Adelaide bioscience plant research centre vital to future of Australian grain industry

May 21, 2002

The $35 million bioscience plant research centre announced for Adelaide will guarantee Australia remains internationally competitive in crop improvement and able to tap into the world wide grains research effort.

Professor John Lovett, managing director of The Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) , says long term benefits for growers from what is "relatively high risk and expensive blue sky research" at the centre could improve resistance to stress, such as drought, frost and sodic soils in major crops like wheat and barley.

The Australian Research Council and the GRDC are partners in the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics to be centred on the Waite campus of Adelaide University.

Funding for the new centre includes $10 million over five years from each of the two partners ­ the GRDC contribution made with the support of the nation¹s graingrowers and the Federal Government ­ and a significant financial commitment from the South Australian Government. .

And, while the centre will be located in South Australia, the Universities of Melbourne and Queensland and Victoria¹s Department of Natural Resources and the Environment will join Adelaide University in the centre¹s research programs.

"The centre will apply genomics research to critical problems and opportunities relevant to the Australian grains industry," Professor Lovett said.

"It will have the scale and focus to attract world class researchers and students through the provision of advanced infrastructure and outstanding research leadership.

"The centre will characterise genes controlling the adaptation to abiotic stress ­ from things like drought and frost - ­ in wheat , barley and model species.

"We¹re talking about obtaining an understanding of what genes do in these crops, where they occur in the plant and what their function is."

Professor Lovett said an understanding of the function of genes in crops would open the way for identification of the genes responsible for characteristics like frost or drought resistance and their introduction into a target variety.

The GRDC believed the community was likely to be more relaxed about genetic engineering in five or 10 years time and willing to accept this degree of plant modification because of the proven advantages.

Despite the "blue sky" description, researchers at the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics would be working in areas of basic science, justifying the GRDC¹s investment support on behalf of graingrowers.

"Investments in genomic research can be said to involve relatively high risk. It¹s certainly expensive and likely to take time to pay dividends," Professor Lovett said.

"They¹re really investments in the long term future of the grains industry and the growers in it."

GRDC news release
4501

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