Improving the Adaptation & Profitability of High Value Pulses (Chickpea & Lentil) across Australian Agroecological Zones
Tender ID: 390875
Tender Details
Tender Description
The production of high value, human consumption pulses in Australia is dominated by lentil and chickpea, and is concentrated on the more fertile soils in the medium rainfall areas of the southern and northern regions. Due to the farming system benefits of imposing a double break and the high prices in recent years, there is much interest in expanding lentil and chickpea production onto soils with a number of constraints (acidity, nutrient toxicities and deficiencies, poor structure) and into other rainfall zones. It is critical that new pulses be developed and managed such that the crop life-cycle fits within the constraints of availability of soil water, frost and heat stresses and flowering and pod-set occur in the optimum window for different agroecological zones.
As time to flowering and pod-set are so critical in these crops, understanding and improving them in existing production regions and where they have not been optimised yet is one of the most critical elements that can contribute to their adoption and deliver potential step changes in yield and profit. The national pulse phenology investment proposed will utilise common genetic resources across existing and potential pulse expansion regions of Australia to expedite delivery of data, tools and knowledge which can inform crop breeding. It will leverage international R&D activities, and new synergies provided by recent developments in understanding of genome synteny and conserved pathways in this group of crops to deliver on investment outputs.
There is a gap in understanding of the genetic control underlying phenology in pulse crops (chickpea and lentil) which underpins ‘fitting’ crop growth into the best timeframe for target production environments. The genes/ quantitative trait loci (QTL) identified will present the opportunity to:
(i)determine the genetic basis of contrasting adaptation characteristics of chickpea and lentil,
(ii)match critical phenological stages to the constraints and opportunities of the target environment,
(iii)identify genetic and environmental factors controlling the rate of phasic development and reproductive survival across a range of target environments to inform breeding decisions and growers choice of varieties.
Knowledge of the effect of different phenology gene/allele combinations of pulse crops across diverse environments will facilitate the development of new varieties with higher yield potential and better yield stability than currently available in existing production zones and potential expansion areas. This will not only maintain the sustainability of the pulses in their traditional areas but facilitate growth and expansion into new target production environments. This is of particular relevance to the Western region where the current production area of both crops is low <5,000 ha) but the potential is high, particularly for chickpeas as an alternative to lupin.
Access to improved varieties and knowledge will help growers match the life-cycle of pulse crops to Australian growing conditions and close the gap between achieved versus potential yield, increasing farm productivity and profitability.
Location
New South Wales : Central West : Far North Coast : Far West : Hunter : Illawarra : Mid North Coast : Murray : New England : Orana : Riverina : Southern Highlands : Sydney
Queensland : Cairns & Far North Queensland : Gladstone : Mackay Whitsunday Region : Mount Isa & North West Region : Rockhampton : South East Queensland : South West & Darling Downs : The Central West : Townsville : Wide Bay Burnett
Victoria : Barwon South West : Gippsland : Grampians : Hume : Loddon Mallee : Melbourne
South Australia : Adelaide : Eyre & Western : Far North : Fleurieu & Kangaroo Island : Limestone Coast : Murray & Mallee : York & Mid North
Northern Territory : Big Rivers : Central Australia : East Arnhem : Greater Darwin
Australian Capital Territory
Tasmania
Similar Tenders
Active opportunities matching this tender's categories and regions.