Elucidating the interactions between drought tolerance and photoprotection in plants. The 2002-03 drought cost Australia in the order of $10Billion and 70,000 jobs. Associated with reduced rainfall is increased sunlight irradiance, which exacerbates the reduction in crop yield due to the combined damage of a water deficit and oxidative damage caused by the excess light. Plants have networks of responses to minimise damage due to drought and excess light. We have identified a novel class of genes ....Elucidating the interactions between drought tolerance and photoprotection in plants. The 2002-03 drought cost Australia in the order of $10Billion and 70,000 jobs. Associated with reduced rainfall is increased sunlight irradiance, which exacerbates the reduction in crop yield due to the combined damage of a water deficit and oxidative damage caused by the excess light. Plants have networks of responses to minimise damage due to drought and excess light. We have identified a novel class of genes that optimise or alter different aspects of these networks and we wish to define the nature of that optimisation to determine how it could be transfered to crop plants.Read moreRead less
Carbon uptake and water use by plants: is there pre-stomatal control? Society relies on mathematical descriptions of climate change, weather forecasting, crop performance, and other processes in which the control of carbon uptake and water loss by plants forms a basic element. Scientists also use the same element in ascribing sources and sinks of carbon dioxide (CO2), describing vegetation, hydrological and ecological processes. A key physiological assumption in this element is now in doubt and ....Carbon uptake and water use by plants: is there pre-stomatal control? Society relies on mathematical descriptions of climate change, weather forecasting, crop performance, and other processes in which the control of carbon uptake and water loss by plants forms a basic element. Scientists also use the same element in ascribing sources and sinks of carbon dioxide (CO2), describing vegetation, hydrological and ecological processes. A key physiological assumption in this element is now in doubt and we will test it rigorously and if necessary provide a robust alternative. We will do this by developing a novel 'window' on intact leaf functioning that will reveal the concentration of water vapour and other gases inside leaves.Read moreRead less
Molecular analysis of photosynthetically-linked, active CO2 uptake and CO2 signal transduction by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) have evolved a very efficient means of capturing and concentrating CO2 for photosynthetic fixation into sugars, the basic building blocks for cell growth. This process is dependent on the operation of several unique, active uptake systems for CO2 and HCO3-, with their genetic expression regulated by CO2 supply. This proposal will cap ....Molecular analysis of photosynthetically-linked, active CO2 uptake and CO2 signal transduction by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) have evolved a very efficient means of capturing and concentrating CO2 for photosynthetic fixation into sugars, the basic building blocks for cell growth. This process is dependent on the operation of several unique, active uptake systems for CO2 and HCO3-, with their genetic expression regulated by CO2 supply. This proposal will capitalize on our progress in describing the functional genetics of this process and aims to elucidate the mechanism of active CO2 uptake and the way that cells sense the ambient CO2 concentration. The information gained is likely to be useful for designing improved crops.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989071
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,000.00
Summary
Phytosphere: new facilities for controlled manipulation of effects of climate change & airborne pollutants on disease epidemiology & plant performance. Western Australia is home to a range of world-leading plant science research groups. Establishing a world-class multi-purpose phytosphere facility in WA will enable these groups to remain at the forefront of their research fields and continue to attract high-profile international scientists and students. Such a facility will result in significant ....Phytosphere: new facilities for controlled manipulation of effects of climate change & airborne pollutants on disease epidemiology & plant performance. Western Australia is home to a range of world-leading plant science research groups. Establishing a world-class multi-purpose phytosphere facility in WA will enable these groups to remain at the forefront of their research fields and continue to attract high-profile international scientists and students. Such a facility will result in significant advancement of our understanding of the impact of climate change on plants through biotic stresses (e.g., disease epidemiology, plant-pathogen interactions) and in interaction with abiotic variables (e.g., CO2 concentrations, temperature, light intensity, humidity, moisture stress, airborne pollutants such as SO2), and allow crop yield optimisation in future environments.Read moreRead less
Enhancing plant photosynthesis by engineering the carbon dioxide (CO2)-fixing enzyme Rubisco. Improving the ability of crops to use water, sunlight and fertiliser more efficiently would have economic benefits for Australia and ease the environmental impacts associated with agricultural practices. Photosynthesis research has confirmed that such improvements are theoretically possible by enhancing the efficiency of the protein, Rubisco, which initiates the conversion of carbon dioxide into carbon ....Enhancing plant photosynthesis by engineering the carbon dioxide (CO2)-fixing enzyme Rubisco. Improving the ability of crops to use water, sunlight and fertiliser more efficiently would have economic benefits for Australia and ease the environmental impacts associated with agricultural practices. Photosynthesis research has confirmed that such improvements are theoretically possible by enhancing the efficiency of the protein, Rubisco, which initiates the conversion of carbon dioxide into carbon compounds required for growth. The biotechnological research proposed here uses unique capabilities to improve our understanding of structural features in Rubisco that influence its assembly and functional efficiency in plants. This knowledge will pave the way for transplanting more efficient Rubisco into crops to improve their growth.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
Tactical Research Fund: Reference Points For The Queensland Scallop Fishery
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$30,984.70
Summary
Reference points are essential for the effective management of any large fishery. The spatially complex nature of scallop fisheries makes the construction of robust reference points difficult. FRDC project 1999/120, "Reference point management and the role of catch-per-unit-effort in prawn and scallop fisheries", concluded that "new types of data are essential to improve the accuracy of stock assessments, such as spatial indices of abundance collected through fishery independent sampling and VMS ....Reference points are essential for the effective management of any large fishery. The spatially complex nature of scallop fisheries makes the construction of robust reference points difficult. FRDC project 1999/120, "Reference point management and the role of catch-per-unit-effort in prawn and scallop fisheries", concluded that "new types of data are essential to improve the accuracy of stock assessments, such as spatial indices of abundance collected through fishery independent sampling and VMS", and that "more accurate and robust reference points may exist using these data". FRDC project 2006/024, "Harvest strategy evaluation to optimise the sustainability and value of the Queensland scallop fishery", made effective use of both these data types to answer questions about the optimal timing of spatial closures and other management strategies. The proposed TRF project will build on this work by completing the path to adoption of the recommendations contained in the 2006/024 report, and noted by the FRDC external reviewer (review attached). In particular this will involve using the already constructed HSE framework to devise and test robust reference points.
