Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture...Page 4 The new CLIMA structure The period...

C L I M A i s a R e s e a r c h A l l i a n c e

THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WESTERN AUSTRALIA

THE UNIVERSIT Y OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA CSIRO MURDOCH UNIVERSIT Y

Centre for Legumes in MediterraneanAgriculture

BIENNIAL REPORT2001–2002

C E N T R E F O R L E G U M E S I N M E D I T E R R A N E A N A G R I C U L T U R E

Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean

AgricultureBIENNIAL REPORT 2001-2002

The Centre for Legumes is a research alliance between the Department of Agriculture

Western Australia,The University of Western Australia,CSIRO and Murdoch University,

formed to continue the research collaboration begun under the Commonwealth

Government’s Cooperative Research Centre Program.

ISSN 1448-3203


Page

Governing Board Chairman’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

CLIMA Structure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Message from Chairman, Industry Advisory Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Director’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Governing Board Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Industry Advisory Group Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Program Management Team Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Research Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Research Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Introduction – Grain Legume Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Sub-Program GL1 – Germplasm Development for Grain Legumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Sub-Program GL2 – Disease and Pest Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Sub-Program GL3 – Agro-ecological Adaptation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Sub-Program GL4 – Grain Quality, Utilisation and Product Development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Introduction – Pasture Legume Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Sub-Program PL1 – Germplasm Development for PastureLegumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Sub-Program PL2 – Biotic Interactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Sub-Program PL3 – Annual Pasture Legume Improvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Sub-Program PL4 – Novel Uses of Forage Legumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Awards Received . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Theses Passed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Publications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

CLIMA Research Projects 2001 - 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

CO N T E N T S

The new CLIMA structureThe period 2000–02 was one of transition for the Centre for Legumes in

Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA) to a research alliance between the Departmentof Agriculture Western Australia (DAWA),The University of Western Australia (UWA),CSIRO and Murdoch University (MU). Despite the structure change, the objectivefor the Centre remained the same,to continue the research collaboration commencedas a Cooperative Research Centre (CRC).

G O V E R N I N G B O A R D C H A I R M A N ’ S R E P O R T

A Governing Board of representatives from each

of the joint venture partners and the Director,

Professor Kadambot Siddique, administer CLIMA.

The transition has been a smooth process and

CLIMA has been particularly successful in attracting

external project funds. CLIMA now has greater exter-

nal funding than it had at any time in the CRC phase.

Total funding for the period 2002–03 stands at $5.7

million, with Grains Research and Development

Corporation (GRDC) contributing approximately 70%

of these funds.

A broadly-based Industry Advisory Group (IAG),

chaired by Mr Trevor Flugge,provides the most impor-

tant source of CLIMA’s industry liaison and feedback.

A new Strategic Plan has been developed which

aligns CLIMA’s objectives with industry needs in a way

that adds value to the existing activities of the four

partner organisations.

Dr Graeme Robertson

The current industry environmentThe importance of legumes in crop rotations has

been well documented. Grain legumes, as well asbeing cash crops, contribute up to 60 kilograms ofnitrogen per hectare, act as a disease break for cere-als and canola, and provide diversified herbicide andweed control options to crop rotation. Pasturelegumes offer similar rotational benefits whilst provid-ing high-value feed for grazing livestock.

In Western Australia, lupins are the dominantgrain legume crop. Significant opportunity exists forthe pulse species, particularly chickpea, field pea,faba bean and lentil in Western Australia.

The last decade has seen the emergence of anew raft of annual pasture legume species (for exam-ple, serradella and biserrulla) to complement theprevious dominance of subterranean clover. Thesespecies have found a range of new niches in thefarming system whilst playing an important role inhelping to combat herbicide-resistant weeds whichhave emerged in continuous cropping rotations.

Lupin production has declined in recent yearsowing to a combination of agronomic issues, pricesrelative to wheat, late breaks and dry seasons. Weedmanagement, compounded by increasing herbicideresistance problems, and the emergence of thedisease anthracnose are the priority agronomic issues.

Chickpea production is currently well belowpotential, almost exclusively due to the impact ofthe fungal disease ascochyta blight.

In general, on-farm productivity improvementachieved in grain legumes over the last decade hasbeen less than that achieved by cereals, and signifi-cant advances are required if legumes are to retaintheir important roles in the farming system. CLIMA isfocussed on achieving the required improvement inlegume performance.


