Increasing return on investment from canola seed through improved establishment - Program 1

Background

Canola is the third most valuable grain crop in Australia, despite its high potential value major challenges impacting on grower profitability remain, particularly in the low to medium rainfall zones in the GRDC northern region. Poor and variable canola establishment post-seeding is a major issue for canola growers particularly when sowing into deeper moisture and/or warmer soils typical of April sowings.

The improved understanding of canola phenology and sowing time resulting from GRDC investment (CSP00187) has afforded many canola growers the opportunity to plant canola across a wider sowing window without increasing their exposure to frost. However, this change in grower practice has exposed the scale and magnitude of poor canola plant establishment nationally. Even in favourable conditions, canola establishment remains an ongoing issue for growers with consistent reports of 50% establishment even with the use of high-quality, high-germinating seed.

To date, there has been little research effort directed towards understanding how canola seed and seed quality impacts canola establishment and yield. This investment, in conjunction with open procurement, PROC-9175926, seeks to address some of the gaps in canola R&D efforts directed at improving plant stand establishment.

This investment will consider factors by which genetic diversity for secondary dormancy in canola, seedling vigour, field stand establishment are influenced and can be improved through genetics. It will determine the relationship between secondary dormancy, genetic response of seeds to temperature and to what extent they impact on crop establishment. The role varietal differences (genetics) play in primary and secondary dormancy in canola, response to temperature and subsequent impact on crop establishment will be evaluated and the question of whether canola cultivars with low potential of secondary dormancy induction can readily germinate will be explored.

Optimising canola production and expansion into new areas requires locally appropriate high yielding canola varieties with good disease resistance. Ultimately, the availability of high quality canola seed with increased establishment potential will support grower profitability by way of reduced costs for growers through more efficient germination rates and superior crop establishment.

For full details on the ATM including outcome, outputs, evaluation critera, associated attachments and information on any Questions and Answers relating to the ATM, visit:

https://grdc.com.au/research/applying-and-reporting/current-procurement/open-tenders