Adelaide, Australia
June 7, 2007
In the annual South Australian
Government budget today it was announced that $6.3 million will
be provided to the Australian
Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG) to continue its
work in cereal crop research.
This builds upon recent announcements by the Australian Research
Council and the Grains Research and Development Corporation that
they would extend funding for a further five years.
The funding boost builds on the initial $32 million awarded to
the Centre by the three major funders for its first five years
of operation from 2002.
“We are pleased that the State Government is continuing its
support; wheat and barley are the most important crops to the
state and our work will help to maintain the State’s competitive
position during increasingly uncertain climatic conditions” said
Mr Nicholas Begakis AM, ACPFG Chair.
Since opening, the Centre has made major advances in
understanding how wheat and barley respond to environmental
stresses such as drought, salinity, frost, mineral deficiencies
and toxicities.
“Since 2003, ACPFG has made many important discoveries about
ways that plants are able to tolerate drought, minimise salt
accumulation and survive under adverse nutrient conditions’ said
Professor Peter Langridge, CEO of ACPFG. “In the next phase of
ACPFG we will be translating these discoveries into practical
outcomes for our farmers such as improved cereal varieties” he
said.
But ACPFG’s benefits are not just for the farmer; over the next
five years consumers can watch out for discoveries into cereals
with increased fibre, drought tolerant crops and varieties that
require fewer inputs and are more friendly to the environment.
While ACPFG is a national research capability, its headquarters
and majority of staff are located at the Adelaide node, based at
the University of Adelaide’s Waite Campus.
“Through the renewed funding from the SA Government, by building
both national and international collaborations and by expanding
our research capabilities, we have grown the Centre to over 130
staff and students” said Professor Langridge.
“ACPFG is now recognised internationally as a leader in
developing solutions to environmental stress problems faced by
cereal producers in both the developed and developing world.
This funding will help us to continue to grow the organisation
and make Adelaide a world class location for plant
biotechnology”.
ACPFG headquarters are located at the University of
Adelaide's Waite Campus. Major research nodes are also located
at the University of Melbourne, Department of Primary Industries
at Latrobe University and at the University of Queensland.
Funding has been provided by The Australian Research Council
(ARC), the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC),
the South Australian Government, the University of Adelaide, the
University of Melbourne, Department of Primary Industries (Vic)
and the University of Queensland. |
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