CLIMA activities

Germplasm and genetic improvement Genetic improvement holds the key to solving

many industry problems and increasing the prof-itability of legume production.Germplasm evaluationand access is facilitated through CLIMA’s strong inter-national linkages.

Breeding toolsBiotechnologies that accelerate the rate of

progress, increase efficiency or provide unique oppor-tunities for genetic enhancement are sought.CLIMA’sTransgenic Pulse Laboratory continues our commit-ment to explore novel methods of improving seedquality and resistance to various pathogens.

Other initiatives include:• a novel approach to identify and implement

microsatellite markers. Two such markers fordisease resistance in lupin are already in routineuse in the DAWA lupin breeding program;

• a genomics approach with the Medicago trun-catula model species to identify genes and regu-latory motifs with potential to generate diseaseresistant legumes (CSIRO, MU); and

• international collaboration to develop doubledhaploids in pulses.

Quality, novel uses and product developmentSignificant effort has gone into understanding

the specific quality parameters required by premiumend-users of the different grain legumes. Under-standing the functionality of legume proteins as foodingredients and identification of bioactive compoundswith pharmaceutical and nutriceutical potential (forexample, phytoestrogens) are new priority areas.

Dr Graeme RobertsonChairman, Governing Board

Communication, National/International Linkage, Commercialisation

CLIMA STRUCTURE

Governing Board Joint Venture partners• Representatives of core CLIMA partners (Four and Director)

Industry Advisory Group• Independent Chair• Industry and user

representatives from WA• Core partner

representatives

Administrative Support• Deputy Director• Finance/human resource• Communication• Commercialisation

Director

Research Programs

Grain Legume Annual Pasture Legume

1. Germplasm development2. Disease and Pest Management3. Agro-ecological Adaptation4. Grain Quality, Utilisation and

Product Development

1. Germplasm development2. Biotic interactions3. Annual pasture legume

improvement4. Novel uses of forage legumes

• Director• Deputy Director• Research Program/Sub-program Leaders• Commercialisation and

Communication Coordinators• Finance Officer

Sub-Programs Sub-Programs

Program Management Team(Planning and Evaluation)


For a century in the southern Australian grain belt, sheep grazing subter-ranean clover or medic pastures were used to raise soil fertility and break diseasecycles as they shared a rotation with cereal crops. In the last twenty years grainlegumes, oil seeds and more recently some novel pasture legumes haveentered rotations as farming systems have diversified in response to economicpressures and technical innovation.

The achievements of the CRC for Legumes inMediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA) during the period1992–2000 were widely acknowledged. However, anumber of challenges remain to be addressed inorder to realize the full potential of legumes in farm-ing systems.The role of the CLIMA Research Allianceis to build on the achievements of the CRC phase andto continue to improve the value of grain and pasturelegumes in Western Australia’s farming systems.Legumes have a vital role to play in the sustainableproduction of cereals in Australia, particularly inregard to quality, yield and herbicide resistance.

CLIMA’s objective is to add value to the activi-ties of its clients, core partners and staff and in doingso, to maximize the benefits of cooperation and coor-dination of research.

The Industry Advisory Group (IAG) was formedin March 2002 and is the most important source ofCLIMA’s industry interaction,advice and feedback.TheIAG meets twice a year. CLIMA has made a deliberatedecision to establish a large IAG (19 members) inorder to draw on the widest possible advice andensuring that all parts of the grain and pasture legumeindustries are directly represented in the CLIMA struc-ture.An additional advantage of the large group is theprofile it provides for CLIMA with its key client groups.

Research and development (R & D) is criticallyimportant to the ongoing development of the grainand pasture legume industries in Australia.The further

M E S S A G E F R O M C H A I R M A N ,I N D U S T R Y A D V I S O R Y G R O U P

development of agronomic and input traits can onlyimprove the position of the industry as well as qual-ity and grower returns. However, we cannot look atany component of the industry in isolation. Thesuccess of the Australian legume industry, like theAustralian wheat industry, will depend on approach-ing it as a fully integrated business.

At the end of the day, all this needs to be drivenby the market, in other words, what the customerwants. All the components of the production chainneed to be directed towards achieving a system whichensures that customers get what they want, whenthey want it, every time they want it.

