Identifying the diversity and evolution of loci associated with adaptation to aridity/heat and salinity in ancient cereal crops. This project will use ancient grains of wheat, barley and rye to find 'lost' genetic diversity at key genes associated with resistance to aridity, salt and disease. This project will make the proteins of key genes, and study their interaction with the environment over time by measuring ions in the grains to reveal the ancient environmental conditions.
Using cutting edge genomic tools to dissect the molecular control of hybrid vigour in cereals. Hybrid cereals grow in a wide range of environments, require less water and produce more grain from less land. This project will generate an enhanced capacity to rapidly develop new hybrid cereal varieties. The Australian community will benefit by having enhanced food security using less water and less land. The Australian community will also benefit because land and water will be released to the envir ....Using cutting edge genomic tools to dissect the molecular control of hybrid vigour in cereals. Hybrid cereals grow in a wide range of environments, require less water and produce more grain from less land. This project will generate an enhanced capacity to rapidly develop new hybrid cereal varieties. The Australian community will benefit by having enhanced food security using less water and less land. The Australian community will also benefit because land and water will be released to the environment, or to support other industries and their communities, or to grow other crops. The wide environmental adaptation of these hybrid cereals will allow the Australian community to respond flexibly to adverse climatic changes. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101127
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
An integrated statistical genetics framework for breeding superior wheat varieties. Genetic studies in agriculture are rapidly increasing in size and complexity in pursuit of genes behind desirable traits such as yield and water use efficiency. This project will address the need for efficient statistical methods to analyse genetic data and thus enable production of wheat varieties that will contribute to Australian food security.
Exploring genetic diversity to identify new heat tolerance genes in wheat. This project aims to improve the selection and development of heat-tolerant wheat varieties. Heatwaves seriously reduce wheat yields worldwide, and the situation will worsen with climate variation. This project aims to apply a broad genetic scan to identify the main chromosome regions controlling heat tolerance at the sensitive flowering stage in Australian and European wheat varieties. It is expected that this knowledge ....Exploring genetic diversity to identify new heat tolerance genes in wheat. This project aims to improve the selection and development of heat-tolerant wheat varieties. Heatwaves seriously reduce wheat yields worldwide, and the situation will worsen with climate variation. This project aims to apply a broad genetic scan to identify the main chromosome regions controlling heat tolerance at the sensitive flowering stage in Australian and European wheat varieties. It is expected that this knowledge will deliver crucial breeders’ tools to select heat-tolerant varieties. The project also aims to identify genes most likely to control tolerance at these chromosome locations using gene expression profiling data, trait associations and knowledge of heat-tolerance genes from other species. It is expected that these genes will reveal molecular mechanisms of heat tolerance and create new opportunities to engineer superior levels of tolerance in cereals.Read moreRead less
FastStack - evolutionary computing to stack desirable alleles in wheat. This project aims to investigate rapid development of new, high-yielding wheat varieties with appropriate disease resistance. An emerging challenge in wheat breeding is how to stack desirable alleles for disease resistance, drought, and end-use quality into new varieties with high yielding backgrounds in the shortest time. As the number of known desirable alleles for these traits increases, the number of possible crossing c ....FastStack - evolutionary computing to stack desirable alleles in wheat. This project aims to investigate rapid development of new, high-yielding wheat varieties with appropriate disease resistance. An emerging challenge in wheat breeding is how to stack desirable alleles for disease resistance, drought, and end-use quality into new varieties with high yielding backgrounds in the shortest time. As the number of known desirable alleles for these traits increases, the number of possible crossing combinations that need to be considered increases. This project aims to use evolutionary computing with speed breeding and genomic selection, in the partners breeding program, to address this challenge. Potential outcomes will lead to more profitable wheat varieties for Australian growers, and expanded exports to high value markets that require quality grain.Read moreRead less
Genomic selection: a new frontier for higher rates of genetic gain in wheat. The historical rates of genetic gain in wheat production are insufficient to meet the world's future needs for wheat-based food. Genomic selection (GS) is the most likely candidate tool that is capable of delivering the required level of genetic gain. This project will develop data-sets and statistical methods to implement GS in wheat.
