Improving production of essential oils from Australian trees. Production of essential oils from eucalypts and tea tree is an important rural industry in Australia but we are only a minor producer worldwide. Using new genetic discoveries about how plants make oils, this project will help the industry improve the yield and profitability from both eucalypts and tea tree and contribute new technologies to rural industry.
Optimisation of catchment management: stable isotope studies of water storage and yield. Focusing on the Cotter catchment, this project will establish how the water content of soils and tree stems regulates the amount of water used by trees in sub-catchments, and thus how much reaches streams and dams. Small areas supply most of the water yield and this project will help identify where managers should focus efforts to increase yield.
Breeding for resistance: Diagnostic toolkit for predicting variation in plant defence compounds in Eucalyptus. Pulp and timber from plantations are important for Australia's economic and environmental future. However, we must ensure that these plantations are grown sustainably. One area of concern is the current reliance on pesticides to control herbivores of plantation eucalypts. The work proposed here aims to use existing ecological findings together with early access to the genome of Eucal ....Breeding for resistance: Diagnostic toolkit for predicting variation in plant defence compounds in Eucalyptus. Pulp and timber from plantations are important for Australia's economic and environmental future. However, we must ensure that these plantations are grown sustainably. One area of concern is the current reliance on pesticides to control herbivores of plantation eucalypts. The work proposed here aims to use existing ecological findings together with early access to the genome of Eucalyptus to develop ways of using the natural resistance of Eucalyptus as an alternative to chemical pesticides. The work will also help us to understand how eucalypts produce the distinctive odours that are so characteristic of Australian landscapes.Read moreRead less
Combating myrtle rust, a new disease threatening Australia’s unique flora. This project aims to reduce the impact of myrtle rust, an invasive plant disease. Myrtle rust is a globally significant biodiversity threat that is rapidly spreading to new regions. It affects many iconic native species as well as impacting commercial industries. The expected project outcomes are; a comprehensive understanding of the host genes involved in successful plant defence, and of the pathogen genes involved in th ....Combating myrtle rust, a new disease threatening Australia’s unique flora. This project aims to reduce the impact of myrtle rust, an invasive plant disease. Myrtle rust is a globally significant biodiversity threat that is rapidly spreading to new regions. It affects many iconic native species as well as impacting commercial industries. The expected project outcomes are; a comprehensive understanding of the host genes involved in successful plant defence, and of the pathogen genes involved in the establishment of parasitism. The project will employ new approaches that enhance the application of biotechnology to Australian biosecurity. Key expected benefits are; gene-specific tools for plant breeders and conservation land managers, and improved preparedness for the threat posed by new rust strains.Read moreRead less