Optimising the Strategy for Breeding Micronutrient-Dense Staple Foods that Improve Human health and Nutrition. The project is part of a new paradigm for agriculture in which staple crops are bred with greater micronutrient density to improve human health. It generates strategic basic information on how nutrients interact in the body of animal models in absorption, transport and utilisation that will allow plant breeders to optimise the breeding strategy for maximum outcomes in health and minimum ....Optimising the Strategy for Breeding Micronutrient-Dense Staple Foods that Improve Human health and Nutrition. The project is part of a new paradigm for agriculture in which staple crops are bred with greater micronutrient density to improve human health. It generates strategic basic information on how nutrients interact in the body of animal models in absorption, transport and utilisation that will allow plant breeders to optimise the breeding strategy for maximum outcomes in health and minimum breeding cost. Animals deficient in the nutrients of most concern (iron, zinc, vitamin A - and inulin) will be fed new varieties with enhanced levels of these factors, and from the responses, a superior strategy will be developed.Read moreRead less
Towards sustainable bioproduction systems: harnessing organic nitrogen for plant growth. It is of great concern that over 50% of nitrogen fertiliser applied to crops is lost to the environment, resulting in a large environmental footprint and greenhouse gas emission. Future farming systems have to reduce nitrogen fertiliser use but this threatens crop and biofuel production. Alternatives to man-made nitrogen fertilisers are crop residues and organic materials which are more stable in soils but l ....Towards sustainable bioproduction systems: harnessing organic nitrogen for plant growth. It is of great concern that over 50% of nitrogen fertiliser applied to crops is lost to the environment, resulting in a large environmental footprint and greenhouse gas emission. Future farming systems have to reduce nitrogen fertiliser use but this threatens crop and biofuel production. Alternatives to man-made nitrogen fertilisers are crop residues and organic materials which are more stable in soils but less available to plants. How plants can best access organic nitrogen will be explored, based on our recent discovery that plants can use protein as a nitrogen source for growth. The project will produce essential knowledge for nitrogen-efficient bioproduction.Read moreRead less
Role of intracellular calcium homeostasis and aluminium transport across the plasma membrane in aluminium toxicity to plants. Aluminium is the most important yield-limiting factor in acid soils throughout the world. The problem of aluminium toxicity is aggravated by continuous acidification of arable land. Mechanisms of aluminium toxicity in plant cells are poorly understood. The present project seeks to elucidate the molecular basis of the interaction between intracellular calcium homeostasis, ....Role of intracellular calcium homeostasis and aluminium transport across the plasma membrane in aluminium toxicity to plants. Aluminium is the most important yield-limiting factor in acid soils throughout the world. The problem of aluminium toxicity is aggravated by continuous acidification of arable land. Mechanisms of aluminium toxicity in plant cells are poorly understood. The present project seeks to elucidate the molecular basis of the interaction between intracellular calcium homeostasis, cytosolic pH and aluminium uptake across the plasma membrane in aluminium toxicity to plants. Knowledge of primary triggers of aluminium toxicity will pay off in a breeding programme aimed at selecting crop genotypes with increased resistance to aluminium toxicity.Read moreRead less
Aluminium uptake across the root-cell plasma membrane. Aluminium toxicity limits crop growth in acid soils that occupy about 24 million hectares of agricultural land in Australia. Liming can increase pH of the surface soil, but is frequently too expensive in the low-input Australian agriculture. Surface-applied lime is poorly effective in ameliorating subsoil acidity, and incorporating lime deep into the profile is prohibitively expensive and technically difficult. Hence, Al-resistant crop culti ....Aluminium uptake across the root-cell plasma membrane. Aluminium toxicity limits crop growth in acid soils that occupy about 24 million hectares of agricultural land in Australia. Liming can increase pH of the surface soil, but is frequently too expensive in the low-input Australian agriculture. Surface-applied lime is poorly effective in ameliorating subsoil acidity, and incorporating lime deep into the profile is prohibitively expensive and technically difficult. Hence, Al-resistant crop cultivars are important part of sustainable farming in Australia. This project will characterise early triggers of Al toxicity in plants, providing a foundation for increasing Al resistance in crop cultivars. Understanding the physiological basis of Al toxicity will lead to improved crop breeding strategies.Read moreRead less
Role of rhizosphere microorganisms in growth of plants in soils with low P availability. The concentration of available phosphorus in many Australian soils is low compared to the requirement of plants and soil organisms. Plant genotypes differ in their capacity to grow at low P availability but the role of rhizosphere microorganisms in plant P uptake from such soils is largely unknown. We will determine the role of rhizosphere microorganisms in P solubilisation and mobilisation in different crop ....Role of rhizosphere microorganisms in growth of plants in soils with low P availability. The concentration of available phosphorus in many Australian soils is low compared to the requirement of plants and soil organisms. Plant genotypes differ in their capacity to grow at low P availability but the role of rhizosphere microorganisms in plant P uptake from such soils is largely unknown. We will determine the role of rhizosphere microorganisms in P solubilisation and mobilisation in different crop genotypes and native plant species in different Australian soils with low P availability. The results will give a comprehensive picture of the role of rhizosphere microbial ecology in phosphorus acquisition by crop and native plants.Read moreRead less
Symbiotic transport proteins in legumes. Some plants form a symbiosis with soil bacteria (rhizobia) that convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia which is then supplied to the plant. This enables legumes to grow without application of nitrogen-based fertilizer, avoiding environmental problems such as run-off and land degradation, thereby contributing to sustainable agriculture practise. We will investigate the interactions between plant and rhizobia, focusing on identifying genes and proteins wh ....Symbiotic transport proteins in legumes. Some plants form a symbiosis with soil bacteria (rhizobia) that convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia which is then supplied to the plant. This enables legumes to grow without application of nitrogen-based fertilizer, avoiding environmental problems such as run-off and land degradation, thereby contributing to sustainable agriculture practise. We will investigate the interactions between plant and rhizobia, focusing on identifying genes and proteins which govern nutrient exchange between the partners and development of the special structures in the roots that house the bacteria. Subsequent manipulation of these genes and proteins may allow us to identify control points and enhance nitrogen fixation.
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Molecular analysis of the symbiotic interface of nitrogen-fixing legumes. Some legumes form a symbiosis with soil bacteria (rhizobia) that convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia which is then supplied to the plant. This enables legumes to grow without application of nitrogen-based fertilizer, avoiding environmental problems such as run-off and land degradation, thereby contributing to sustainable agriculture practise. We will investigate the interactions between plant and rhizobia, focusing on ....Molecular analysis of the symbiotic interface of nitrogen-fixing legumes. Some legumes form a symbiosis with soil bacteria (rhizobia) that convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia which is then supplied to the plant. This enables legumes to grow without application of nitrogen-based fertilizer, avoiding environmental problems such as run-off and land degradation, thereby contributing to sustainable agriculture practise. We will investigate the interactions between plant and rhizobia, focusing on identifying genes and proteins which govern nutrient exchange between the partners and development of the special structures in the roots that house the bacteria. Subsequent manipulation of these genes and proteins may allow us to identify control points and enhance nitrogen fixation.Read moreRead less