Co-evolution of the host pathogen interaction between Leptosphaeria maculans and Brassica species. Brassica canola is Australia's third largest export crop, producing 13% of the world's canola oil. However, blackleg disease, caused by the fungus Leptospheria maculans leads to annual yield losses of 15%, with 100% loss associated with breakdown of resistance. International investment has provided novel genome resources for Brassica and L. maculans. Applying these resources to understand the co-ev ....Co-evolution of the host pathogen interaction between Leptosphaeria maculans and Brassica species. Brassica canola is Australia's third largest export crop, producing 13% of the world's canola oil. However, blackleg disease, caused by the fungus Leptospheria maculans leads to annual yield losses of 15%, with 100% loss associated with breakdown of resistance. International investment has provided novel genome resources for Brassica and L. maculans. Applying these resources to understand the co-evolution of this plant-fungal interaction could prevent the current boom-bust cycle of canola production in Australia. This study will also provide a model and knowledge base for applications in other species, leading to enhanced crops with increased plant protection and robust, reliable productivity.Read moreRead less
Functional and structural characterisation of Defective embryo and meristems (Dem) proteins involved in plant development. The proposed research will lead to advances in understanding the regulation of plant development, a process impacting on agriculture, environmental management and human health, areas designated as national research priorities. This understanding is required for modifying plant growth and architecture to fit particular environments, for example generating plants with more ext ....Functional and structural characterisation of Defective embryo and meristems (Dem) proteins involved in plant development. The proposed research will lead to advances in understanding the regulation of plant development, a process impacting on agriculture, environmental management and human health, areas designated as national research priorities. This understanding is required for modifying plant growth and architecture to fit particular environments, for example generating plants with more extensive and deeper roots to mine the soil moisture and nutrients to enhance crop productivity in Australia, and maintaining the competitive advantage of Australian agriculture in view of the range of environmental conditions encountered in this country. The project will also contribute to the health of the Australian population through consumable plants in the diet.Read moreRead less
Regulation of Plant Development by Small RNAs. Understanding the roles of small RNAs and their pathways is a new field of research that is giving, and will continue to give profound insights into how multicellular organisms regulate gene expression at a genomic level. Research in this area has already led to RNA interference technology, by which almost any gene can be switched off, and there is considerable potential for other gene silencing and trait modification technologies to emerge. The pro ....Regulation of Plant Development by Small RNAs. Understanding the roles of small RNAs and their pathways is a new field of research that is giving, and will continue to give profound insights into how multicellular organisms regulate gene expression at a genomic level. Research in this area has already led to RNA interference technology, by which almost any gene can be switched off, and there is considerable potential for other gene silencing and trait modification technologies to emerge. The project will yield insights into fundamental biological processes which are expected to engender applications in agriculture and biotechnology. It will maintain and enhance Australia's position in this area.Read moreRead less
Small RNAs: what makes a plant, a plant. Understanding the roles of small RNAs and their pathways is a young field of research that is giving, and will continue to give, profound insights into how multicellular organisms regulate gene expression at a genomic level. Research in this area has already led to RNA interference technology, by which almost any gene can be switched off, and there is considerable potential for other gene silencing and trait modification technologies to emerge. The projec ....Small RNAs: what makes a plant, a plant. Understanding the roles of small RNAs and their pathways is a young field of research that is giving, and will continue to give, profound insights into how multicellular organisms regulate gene expression at a genomic level. Research in this area has already led to RNA interference technology, by which almost any gene can be switched off, and there is considerable potential for other gene silencing and trait modification technologies to emerge. The project will yield insights into fundamental biological processes which are expected to engender applications in agriculture and biotechnology. It will maintain and enhance Australia's position in this area.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989147
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$950,000.00
Summary
Advanced high throughput genomics facility for biological, medical, agricultural, environmental and evolutionary research. Infrastructure requested will expand the capacity of researchers in NSW/NT to undertake environmental, medical and evolutionary studies using state-of-the-art technologies based on the recent advances in DNA sequencing analyses. It will ensure the retention of leading researchers in the exciting areas of genomics and Systems Biology and make a significant contribution to bi ....Advanced high throughput genomics facility for biological, medical, agricultural, environmental and evolutionary research. Infrastructure requested will expand the capacity of researchers in NSW/NT to undertake environmental, medical and evolutionary studies using state-of-the-art technologies based on the recent advances in DNA sequencing analyses. It will ensure the retention of leading researchers in the exciting areas of genomics and Systems Biology and make a significant contribution to biomolecular research in medicine, agriculture and environmental biology, thereby providing major benefits to the wider community. The application will enhance existing genomic technologies by substantially increasing the scope of experiments that can be performed leading to important advances in gene discovery.Read moreRead less