Microgenomics - a tool to dissect effects of salinity on gene expression in specific cell types of Arabidopsis and rice. This project will provide novel, fundamental understanding of the cell type-specific processes involved in salinity tolerance in higher plants. As such, it will impact on our understanding of a range of processes relevant to salinity tolerance, an area of great importance to Australian agriculture and environmental sustainability. The increased understanding arising from this ....Microgenomics - a tool to dissect effects of salinity on gene expression in specific cell types of Arabidopsis and rice. This project will provide novel, fundamental understanding of the cell type-specific processes involved in salinity tolerance in higher plants. As such, it will impact on our understanding of a range of processes relevant to salinity tolerance, an area of great importance to Australian agriculture and environmental sustainability. The increased understanding arising from this project will underpin future work to increase agricultural productivity and the quality of life for all in the Australian and international communities.Read moreRead less
Enhancing Genomic Prediction for Changing Environments in Wheat. Adverse weather is the primary risk faced by the Australian agriculture industry. This Project aims to develop the next generation of agriculture tools to unlock natural potential in wheat and improve yield stability across seasons and regions. Drawing on crop physiology, genetics and integrated modelling, this Project expects to generate new knowledge and technologies to untangle genetic and environmental interactions that affect ....Enhancing Genomic Prediction for Changing Environments in Wheat. Adverse weather is the primary risk faced by the Australian agriculture industry. This Project aims to develop the next generation of agriculture tools to unlock natural potential in wheat and improve yield stability across seasons and regions. Drawing on crop physiology, genetics and integrated modelling, this Project expects to generate new knowledge and technologies to untangle genetic and environmental interactions that affect productivity, enhance predictive capability, and initiate advanced breeding strategies to develop new crop varieties with superior resilience against changing climates. This should provide significant benefits, such as profit stability for wheat growers, elevated global market position and improved food security.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100217
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$395,220.00
Summary
Harnessing Mendel’s workhorse: meiotic crossovers for genetic diversity in crop breeding. Introducing genetic diversity from wild species into elite lines of wheat and barley may increase their resistance to the stresses they are exposed to in the field. Modern breeding cultivars could capture up to ten times more genetic variation. This project aims to gain fundamental insights into the genetic and environmental factors that limit the rates at which new genomic combinations can be made. This wi ....Harnessing Mendel’s workhorse: meiotic crossovers for genetic diversity in crop breeding. Introducing genetic diversity from wild species into elite lines of wheat and barley may increase their resistance to the stresses they are exposed to in the field. Modern breeding cultivars could capture up to ten times more genetic variation. This project aims to gain fundamental insights into the genetic and environmental factors that limit the rates at which new genomic combinations can be made. This will transform wheat and barley breeding methods, unlocking available genetic diversity to produce new varieties. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100069
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$640,000.00
Summary
A high resolution environmental scanning electron microscope (HRESEM) for South Australia. Australian researchers need access to state-of-the-art instrumentation in microscopy and microanalysis to remain competitive on the international stage. Nationally Australia has established excellent facilities and access regimes but there still remain areas where access to routine instrumentation is poor. Increased capacity is needed in South Australia for high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRS ....A high resolution environmental scanning electron microscope (HRESEM) for South Australia. Australian researchers need access to state-of-the-art instrumentation in microscopy and microanalysis to remain competitive on the international stage. Nationally Australia has established excellent facilities and access regimes but there still remain areas where access to routine instrumentation is poor. Increased capacity is needed in South Australia for high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), as well as capability for environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The need is highlighted by the recent establishment of the Centre of Excellence in Photonics and the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, both of which need this capacity and capability for characterisation at EM levels. Research organisations across the state will benefit from access to the proposed instrumentation.Read moreRead less