Research alliances such as CLIMA undoubtedlypossess the technical expertise and commitment toshape the structure of our industry and make a posi-tive contribution. The CLIMA Research Alliance hasmade significant progress during the past two yearsand I would like to extend my best wishes for the chal-lenges that lie ahead.

Trevor Flugge, FTSE, AM, OAChair, Industry Advisory Group

Mr Trevor Flugge

During the past two years we have seen some major changes tothe structure, management and industry consultation process of CLIMAsince the wind-up of the CRC phase. CLIMA’s new structure is designedto develop its research leadership and capabilities and ensure access andcommunication with key industry groups.

CLIMA appointed two program and eight sub-

program leaders. We also have communication and

commercialisation co-ordinators assisting with our

research programs.The Program Management Team

meets monthly to coordinate research and commu-

nications efforts and identify new opportunities.The

CLIMA Governing Board, which reviews the progress

of the CLIMA Research Alliance, meets twice a year.

In August 2001,we ran a successful CLIMA indus-

try consultation workshop with more than 50 partic-

ipants, including grain and pasture growers,

processors, marketers, GRDC representatives, key

researchers and representatives of the CLIMA research

alliance. The purpose of this workshop was to iden-

tify industry priorities and define the role that CLIMA

can fulfil in terms of industry-focused research and

development.

A key recommendation from this consultation

process was to put together an Industry Advisory

Group (IAG). Mr Trevor Flugge, former Chairman of

Australian Wheat Board Ltd (AWB),agreed to chair the

IAG. Our contact with the industry has also been

strengthened by our association with the recently

formed WA Grower Group Alliance.

Existing links between CLIMA and its Research

Alliance partners,Department of Agriculture Western

Australia (DAWA),The University of Western Australia

(UWA), CSIRO and Murdoch University, have been

strengthened during the past two years. These part-

ners have chosen to submit all grain and pasture

legume projects of mutual benefit via CLIMA to poten-

tial funding bodies.

Our funding reached new heights in 2002, with

a record $5.7 million in funding (21 new projects) for

the next three to four years.The $1.7 million for new

projects, which began in 2002, tops up an existing $4

million budget (23 existing projects) and will continue

for the following three to four years, supplemented

by investment attracted from funding submissions in

those years.

New research projects include genetically exam-

ining fungal disease resistance and quality in grain

legumes, expanding Western Australia’s pasture

germplasm bank and strengthening national and

international linkages for strategic research.Our inter-

national and national collaboration was strength-

ened with the development of a number of new

research projects.

CLIMA’s research projects are funded largely by

the Grains Research and Development Corporation

(GRDC),Australian Centre for International Agricultural

Research (ACIAR), Rural Industries Research and

Development Corporation (RIRDC), Grains Research

Committee of Western Australia (GRC-WA) and the

increasingly active WA-based Council of Grain Growers

Organisations (COGGO). Recently, we have also

received two Australian Research Council (ARC)

Linkage projects (PhD projects) in collaboration with

industry partners (COGGO and DAWA).We also have

strong support from the Chemistry Centre (W.A.) and

Department of Fisheries Western Australia,and signif-

icant cooperation from various eastern states and

international research institutions.

Several new research fellows and postgraduate

students commenced research on new projects. We

currently have 23 PhD students working on CLIMA

research topics registered at the University of Western

Australia and Murdoch University.These post-gradu-

ate students are jointly supervised by scientists from

more than one partner organisations.

During the past two years seven postgraduate

students successfully completed their PhD on legume

research topics.

CLIMA scientists have travelled interstate and

overseas to participate in international and national

conferences and joint project activities. We hosted a

D I R E C T O R ’ S R E P O R T

Professor Kadambot Siddique


number of international and national visitors foractive discussions with our researchers and themanagement.

Both fortnightly seminar series, convened by DrHeather Clarke in 2001 and by Dr Jon Clements in2002,were well attended with 45 seminars presentedby CLIMA scientists, associates and visiting scientists.We also organised three successful research work-shops on Pasture Legume Research,Beginner StatisticsUsing Genstat, and Legume Biotechnology Research.CLIMA has a revised informative and user-friendlywebsite, which published several newsletters andnumerous press releases on CLIMA activities.

Several of our scientists received prestigiousnational and international awards and fellowshipsduring the past two years.