Physiological and molecular controls of plant transpiration efficiency: investigating the role of the ERECTA gene. Water is the single most limiting factor in agriculture and the world's supply of fresh water is diminishing, the greatest fraction of total water use being by agriculture. Progress in water-use efficiency will have social value, and this program should help us to achieve it. Our progress in this area is already one of the most successful of 'bottom-up' approaches - in the sense of ....Physiological and molecular controls of plant transpiration efficiency: investigating the role of the ERECTA gene. Water is the single most limiting factor in agriculture and the world's supply of fresh water is diminishing, the greatest fraction of total water use being by agriculture. Progress in water-use efficiency will have social value, and this program should help us to achieve it. Our progress in this area is already one of the most successful of 'bottom-up' approaches - in the sense of transferring knowledge from biochemistry and biophysics to breeding and agronomy, as CSIRO now has a successful wheat breeding program based on this earlier work of ours. Now that we have discovered a gene that controls water-use efficiency at the leaf level, we wish to see how the gene works, and how it affects mineral nutrition of leaves.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0452977
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$329,504.00
Summary
Upgrade and expansion of Newcastle Plant Growth Facility. The project will upgrade and expand the Newcastle Plant Growth Facility. The upgrades will improve glasshouse environments for the production of high quality plant material. This outcome will be achieved through increasing solar transmittance and more effective temperature control. Expansion will address unmet demand for standard and PC2 plant growth space. Together the infrastructure additions will enhance productivity and excellence ....Upgrade and expansion of Newcastle Plant Growth Facility. The project will upgrade and expand the Newcastle Plant Growth Facility. The upgrades will improve glasshouse environments for the production of high quality plant material. This outcome will be achieved through increasing solar transmittance and more effective temperature control. Expansion will address unmet demand for standard and PC2 plant growth space. Together the infrastructure additions will enhance productivity and excellence of core areas of plant biology research at Newcastle in nutrient transport, cell development as well as environment management and rehabilitation . In addition, they will underpin new collaborative initiatives at the interfaces between plant biology with transgenic delivery of reproductive vaccines and phytoremediation.Read moreRead less
Carboxylate exudation and phosphate nutrition in Hakea prostrata (Proteaecea). Nonmycorrhizal Proteaceae are very successful in acquiring phosphate from nutrient-impoverished soils; their cluster roots account for this. They are also extremely sensitive to phosphate toxicity. We will elucidate aspects of production and release of carboxylates that are associated with functioning of cluster roots, using Hakea prostrata (Proteaceae) as a model. Types and rates of exudation by cluster roots, as in ....Carboxylate exudation and phosphate nutrition in Hakea prostrata (Proteaecea). Nonmycorrhizal Proteaceae are very successful in acquiring phosphate from nutrient-impoverished soils; their cluster roots account for this. They are also extremely sensitive to phosphate toxicity. We will elucidate aspects of production and release of carboxylates that are associated with functioning of cluster roots, using Hakea prostrata (Proteaceae) as a model. Types and rates of exudation by cluster roots, as influenced by development and environmental signals, will be assessed. Our findings will provide key information on adaptive mechanisms associated with both phosphate acquisition from phosphate-fixing soils and phosphate toxicity.Read moreRead less
Isolation and characterization of genes regulating female reproductive organ development in plants. Genes that regulate female reproductive organ development are of immense value for Australia as tools for seed improvement. Those from our preliminary screen have convinced our industry partners that they can be agents for engineering of apomixis or creation of fertile seed without fertilisation. This will allow the capture of hybrid vigour in wheat and rice, for which commercial hybrid seed prod ....Isolation and characterization of genes regulating female reproductive organ development in plants. Genes that regulate female reproductive organ development are of immense value for Australia as tools for seed improvement. Those from our preliminary screen have convinced our industry partners that they can be agents for engineering of apomixis or creation of fertile seed without fertilisation. This will allow the capture of hybrid vigour in wheat and rice, for which commercial hybrid seed production is not currently available. In wheat alone, apomixis presents for Australia an economic value of more than Aus$ ½ billion per annum. Furthermore, controlled apomixis will accelerate breeding programs that will bring drought resistance and minimal fertiliser requiring varieties to the farmer.Read moreRead less
Molecular basis of the antimicrobial activity of the floral defensin, NaD1, for the plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. Filamentous fungi are responsible for many major plant diseases that result in devastating crop losses and food spoilage world wide. Currently there are no resistant cultivars or adequate chemical controls for many of these diseases. The plant defensin, NaD1, stops the growth of many pathogens, including the recalcitrant fungi Fusarium oxysporum and Botrytis cinerea, and has bee ....Molecular basis of the antimicrobial activity of the floral defensin, NaD1, for the plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. Filamentous fungi are responsible for many major plant diseases that result in devastating crop losses and food spoilage world wide. Currently there are no resistant cultivars or adequate chemical controls for many of these diseases. The plant defensin, NaD1, stops the growth of many pathogens, including the recalcitrant fungi Fusarium oxysporum and Botrytis cinerea, and has been shown to protect transgenic cotton against fungal infection in glasshouse and field trials. NaD1 has potential application for durable, broad spectrum fungal disease control in crops. This will lead to both environmental and economic benefits to Australia. Read moreRead less