Omega-3 fats in vegetable oils: Improving their benefits. While authoritative health agencies in Western countries recommend increased intake of omega-3 fats, fish stocks world-wide are already under stress and could not sustain the general uptake of this advice. Nor could aquaculture expansion meet the demand for omega-3 fats with current practices of using wild fish or fish meal or fish oil for feed. This project will address the knowledge gap in how fish handle the omega-3 fatty acids from ve ....Omega-3 fats in vegetable oils: Improving their benefits. While authoritative health agencies in Western countries recommend increased intake of omega-3 fats, fish stocks world-wide are already under stress and could not sustain the general uptake of this advice. Nor could aquaculture expansion meet the demand for omega-3 fats with current practices of using wild fish or fish meal or fish oil for feed. This project will address the knowledge gap in how fish handle the omega-3 fatty acids from vegetable oils such as canola, flaxseed and echium. Australia is well placed in agriculture and aquaculture to capture the value of this research.Read moreRead less
Role of nitrogen and sulphur nutrition in determining quantity and quality of oil in canola seed. Canola is the second most important crop in Australia, with exports worth $1 billion a year. However, competitiveness of Australian canola on the world markets is hampered by low and inconsistent oil content. Nitrogen fertilisation increases seed yield and seed protein content, but decreases oil content. This project will elucidate regulation by nitrogen and sulphur (the other important nutrient in ....Role of nitrogen and sulphur nutrition in determining quantity and quality of oil in canola seed. Canola is the second most important crop in Australia, with exports worth $1 billion a year. However, competitiveness of Australian canola on the world markets is hampered by low and inconsistent oil content. Nitrogen fertilisation increases seed yield and seed protein content, but decreases oil content. This project will elucidate regulation by nitrogen and sulphur (the other important nutrient in canola growth) of protein and oil biosynthesis in developing canola grain. The knowledge generated in this project will allow optimisation of canola agronomy and more effective breeding for increased nitrogen- and sulphur-use efficiency, seed yields and oil content in canola, thus enhancing the competitiveness of Australian canola on the world markets.Read moreRead less
Role of stubble management in improving soil fertility. In highly-weathered nutrient-poor soils of the south-western Australia, the amount of nutrients in stubble is critical in nutrient cycling as well as in determining optimal amounts of fertilisers to be applied. Stubble management is therefore an integral part of crop fertilisation and nutrient management. We will characterise nutrient cycling in the stubble-soil-crop continuum in a range of cropping situations. Computer modelling will be us ....Role of stubble management in improving soil fertility. In highly-weathered nutrient-poor soils of the south-western Australia, the amount of nutrients in stubble is critical in nutrient cycling as well as in determining optimal amounts of fertilisers to be applied. Stubble management is therefore an integral part of crop fertilisation and nutrient management. We will characterise nutrient cycling in the stubble-soil-crop continuum in a range of cropping situations. Computer modelling will be used to extend applicability of results over space and time. This project will provide the knowledge required for improving fertiliser recommendations to take into account changes in the cropping systems that have occurred in the last 10-20 years.Read moreRead less
Managing subsoil constraints for increased productivity and water use efficiency. Subsoil constraints limit crop production in up to 60% of agricultural land. This project examines the impacts of organic matter incoporation, deep placement of nutrients, use of primer crops, calcium addition and their combination on amelioration of subsoil constraints and thereby on the improvement of root growth, water use and crop yield in high-rainfall region. The best-bet management strategy will be developed ....Managing subsoil constraints for increased productivity and water use efficiency. Subsoil constraints limit crop production in up to 60% of agricultural land. This project examines the impacts of organic matter incoporation, deep placement of nutrients, use of primer crops, calcium addition and their combination on amelioration of subsoil constraints and thereby on the improvement of root growth, water use and crop yield in high-rainfall region. The best-bet management strategy will be developed.Read moreRead less