Australia
August 2, 2013
Every grain grower knows the damage heat can cause to a crop but the latest stress tolerance research conducted by Australian Grain Technologies is hoping to discover varieties which will enjoy a day – or weeks – in the sun.
The impact of heat on grain yield is being investigated by Australian Grain Technologies, with the aim of discovering genetic sources of heat stress tolerance.
Ultimately it is hoped research results will lead to the identification of genetic markers which can be used for selection within breeding programs.
AGT is undertaking two heat tolerance related research projects with funding assistance from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the South Australian Grains Industry Trust.
AGT research officer Paul Telfer said the GRDC project involved experiments in the GRDC-funded managed environment facilities at Narrabri and Yanco in New South Wales and Merredin in Western Australia.
“The aim of this research is further field validation of observed heat stress tolerance from the controlled environment assay and to phenotype responses to heat stress in the field over a range of environments,” Telfer said.
“Another main objective of the research is the validation of a new selection procedure for heat stress tolerance to accelerate the trait selection process in future breeding programs.”
RIGHT VARIETIES
The SAGIT-funded project involves using a controlled environment assay, being run at Roseworthy in SA, to identify and quantify the level of heat stress tolerance in current varieties, advanced breeders lines and exotic lines, as well as using “gene mapping populations” to genetically dissect and understand the key sources of tolerance identified to date.
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