Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC230100016
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,000,000.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre in Predictive Breeding for Agricultural Futures. This Centre aims to develop the advanced capacity needed to secure Australia’s food and fibre production and export value into the future. Leveraging immense industry support, the Centre expects to develop and integrate cutting-edge plant and animal breeding technologies and deliver world-class training that addresses critical demand for highly skilled industry leaders. Expected outcomes include a future-ready predictive breedi ....ARC Training Centre in Predictive Breeding for Agricultural Futures. This Centre aims to develop the advanced capacity needed to secure Australia’s food and fibre production and export value into the future. Leveraging immense industry support, the Centre expects to develop and integrate cutting-edge plant and animal breeding technologies and deliver world-class training that addresses critical demand for highly skilled industry leaders. Expected outcomes include a future-ready predictive breeding industry able to transform data into optimised decisions, and the human capacity to drive it. This should provide significant benefits to enhance the sustainability and profitability of all major Australian agriculture sectors, including livestock, grains, horticulture, cotton, wine, dairy, forestry and fisheries.Read moreRead less
Quantitative genetic control of economic traits in Eucalyptus globulus. Eucalyptus globulus is the most important plantation eucalypt in Australia and a model for tree genetic research. The project aims to study the quantitative genetic architecture of this species, focusing on traits of economic significance, and provide new insights into: the relative importance of non-additive genetic effects, including maternal and reciprocal effects; the importance of indirect genetic effects, particularly ....Quantitative genetic control of economic traits in Eucalyptus globulus. Eucalyptus globulus is the most important plantation eucalypt in Australia and a model for tree genetic research. The project aims to study the quantitative genetic architecture of this species, focusing on traits of economic significance, and provide new insights into: the relative importance of non-additive genetic effects, including maternal and reciprocal effects; the importance of indirect genetic effects, particularly on the competitive interactions amongst trees; and the genetics of traits impacting the production of emerging plantation products such as veneer. This information is needed to improve genetic evaluation models and to better target germplasm to environments and products.Read moreRead less
Linking plant genetics and chemistry to maximise tree production in the softwood industry. This project aims to test a ‘gene to plantation’ approach for the management of pests in softwood forestry. The project aims to focus on the stripping of bark from Pinus radiata trees by mammals: a major threat to tree productivity in many regions of Australia and an economic burden for forestry companies. The project aims to use a wide complement of P. radiata germplasm to link genetics, bark defensive ch ....Linking plant genetics and chemistry to maximise tree production in the softwood industry. This project aims to test a ‘gene to plantation’ approach for the management of pests in softwood forestry. The project aims to focus on the stripping of bark from Pinus radiata trees by mammals: a major threat to tree productivity in many regions of Australia and an economic burden for forestry companies. The project aims to use a wide complement of P. radiata germplasm to link genetics, bark defensive chemistry and susceptibility to damage. It aims to identify genotypes with increased resistance, unravel defensive tree traits, screen for genetic markers and identify specific gene regions correlated with trait variation, and examine cross-correlations with other major tree productivity traits.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0454133
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$101,000.00
Summary
Upgrade of Infrared Analytical Facility. This application seeks funding to upgrade the existing infrared analytical facility in the Central Science Laboratory (CSL) by installing a near infrared analyser.This instrument will provide analytical support to researchers in the fields of silviculture, agriculture and chemistry by providing a low cost, rapid and accurate analysis of the chemical and physical properties of large sample numbers.This instrument will dramatically reduce the project costs, ....Upgrade of Infrared Analytical Facility. This application seeks funding to upgrade the existing infrared analytical facility in the Central Science Laboratory (CSL) by installing a near infrared analyser.This instrument will provide analytical support to researchers in the fields of silviculture, agriculture and chemistry by providing a low cost, rapid and accurate analysis of the chemical and physical properties of large sample numbers.This instrument will dramatically reduce the project costs, compared with traditional wet analytical methods,and enable larger and statistically more significant data sets to be acquired.The expected outcomes will include a more rapid identification of the genes controlling plant characteristics and the development of targeted plant breeding programs of economic significance to Australia.The development of specific resins for gold extraction will be both economically and environmentally important.Read moreRead less
Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) flavoromics for distinctive beer. Hop is the spice of beer, as it provides unique flavour chemicals imparting taste (bitterness) and aroma. With the worldwide rise of craft beer, there is international demand for differentiated beer. The flavour potential of hop has not been fully explored, and the genetic basis of hop chemistry is poorly understood. This project aims to gather flavoromic data through modern analytical chemistry, genomics, molecular genetics and brewing ....Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) flavoromics for distinctive beer. Hop is the spice of beer, as it provides unique flavour chemicals imparting taste (bitterness) and aroma. With the worldwide rise of craft beer, there is international demand for differentiated beer. The flavour potential of hop has not been fully explored, and the genetic basis of hop chemistry is poorly understood. This project aims to gather flavoromic data through modern analytical chemistry, genomics, molecular genetics and brewing in order to better understand the genetic basis of hop chemistry which affects the entire value chain: from hop farm to consumers' experience of beer. The overarching aim of this project is to offer smart breeding strategies leading to novel flavours (taste and aroma) for existing and emerging breweries.Read moreRead less
