Improved seasonal rainfall prediction for grain growers using farm level data and novel modelling. Successful grain production, a key export commodity for Australia, depends heavily on reliable seasonal forecasts. However, the highly variable climate means that for Australia’s 25,000 grain growers current forecasts lack detail in space and time. Using a combination of fuzzy classification and artificial neural networks, this project will develop a locally detailed continuously updating data-driv ....Improved seasonal rainfall prediction for grain growers using farm level data and novel modelling. Successful grain production, a key export commodity for Australia, depends heavily on reliable seasonal forecasts. However, the highly variable climate means that for Australia’s 25,000 grain growers current forecasts lack detail in space and time. Using a combination of fuzzy classification and artificial neural networks, this project will develop a locally detailed continuously updating data-driven seasonal forecast system using high density climate data from the 17,000 Grain Growers Association members and climate drivers such as sea surface temperature from the Bureau of Meteorology. After validation against observed data, the forecasts will be delivered via a web-based portal to users.Read moreRead less
Methane and nitrous oxide in agro-ecological systems: novel technologies and understandings to improve ecosystem management. Methane and nitrous oxide are critical greenhouse gases but globally we lack ecosystem scale analyses of the balance of emissions, including animal emissions, and soil oxidation. This project will quantify this balance for a range of agro-ecosystems, and explore and develop opportunities for improving soil-based Greenhouse Gas (GHG) mitigation measures.
The Development of Microbial Inoculants as Biofertilisers for Rice, Wheat and Turf-Grass. Plant-microbial interactions can increase vegetative growth and crop yield. These PGPR effects result from improved N and P nutrition, stimulation of root growth, disease control, altered environmental conditions and, most importantly, positive interactions between all these. This project aims to develop plant growth promoting bacteria and fungi as commercial products. By matching microbes to plants and soi ....The Development of Microbial Inoculants as Biofertilisers for Rice, Wheat and Turf-Grass. Plant-microbial interactions can increase vegetative growth and crop yield. These PGPR effects result from improved N and P nutrition, stimulation of root growth, disease control, altered environmental conditions and, most importantly, positive interactions between all these. This project aims to develop plant growth promoting bacteria and fungi as commercial products. By matching microbes to plants and soil environments, a set of peat-based inoculants will be optimised for application as biofertilisers to field crops and turfgrass.
Potential applications are both rural and urban.
The outcomes will be proven commercial products able to promote plant growth and rapid recovery from adverse conditions.Read moreRead less
New Approaches to the Control of Post-Weaning Diarrhoea in Piglets. In Australia, post?weaning diarrhoea (PWD) in piglets is a major constraint to efficient and profitable production. Increasing levels of resistance to dietary antibiotics by gut pathogens such as Escherichia coli, the bacterium implicated in PWD, is a major reason for this problem. This research will identify nutritional means of controlling PWD and increasing production after weaning. This will be achieved by strategic nutritio ....New Approaches to the Control of Post-Weaning Diarrhoea in Piglets. In Australia, post?weaning diarrhoea (PWD) in piglets is a major constraint to efficient and profitable production. Increasing levels of resistance to dietary antibiotics by gut pathogens such as Escherichia coli, the bacterium implicated in PWD, is a major reason for this problem. This research will identify nutritional means of controlling PWD and increasing production after weaning. This will be achieved by strategic nutritional interventions in the pre-weaning and (or) post-weaning periods targeted at reducing bacterial pathogens in the gut. A reduction in PWD will increase the overall efficiency of pig production in Australia and reduce antibiotic use.Read moreRead less
In vitro prediction tests of fertility of frozen semen of sheep and cattle. Variation in fertility after artificial insemination (AI) of frozen semen is high and leads to economic loss. Routine assessment of the quality of frozen semen relies on crude, simple tests of motility and morphology of sperm. More sophisticated sperm ultrastructural and function tests have recently been developed, but it is not known how these tests relate to fertility in the field. In this project we will test a ran ....In vitro prediction tests of fertility of frozen semen of sheep and cattle. Variation in fertility after artificial insemination (AI) of frozen semen is high and leads to economic loss. Routine assessment of the quality of frozen semen relies on crude, simple tests of motility and morphology of sperm. More sophisticated sperm ultrastructural and function tests have recently been developed, but it is not known how these tests relate to fertility in the field. In this project we will test a range of in vitro methods of assessment of motility and morphology of sperm and compare them with fertility of frozen semen samples after AI, leading to more objective methods of semen analysis.Read moreRead less
