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Key achievements
In 2006-07, the GRDC in collaboration with its research partners successfully implemented a strategy aimed at minimising the impact of the drought on R&D investments.
Also in 2006-07:
- Barley Breeding Australia, the national barley-breeding program which rationalised six state-based barley-breeding programs into one national program with three regional nodes, commenced operations.
- The National Wheat Breeders' Alliance was established is providing direction for R&D priorities for wheat pre-breeding in Australia.
- Agreement was reached between Australian Government and state government departments, breeding entities and other major research organisations to develop the Australian Winter Cereals Pre-Breeding Alliance.
- Pulse Breeding Australia (PBA) was launched, and commenced its role of coordinating Australia's pulse-breeding efforts and creating a world-class breeding and germplasm enhancement program. PBA commercialised several new varieties during the year, including two chickpea varieties, two lentil varieties and three peanut varieties.
- Flagship
, a barley variety resulting from the University of Adelaide's breeding program, was launched. Flagship has a grain yield 7 percent higher than the current industry standard, and improved disease resistance. It is expected that Flagship will soon be a leading export malting barley for export. - Dune, Australia's first variety of canola-quality juncea, was launched, providing growers in lower rainfall areas with a profitable and reliable canola crop.
- Pegasis, a new lucerne variety developed exclusively for short-term lucerne rotations and sustainable cropping systems, by the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, was launched.
- Researchers in the Cereal Functional Genomics Program identified the genes which produce beta-glucans, a form of dietary fibre, in barley. Beta-glucans help prevent and treat human health conditions such as colorectal cancer, obesity, non-insulin dependent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
- A free-air carbon experiment to evaluate the impact of elevated carbon dioxide on cereal crop performance was established at Horsham (Victoria), through a partnership between the GRDC and the Australian Greenhouse Office.
- A blueprint for doubling sorghum production was developed.
- Approaches to better integrate livestock into cropping systems were developed and extended to growers through the Grain and Graze program.
- Effective integrated pest management approaches, such as broadacre control of the etiella moth in lentils and mirid populations in soybeans, were developed to reduce grower costs and provide environmental benefits.
- A diverse range of integrated weed management options were delivered to agronomists and consultants to improve weed control options in conservation farming.
- The GRDC, CSIRO and Groupe Limagrain signed an agreement to form the joint venture Arista Cereal Technologies Pty Ltd, to deliver high-amylose wheat.
- The acquisition of the genome sequence of the blackleg fungus through an Australian-French collaborative project led to the prediction of the longevity and effectiveness of particular blackleg resistance sources in canola.
- Continued improvement of the alignment between GRDC activities and the objectives of our key customer groups-Australian grain growers and the Australian Government-and other stakeholders.
- The GRDC's Annual Report 2005-06 received a silver award at the Australasian Reporting Awards Fifty-seventh Annual Awards.