Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668294
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$110,000.00
Summary
Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Facility for Nitrogen and Water Analysis in Plants. Continual improvement to agricultural plant production is key to maintaining future sustainable growth in Australian agriculture. Our respective research teams are focussed on improving how plants utilise both nitrogen and water. Many questions remain with respect to where, how and when plants use and or access these important nutrients. The proposed facility will enable plant scientists to begin in-depth anal ....Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Facility for Nitrogen and Water Analysis in Plants. Continual improvement to agricultural plant production is key to maintaining future sustainable growth in Australian agriculture. Our respective research teams are focussed on improving how plants utilise both nitrogen and water. Many questions remain with respect to where, how and when plants use and or access these important nutrients. The proposed facility will enable plant scientists to begin in-depth analysis of both nitrogen transport mechanisms and the ability to model root development and water allocation in crop species. This research will ultimately lead to improved knowledge on how plants respond to their environment and where modifications can be made to generate sustainable crops suited to Australian agriculture.Read moreRead less
Metabolite glucosylation during grape berry development. The research proposed contributes to building and transforming the Australian wine industry, and other horticultural industries, by developing expertise and knowledge in the area of grape berry metabolism. The synthesis and validation of a library of grape berry metabolites, annotation of part of the grapevine genome sequence dataset and development of the micro vine transformation system are innovative products of significant national and ....Metabolite glucosylation during grape berry development. The research proposed contributes to building and transforming the Australian wine industry, and other horticultural industries, by developing expertise and knowledge in the area of grape berry metabolism. The synthesis and validation of a library of grape berry metabolites, annotation of part of the grapevine genome sequence dataset and development of the micro vine transformation system are innovative products of significant national and international benefit. Two high-quality PhD students will be trained in a collaborative and high-quality research environment during the course of the proposed research.Read moreRead less
Control of foliar diseases in horticulture using milk components: widening applicability through understanding mechanisms. Fungal diseases, such as powdery mildew and botrytis grey mould, have the potential to cause considerable losses in horticultural crops. Chemical fungicides, some of which are broad-spectrum biocides potentially harmful to human health, are applied routinely in disease management. Milk and whey, which can damage powdery mildew fungi, offer alternatives to conventional fungic ....Control of foliar diseases in horticulture using milk components: widening applicability through understanding mechanisms. Fungal diseases, such as powdery mildew and botrytis grey mould, have the potential to cause considerable losses in horticultural crops. Chemical fungicides, some of which are broad-spectrum biocides potentially harmful to human health, are applied routinely in disease management. Milk and whey, which can damage powdery mildew fungi, offer alternatives to conventional fungicides. Identification of the components of milk which damage fungi, and their mechanisms of activity, will facilitate the development of environmentally sustainable strategies for management of fungal diseases in Australian horticulture. This will have particular benefits for personnel who regularly apply fungicides in glasshouses.Read moreRead less
Beneficial arthropods in Coonawarra vineyards and sustainable grape production. Many species of pest and beneficial arthropods live in vines and groundcover of vineyards. Vignerons often devote considerable effort to sustain populations of what they believe to be beneficial arthropods. However, the types of natural enemies and techniques to enhance their effectiveness are poorly known. This project aims to identify and quantify the role of natural enemies in controlling the main pest in Coonawar ....Beneficial arthropods in Coonawarra vineyards and sustainable grape production. Many species of pest and beneficial arthropods live in vines and groundcover of vineyards. Vignerons often devote considerable effort to sustain populations of what they believe to be beneficial arthropods. However, the types of natural enemies and techniques to enhance their effectiveness are poorly known. This project aims to identify and quantify the role of natural enemies in controlling the main pest in Coonawarra vineyards, identify their food and shelter requirements, and improve management practices and other techniques to optimise populations of beneficial species. The significance of this project is that it will enable the promotion of insecticide-free production of winegrapes in the Coonawarra.Read moreRead less
The impact of vineyard exposure to smoke on vine physiology and the composition of grapes and wine. Taint in grapes and wine as a consequence of vineyard exposure to smoke has resulted in a decline in product quality and significant financial losses for grape and wine producers throughout Australia. Given the close proximity of many Australian wine regions to areas of bush and forest and the predicted continuation of warm, dry climatic conditions, the incidences of vineyard smoke exposure is exp ....The impact of vineyard exposure to smoke on vine physiology and the composition of grapes and wine. Taint in grapes and wine as a consequence of vineyard exposure to smoke has resulted in a decline in product quality and significant financial losses for grape and wine producers throughout Australia. Given the close proximity of many Australian wine regions to areas of bush and forest and the predicted continuation of warm, dry climatic conditions, the incidences of vineyard smoke exposure is expected to increase in the future. The project aims to establish grape and wine production methods which can be employed by industry to counter the effects of smoke on grape and wine composition, and to minimise smoke taint in finished wine; with clear economic benefits for grape-growers and wine producers. Read moreRead less