In order to adopt the recommendations from FRDC project 2006/024 in the current review of management arrangements for the fishery, Fisheries Queensland requires this additional work on sustainability reference points. This work on the sustainabililty reference points is required to be completed by August 2010 with a final report available no later than September 2010. Objectives: 1. Propose and construct a set of reference points for the scallop fishery (e.g. target and limit effort) 2. Test the reference points in the (already constructed) MSE framework, i.e. what levels for the reference points perform best in terms of the sustainability and profitability indicators Read moreRead less
Tactical Research Fund: Assessing The Technology Transfer And People Skills Requirements For The Introduction Of Mullet Processing On The East Coast Similar To Shark Bay Frozen Sea Mullet Fillets
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$13,104.00
Summary
Clearly the commercial fishers cannot contiune to catch mullet and only get 1980 prices. This is not economically viable. Mullet is a greatly under rated table fish and the opportunity to value add and present a product for the consumer that is ready to cook, packaged tastefully with several cooking options on the packaging is seen as a logical step.
The work that the Geraldton Fish Market has put into this is substanital and if the members of the CPFA can capitalise on this and adopt t ....Clearly the commercial fishers cannot contiune to catch mullet and only get 1980 prices. This is not economically viable. Mullet is a greatly under rated table fish and the opportunity to value add and present a product for the consumer that is ready to cook, packaged tastefully with several cooking options on the packaging is seen as a logical step.
The work that the Geraldton Fish Market has put into this is substanital and if the members of the CPFA can capitalise on this and adopt the technology and methods than we are learning from others within the industry.
We have to do something to improve the returns for the fishers otherwise we will not have a mullet meshing fishery and there is every likelihood that we will not attract the next generation of fishers as it will not be viable. Objectives: 1. Investigate and assess the adoptiveness of the frozen mullet fillet product from Shark Bay for the Clarence River 2. Identify ALL of the steps in the WA process and project these for the potential for a similar product for the Clarence. Read moreRead less
Tactical Research Fund: Topping Up The "Crystal Bowl" For Barramundi
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$62,000.00
Summary
Application 2010/018: A "Crystal Bowl" for Barramundi was submitted to the FRDC 2010 round. While the application was rejected the Board indicated it was sympathetic to the approach described and suggested further discussion with Recfishing Research in the development of any future application. It is proposed that a further application be developed for the FRDC 2011 round addressing the issues raised by the Board.
The "Crystal Bowl" concept will underpin any move to regional management ....Application 2010/018: A "Crystal Bowl" for Barramundi was submitted to the FRDC 2010 round. While the application was rejected the Board indicated it was sympathetic to the approach described and suggested further discussion with Recfishing Research in the development of any future application. It is proposed that a further application be developed for the FRDC 2011 round addressing the issues raised by the Board.
The "Crystal Bowl" concept will underpin any move to regional management which is dependent on fine scale data collection on Barramundi in the Fitzroy River system and remains pivotal to the further development of the concept.
Data collected will also be used as baseline data for two coal port developments proposed by Xstrata for the Fitzroy River. These proposals are in their early stages. One proposal at Balaclava Island at the mouth of the river could impact on Barramundi and Threadfin spawning grounds and the other to barge coal down the Fitzroy River will significantly disrupt fishing activities. Discussions are underway with consultants for Xstrata to establish a monitoring program however this is unlikely to commence until the project are approved.
The data required is commercial catch, recreational catch and recruitment. Also required are the environmental conditions including connectivity of wetland lagoons, river flows and rainfall.
Data on commercial catch is available from Fisheries Queensland. CapReef, a community based monitoring program, has collected data on recreational catch since 2007 and recruitment since 1999. A further application for the "Crystal Bowl" will not be submitted until November 2010 and if approved would not commence until around June 2011. Objectives: 1. Collection of commercial catch and recreational catch data for the Fitzroy River in 2010-11 2. Collection of Barramundi recruitment and environmental data for the 2011 recruitment season from January to April 3. Use of that data in the development of commitment to local or regional management among local stakeholders and as baseline data for estimating the impact of proposed coal port developments for the Fitzroy River Read moreRead less