetic diversity to produce new varieties. This will enhance and protect a critical and valuable rural industry.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH140100013
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,972,614.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Legumes for Sustainable Agriculture. ARC Research Hub for Legumes for Sustainable Agriculture. This research hub aims to provide Australian growers and industrial stakeholders with improved plant materials to maximise production, environmental sustainability and profitability. In particular, the research aims to improve the nitrogen delivery capacity of legumes and their resilience to abiotic stress, which will be an important consideration as our climate changes. Grain legu ....ARC Research Hub for Legumes for Sustainable Agriculture. ARC Research Hub for Legumes for Sustainable Agriculture. This research hub aims to provide Australian growers and industrial stakeholders with improved plant materials to maximise production, environmental sustainability and profitability. In particular, the research aims to improve the nitrogen delivery capacity of legumes and their resilience to abiotic stress, which will be an important consideration as our climate changes. Grain legumes are often grown in rotation with cereal crops for their high nutritional seed value and their unique ability to develop a self-sufficient nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with soil bacteria. Maintaining legume productivity against the challenges of climate change and the need for increased food production is important to the future of Australian agriculture.Read moreRead less
Breeder-ready genetic tools for sustaining wheat yields under heat stress. Yield losses in wheat due to heat stress are increasing with climate change, driving an urgent need for new heat-tolerant varieties; however, few resources for heat tolerance are available for use in breeding. This research aims to use comprehensive genetic and agronomic approaches to provide breeders with the tools and evidence to select WtmsDW, a newly discovered genetic region that protects pollen fertility and sustain ....Breeder-ready genetic tools for sustaining wheat yields under heat stress. Yield losses in wheat due to heat stress are increasing with climate change, driving an urgent need for new heat-tolerant varieties; however, few resources for heat tolerance are available for use in breeding. This research aims to use comprehensive genetic and agronomic approaches to provide breeders with the tools and evidence to select WtmsDW, a newly discovered genetic region that protects pollen fertility and sustains grain yield under heat stress. These tools are expected to significantly boost productivity for the $9.8B Australian wheat industry, benefitting rural communities and industry partners and supporting food security, both directly and through longer-term extension of novel heat tolerance mechanisms to other crop species.Read moreRead less
Small molecules with large effect: The dual role of nitrogen-containing metabolites in stress tolerance and nutrient recycling. The main objective of this project is to identify drought and nutrient-deficiency responsive pathways in tolerant wheat and to provide markers to breeding programs that facilitate selection of superior breeding lines. This project builds on a pilot study conducted in rice in which tolerant-specific metabolites were identified which are representative of pathways relevan ....Small molecules with large effect: The dual role of nitrogen-containing metabolites in stress tolerance and nutrient recycling. The main objective of this project is to identify drought and nutrient-deficiency responsive pathways in tolerant wheat and to provide markers to breeding programs that facilitate selection of superior breeding lines. This project builds on a pilot study conducted in rice in which tolerant-specific metabolites were identified which are representative of pathways relevant for the protection of cells from damage through reactive oxygen species (ROS) and for nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus, sugars) recycling under stress. Available data suggest that these pathways are also relevant in wheat. Quantitative metabolomics, genetics, and molecular tools will be used to deliver either DNA-based or metabolomics markers to breeders.Read moreRead less
Enhancing Genomic Prediction for Changing Environments in Wheat. Adverse weather is the primary risk faced by the Australian agriculture industry. This Project aims to develop the next generation of agriculture tools to unlock natural potential in wheat and improve yield stability across seasons and regions. Drawing on crop physiology, genetics and integrated modelling, this Project expects to generate new knowledge and technologies to untangle genetic and environmental interactions that affect ....Enhancing Genomic Prediction for Changing Environments in Wheat. Adverse weather is the primary risk faced by the Australian agriculture industry. This Project aims to develop the next generation of agriculture tools to unlock natural potential in wheat and improve yield stability across seasons and regions. Drawing on crop physiology, genetics and integrated modelling, this Project expects to generate new knowledge and technologies to untangle genetic and environmental interactions that affect productivity, enhance predictive capability, and initiate advanced breeding strategies to develop new crop varieties with superior resilience against changing climates. This should provide significant benefits, such as profit stability for wheat growers, elevated global market position and improved food security.Read moreRead less
