This is a pilot project focused on seed quality improvement and enhanced grain production in wheat, barley, chickpea and canola as major diverse crops in SA. This will be achieved by generating new formulas for seed coating that enhance the delivery of Trichoderma, mycorrhizal fungi and other beneficial microbes, nutrients and other effective additives.
Barley head loss is an ongoing issue that leads to reduced yield based on environmental factors and cultivar sensitivity. Although management options exist, improved genetic solutions are needed to limit the seasonal and site variability. In this project, researchers will extend current knowledge of head loss management and peduncle structure to consider new cultivars and candidate genes that might influence head retention.
This project will be undertaken by SARDI researchers who will use a novel bread wheat mapping population and high-throughput phenotyping method (X-ray computed tomography) to measure spike traits that contribute to yield, and identify genetic markers associated with improved yield for breeding programs. This project includes controlled environment studies and field trials.
This project will be undertaken by SARDI researchers and aims to improve industry preparedness for dealing with white grain disorder and fusarium head blight to reduce rejection and down-grading of grain at silos while protecting SA’s export markets. Grain samples, trial data, spore trapping data and weather data will be utilised.
South Australian crops can be severely impacted by poor and variable growing conditions, which includes low-fertility soils. Crop plants possess strong instincts to reduce grain number due to variable growing conditions or reduced fertiliser. This is a major contributor to the yield gap in SA. This project seeks to help close this yield gap through the import and testing of new genetic material that makes barley less responsive to environmental conditions.
The aims of this project are to determine whether Australian barley varieties differ in their effects on the diversity of potentially beneficial soil microbes in the field, and to investigate the genetic control of any observed differences. This will result in growers being able to choose varieties that will benefit soil biological health and provide new molecular tools for breeders to use in selection to develop new varieties with improved soil biological health.
This project will be undertaken by SARDI researchers and aims to exploit natural genetic variation in herbicide metabolism ability to reduce the market access risks associated with chemical residues in herbicide tolerant pulse grain. This project will identify variation in the ability of lentil and faba bean genotypes to metabolise metribuzin and investigate whether herbicide residues are retained or reduced in plant-based protein extraction processes.
This project will be undertaken by SARDI researchers and aims to provide information to growers when considering a pulse protein market in key pulse expansion areas. This will be achieved by evaluating current genetic variation for protein content and seed quality, evaluating the crop choices for different environments, and by conducting an economic analysis.