Reducing environmental footprint by improving phosphorous use efficiency. While modern agriculture relies heavily on the use of phosphorous fertilizers, most of them are not used by plants and lost in runoff, resulting in a massive environmental damage through contamination of waterways (termed eutrophication). This project takes advantage of an untapped resource - a unique collection of Tibetan wild barley genotypes, to reveal key traits that confer superior phosphorus use efficiency in wild ba ....Reducing environmental footprint by improving phosphorous use efficiency. While modern agriculture relies heavily on the use of phosphorous fertilizers, most of them are not used by plants and lost in runoff, resulting in a massive environmental damage through contamination of waterways (termed eutrophication). This project takes advantage of an untapped resource - a unique collection of Tibetan wild barley genotypes, to reveal key traits that confer superior phosphorus use efficiency in wild barley and identify appropriate candidate genes and their position on chromosomes for further incorporating these traits into commercial barley cultivars. This will reduce the environmental footprint of modern agricultural practices on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems without compromising food security.Read moreRead less
Quantitative genetics of Eucalyptus globulus. Eucalypt plantations in Australia have expanded rapidly over the last decade. With increasing market competition from overseas plantations for both pulp and solid wood products, Australia must maintain a competitive edge through efficiencies in production and product quality. Breeding and deployment of genetically superior planting stock is part of the solution. With global climate chance and requirements for re-afforestation in drier zones, there ....Quantitative genetics of Eucalyptus globulus. Eucalypt plantations in Australia have expanded rapidly over the last decade. With increasing market competition from overseas plantations for both pulp and solid wood products, Australia must maintain a competitive edge through efficiencies in production and product quality. Breeding and deployment of genetically superior planting stock is part of the solution. With global climate chance and requirements for re-afforestation in drier zones, there is an increasing requirement to genetically improve drought tolerance. This project will provide genetic information and strategies to back Eucalyptus globulus breeding and deployment programs for traditional as well as drier environments. Read moreRead less
Molecular tools for understanding, predicting and managing flowering and reproductive development in Brassica oleracea. This project integrates basic research with application to a significant horticultural industry, building on Australia's position as a leader in world research on molecular and genetic regulation of flowering. The project will strengthen Australia's research reputation in this field, provide new tools for cultivar screening in and management of B. oleracea seed crops. The proj ....Molecular tools for understanding, predicting and managing flowering and reproductive development in Brassica oleracea. This project integrates basic research with application to a significant horticultural industry, building on Australia's position as a leader in world research on molecular and genetic regulation of flowering. The project will strengthen Australia's research reputation in this field, provide new tools for cultivar screening in and management of B. oleracea seed crops. The project will deliver training for 3 PhD students at the interface between basic and applied research. A shortage of skilled scientists with ability to link understanding of plant development at the molecular/genetic level with improved crop management practices has been identified by the horticultural sector as a major challenge. Read moreRead less
Environmental and genetic control over blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) timber colour, density, and recovery. The project will investigate the roles of environment and genetics in the expression of wood characteristics in blackwood. It will determine the potential heritability of valuable blackwood wood traits and provide a sound understanding of the basis of colour expression. Heartwood characteristics, particularly colour, density, ring width and knottiness determine the commercial value of blac ....Environmental and genetic control over blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) timber colour, density, and recovery. The project will investigate the roles of environment and genetics in the expression of wood characteristics in blackwood. It will determine the potential heritability of valuable blackwood wood traits and provide a sound understanding of the basis of colour expression. Heartwood characteristics, particularly colour, density, ring width and knottiness determine the commercial value of blackwood. The limited research on these characteristics, all undertaken outside Australia, points to combined genetic and environmental control. By understanding the relative importance that environmental conditions and genetic material have in producing desirable wood traits, growers will be better able to realise the full commercial value of blackwood.Read moreRead less
Selection and deployment of browsing resistant Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus nitens. Marsupial browsing is a significant problem for eucalypt plantation establishment in Australia. To date, browsing control has relied on the use of 1080 pesticide, but through political and social pressure this will cease in Tasmanian State Forests by December 2005. To develop new approaches to integrated pest management, we will explore the use of natural plant resistance to marsupial browsers. We will dete ....Selection and deployment of browsing resistant Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus nitens. Marsupial browsing is a significant problem for eucalypt plantation establishment in Australia. To date, browsing control has relied on the use of 1080 pesticide, but through political and social pressure this will cease in Tasmanian State Forests by December 2005. To develop new approaches to integrated pest management, we will explore the use of natural plant resistance to marsupial browsers. We will determine the genetic and chemical basis of seedling resistance in Eucalyptus globulus and E. nitens, and investigate the stability of resistance though tree development and across different sites. Resistant germplasm will be identified and tested in operational plantings.Read moreRead less