Harnessing genetic diversity for complex traits. Genetic diversity underpins crop improvement but has become increasingly narrow in our major crops. Strategies exist for mobilising simple traits (e.g. disease resistance) from wild accessions or landraces into cultivars, but there are no effective approaches for introducing complex traits, including stress tolerance or components of yield. Using barley as an important crop and a genetic model, the project aims to address this problem by applying ....Harnessing genetic diversity for complex traits. Genetic diversity underpins crop improvement but has become increasingly narrow in our major crops. Strategies exist for mobilising simple traits (e.g. disease resistance) from wild accessions or landraces into cultivars, but there are no effective approaches for introducing complex traits, including stress tolerance or components of yield. Using barley as an important crop and a genetic model, the project aims to address this problem by applying a novel approach; partial redomestication of wild accessions by introgressing genes required for modern farming, then evaluating the resulting partially adapted germplasm in hybrids with elite cultivars. The project expects to generate new and diverse germplasm pools for breeding.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100784
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
Improving cereal grain quality using epigenetic regulators. The project aims to determine the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms that control cereal grain quality and yield under water-deficit and heat stress. The project will use next-generation sequencing to identify key epigenetic regulators and their functional target genes, which confer superior grain quality to elite genotypes under adverse environments. Project outcomes will benefit cereal breeding by providing more-tailored screening stra ....Improving cereal grain quality using epigenetic regulators. The project aims to determine the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms that control cereal grain quality and yield under water-deficit and heat stress. The project will use next-generation sequencing to identify key epigenetic regulators and their functional target genes, which confer superior grain quality to elite genotypes under adverse environments. Project outcomes will benefit cereal breeding by providing more-tailored screening strategies and superior parental germplasm with enhanced quality and yield. The development of nutritionally improved crops will benefit the Australian cereal industry and export opportunities.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH130200027
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,308,668.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for genetic diversity and molecular breeding for wheat in a hot and dry climate. ARC Research Hub for genetic diversity and molecular breeding for wheat in a hot and dry climate. This Research Hub, in partnership with wheat breeding companies, aims to deliver advanced technologies, germplasm and information to produce new stress tolerant varieties. Genetic diversity and novel traits will be introduced from exotic germplasm and high-throughput field-phenotyping tools will be deve ....ARC Research Hub for genetic diversity and molecular breeding for wheat in a hot and dry climate. ARC Research Hub for genetic diversity and molecular breeding for wheat in a hot and dry climate. This Research Hub, in partnership with wheat breeding companies, aims to deliver advanced technologies, germplasm and information to produce new stress tolerant varieties. Genetic diversity and novel traits will be introduced from exotic germplasm and high-throughput field-phenotyping tools will be developed to assist in selection of superior lines. Strategic research will be targeted towards the development of wheat with combined heat and drought tolerance and maintenance of high grain protein.Read moreRead less
Early Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IE230100282
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$475,181.00
Summary
Delivering breeding-oriented genetic tools for cereal disease resistance. This project will focus specifically on delivering the genetic tools to the industry partner to assist its wheat and barley breeders to increase the accuracy and efficiency of incorporating the durable wheat stripe rust disease and barley leaf rust disease resistance into their core germplasm collections, respectively. The expected outcomes will also contribute to filling our knowledge gap in understanding the cereal rust ....Delivering breeding-oriented genetic tools for cereal disease resistance. This project will focus specifically on delivering the genetic tools to the industry partner to assist its wheat and barley breeders to increase the accuracy and efficiency of incorporating the durable wheat stripe rust disease and barley leaf rust disease resistance into their core germplasm collections, respectively. The expected outcomes will also contribute to filling our knowledge gap in understanding the cereal rust innate immune system and benefit other cereal fungal pathosystems. The wide application of the expected outcomes from the proposed project will reduce the utilisation of fungicides and subsequently will subsequently contribute to the resilience of cereal crops and sustainable global food security.Read moreRead less