Manipulation of the growth potential and carcass composition of domestic animal species. Finding alternatives to repeated growth hormone(GH) injection to boost production efficiency and minimise carcass fatness remains an important target for animal research. This application exploits the two novel approaches to achieve this goal through: 1. the administration of the GH releasing peptides to the neonate to imprint an enhanced GH secretory pattern and feed conversion efficiency during growth ....Manipulation of the growth potential and carcass composition of domestic animal species. Finding alternatives to repeated growth hormone(GH) injection to boost production efficiency and minimise carcass fatness remains an important target for animal research. This application exploits the two novel approaches to achieve this goal through: 1. the administration of the GH releasing peptides to the neonate to imprint an enhanced GH secretory pattern and feed conversion efficiency during growth to maturity and 2. the development of an orally active form of these peptides by conjugation with VitB12 to facilitate intestinal absorption through the VitB12 transport mechanism for delivery to the hypothalamic/pituitary axis of animals nearing maturity.Read moreRead less
Sex preselection of stallion spermatozoa. This study will develop novel techniques that will maintain and optimise the fertility of sex-sorted stallion semen before and after processing through a flow cytometer. Ultimately, spermatozoa obtained from ejaculation or from the testes sperm storage site (epididymes) at the time of castration will be sorted into X- (female) or Y- (male) populations and used to inseminate mares and thus, enable horse breeders to predetermine the sex of their foal at th ....Sex preselection of stallion spermatozoa. This study will develop novel techniques that will maintain and optimise the fertility of sex-sorted stallion semen before and after processing through a flow cytometer. Ultimately, spermatozoa obtained from ejaculation or from the testes sperm storage site (epididymes) at the time of castration will be sorted into X- (female) or Y- (male) populations and used to inseminate mares and thus, enable horse breeders to predetermine the sex of their foal at the time of insemination. The introduction of sex-sorted semen into the Australian horse industry (worth some $6.2 billion) will ensure that Australia leads the world in equine reproductive technology.Read moreRead less
Marker assisted selection of honey bees. The project will develop new molecular markers for commercially relevant trait of honey bees and ways of using these to implement marker-assisted selection for honey bee genetic improvement. Beekeepers need to use genetically improved stock to remain competitive. Honey production needs to be improved, and new ways of identifying disease resistant bees are needed. Unfortunately, breeding bees is very difficult. This project will use modern molecular gen ....Marker assisted selection of honey bees. The project will develop new molecular markers for commercially relevant trait of honey bees and ways of using these to implement marker-assisted selection for honey bee genetic improvement. Beekeepers need to use genetically improved stock to remain competitive. Honey production needs to be improved, and new ways of identifying disease resistant bees are needed. Unfortunately, breeding bees is very difficult. This project will use modern molecular genetic techniques to help find new efficient ways to breed better bees. The benefits will be a more viable beekeeping sector, a keystone industry that provides pollination services essential to many horticultural industriesRead moreRead less
Development of environmentally-friendly bioinsecticides for control of Australian crop pests. Insect pests cause over $3 billion of damage each year to Australian crops. Current insecticides are becoming less effective, and they often have adverse environmental impacts. This project aims to develop a new generation of environmentally-friendly insecticides that can be used to control insect pests on farms and around the home and garden.
Understanding, controlling and improving the flavour of almond kernels. Almond kernels may be sweet, semi-bitter or bitter, with the first two categories marketed as fresh nuts, while the latter are used in processed products such as marzipan. Semi-bitter kernels have a more interesting flavour than sweet kernels and we require tools to breed for this character. The bitter flavour is imparted by amygdalin via the cyanogenic pathway. This project will characterise the genetic control of sweet, ....Understanding, controlling and improving the flavour of almond kernels. Almond kernels may be sweet, semi-bitter or bitter, with the first two categories marketed as fresh nuts, while the latter are used in processed products such as marzipan. Semi-bitter kernels have a more interesting flavour than sweet kernels and we require tools to breed for this character. The bitter flavour is imparted by amygdalin via the cyanogenic pathway. This project will characterise the genetic control of sweet, semi-bitter and bitter flavour, amygdalin accumulation in developing kernels, and key enzymes in the cyanogenic pathway. Almond populations segregating for these traits will be used and the data will be integrated into the Australian almond meiotic map.Read moreRead less