A novel role for phytochrome in dormancy release inhibition. Seed dormancy contributes to the persistence of weeds in agriculture by enabling seeds to remain viable in the soil for many years, and is a major reason why annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) has become the most economically damaging weed in Australian agriculture. Recently we discovered a new way to control dormancy release and germination in these seeds. This project to identify the changes occurring within the seeds during dormancy r ....A novel role for phytochrome in dormancy release inhibition. Seed dormancy contributes to the persistence of weeds in agriculture by enabling seeds to remain viable in the soil for many years, and is a major reason why annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) has become the most economically damaging weed in Australian agriculture. Recently we discovered a new way to control dormancy release and germination in these seeds. This project to identify the changes occurring within the seeds during dormancy release will underpin our efforts to manipulate emergence timing in order to improve the efficacy of current weed control practices and contribute to sustainable farming systems.Read moreRead less
Does plasma membrane perception of 2,4-D influence auxin resistance? This project aims to investigate the role of the cell membrane in synthetic auxin herbicide resistance by analysing the functions and interaction partners of candidate resistance proteins. It is expected that this project will generate new knowledge about the very early response of plants to auxin and the difference between susceptible and resistant weeds in perceiving auxin herbicides. Expected outcomes of this project include ....Does plasma membrane perception of 2,4-D influence auxin resistance? This project aims to investigate the role of the cell membrane in synthetic auxin herbicide resistance by analysing the functions and interaction partners of candidate resistance proteins. It is expected that this project will generate new knowledge about the very early response of plants to auxin and the difference between susceptible and resistant weeds in perceiving auxin herbicides. Expected outcomes of this project include the identification of potential herbicide synergists and a greater understanding of how weeds develop resistance to auxin herbicides. This should benefit Australian grain growers by providing more effective weed control options and lessening the amount of unnecessarily-applied herbicide in the environment.Read moreRead less
Optimising crop root systems to enhance capture of soil water and nutrients. The project’s goal is to improve crop breeding for increased efficiency of acquiring soil resources. Increasing a crop’s efficiency in capturing soil resources (water and nutrients) is an imperative task in ensuring food security. This project plans to use barley as the model cereal crop and characterise root traits in a panel of cultivars assembled to represent maximum diversity as well as in biparental mapping populat ....Optimising crop root systems to enhance capture of soil water and nutrients. The project’s goal is to improve crop breeding for increased efficiency of acquiring soil resources. Increasing a crop’s efficiency in capturing soil resources (water and nutrients) is an imperative task in ensuring food security. This project plans to use barley as the model cereal crop and characterise root traits in a panel of cultivars assembled to represent maximum diversity as well as in biparental mapping population followed by association and linkage mapping to identify genetic markers linked with specific root traits. These markers will be incorporated into a computer model of 3-D root structure and function. The enhanced computer model would be able to simulate optimal root systems for specific environments and generate a list of selectable root-trait markers.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
Unravelling the secrets of the rhizosphere of crops. Phosphate is one of the most important limiting nutrients for crop growth and production. Plant acquisition of soil phosphate largely depends on root proliferation to accelerate soil exploration, and on phosphate bioavailability mediated by root exudates and rhizosphere microorganisms. Central to this is the need for a better understanding of the complex biogeochemical interfaces in the rhizosphere. This project explores recently developed non ....Unravelling the secrets of the rhizosphere of crops. Phosphate is one of the most important limiting nutrients for crop growth and production. Plant acquisition of soil phosphate largely depends on root proliferation to accelerate soil exploration, and on phosphate bioavailability mediated by root exudates and rhizosphere microorganisms. Central to this is the need for a better understanding of the complex biogeochemical interfaces in the rhizosphere. This project explores recently developed non-destructive imaging, isotope, and metabolism techniques to generate a systematic research tool in tracking rhizosphere interactions and imaging phosphate dynamics from macroscale to nanoscale levels. This study will provide new opportunities to improve crop nutrient use efficiency and crop production.Read moreRead less
Digging deeper to improve yield stability. This project aims to provide innovative breeding solutions that harness the ‘hidden’ part of the plant, roots, to support the development of more productive crops in the face of climate variability. The project expects to generate new insights into the biology and genetics of root development in barley, a model cereal crop, by applying cutting-edge genome editing, phenotyping and genomics technologies. Anticipated outcomes include novel methodologies to ....Digging deeper to improve yield stability. This project aims to provide innovative breeding solutions that harness the ‘hidden’ part of the plant, roots, to support the development of more productive crops in the face of climate variability. The project expects to generate new insights into the biology and genetics of root development in barley, a model cereal crop, by applying cutting-edge genome editing, phenotyping and genomics technologies. Anticipated outcomes include novel methodologies to accelerate breeding for diverse production environments, with direct applications in barley, and other major cereals including wheat and oats. This should provide significant economic and social benefits to the Australian grains industry through yield stability amidst climate variability.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
Revealing novel mechanisms conferring evolution of resistance to glufosinate and glyphosate in Eleusine indica. Glyphosate and its alternative glufosinate are the most important herbicides in world agriculture. The world’s first cases of glufosinate resistance in Eleusine indica have been recently reported. The aims of the proposed research is to identify the currently unknown biochemical and molecular mechanisms conferring glufosinate resistance, to unravel the novel molecular mechanism endowin ....Revealing novel mechanisms conferring evolution of resistance to glufosinate and glyphosate in Eleusine indica. Glyphosate and its alternative glufosinate are the most important herbicides in world agriculture. The world’s first cases of glufosinate resistance in Eleusine indica have been recently reported. The aims of the proposed research is to identify the currently unknown biochemical and molecular mechanisms conferring glufosinate resistance, to unravel the novel molecular mechanism endowing very high level glyphosate resistance, and to elucidate the evolutionary trajectory of glyphosate resistance in E. indica. This will advance our current knowledge and understanding of resistance evolution and have impact on resistance management.Read moreRead less
Developing strong restorer-of-fertility genes for hybrid wheat breeding. Hybrid wheat varieties yield 10-15% more than conventional lines but a cost-effective system to produce hybrid seeds on a commercial scale is missing. This project aims to deliver such a system for use in hybrid wheat breeding programmes. The outcome will be ultimately higher wheat yield gains in Australia and worldwide. Higher and more stable yields will contribute to higher food security for the growing human population.
Characterisation of a major quantitative trait locus on wheat chromosome 3BL responsible for Fusarium crown rot resistance. Fusarium crown rot (FCR) is a serious wheat disease in Australia and worldwide. Our team has identified a major chromosome region controlling this disease. This project is proposing to develop DNA markers for marker assisted breeding, to understand the genetic mechanism of resistance and to identify genes responsible for resistance to the disease.