The Governing Board, Industry Advisory Groupand Program Management Team provided strongsupport and advice in determining the new directionof CLIMA. I am grateful to CLIMA staff, associates,Board and IAG members and to our national andinternational collaborators for their dedication,support and advice during the past two years. I wouldalso like to acknowledge the funding bodies for theirinterest and continued support for CLIMA research.

I look forward to the challenges ahead.

Professor Kadambot SiddiqueDirector, CLIMA

Mr Mick Poole (CSIRO), Prof. Bob Lindner (UWA), Prof. KadambotSiddique (CLIMA), Associate Prof. Max Cake (representing Prof.Yianni Attikiouzel (MU), Dr Graeme Robertson (DAWA)

Governing Board

Title First Name Surname OrganisationChairDr Graeme Robertson Department of Agriculture WAMembersProf Bob Lindner The University of Western AustraliaMr Mick Poole CSIRO Prof Yianni Attikiouzel Murdoch UniversityProf Kadambot Siddique CLIMA Director

G O V E R N I N G B O A R D


Industry Advisory Group

Title First Name Surname OrganisationChairMr Trevor Flugge FarmerMembersMr Dale Baker GRDC Western PanelMr Rob Sewell The Grain Pool of Western Australia Mr John Orr Premium Grain HandlersMr Bruce Piper Council of Grain Grower OrganisationsMr Rory Coffey Milne AgritechMr Neil Ballard Ballard SeedsMr Chris Gillam FarmerMr Mervin McDougall Pulse AustraliaMr Neil Young Western Australian No Tillage Farmers AssociationMr Greg Kirk Australian Association of Agricultural ConsultantsMr Greg Warren Western Australian Farmers FederationMr David Thomas Rabobank GroupMs Mary Nencke Australian Women in AgricultureDr Graeme Robertson WA Dept of AgricultureProfessor Mike Jones* Murdoch UniversityProfessor Richard Oliver* Murdoch UniversityProfessor Hans Lambers The University of WAMr Mick Poole CSIROProfessor Kadambot Siddique CLIMA, The University of WA

*Professor Mike Jones and Professor Richard Oliver will share IAG membership

Program Management Team

Name Position Phone EmailProfessor Kadambot Siddique Director 9380 7012 [email protected] Clive Francis Deputy-Director 9380 1878 [email protected] Debbie Thackray Communication 9380 7074 [email protected]

CoordinatorDr Howard Carr Commercialisation 9368 3279 [email protected]

CoordinatorMr Greg Madson CLIMA Reception 9380 2505 [email protected] Sue Dodimead Finance Officer 9380 1973 [email protected] LeadersDr Mark Sweetingham Grain Legumes (GL) 9368 3298 [email protected] Clive Francis Pasture Legumes (PL) 9380 1878 [email protected] LeadersDr Bevan Buirchell GL1 9368 3653 [email protected]. Richard Oliver GL2 9360 7404 [email protected]. Prof. Neil Turner GL3 9333 6612 [email protected] Mark Sweetingham GL4 9368 3298 [email protected] Richard Snowball PL1 9368 3517 [email protected] Soressa Kitessa PL2 9333 6639 [email protected]. Prof. Mike Ewing PL3 9380 1876 [email protected]. Prof. John Howieson PL4 9360 2231 [email protected]

I N D U S T R Y A D V I S O R Y G R O U P

P R O G R A M M A N A G E M E N T T E A M

Overview

Strategic plan

A strategic plan was developed to explain the origin and purpose of CLIMA,

and to provide a strategic framework and set of objectives for the CLIMA Research

Alliance. It was developed in consultation with the CLIMA Industry Advisory Group,

Governing Board and Research Scientists.The strategic plan is available on the CLIMA

website.

Industry Advisory Group

In order to establish optimal direction, advice and feedback from the indus-

try, CLIMA assembled the Industry Advisory Group, consisting of 19 members

representing all parts of the grain and pasture legume industries and chaired by

Mr Trevor Flugge, former Chairman of Australian Wheat Board Ltd.The IAG held its

inaugural meeting on 20 March 2002 at the University of Western Australia and regu-

lar meetings are being held twice a year.

Postgraduate students

Twenty-three postgraduate students, registered at The University of Western

Australia and Murdoch University, are currently working on CLIMA legume research

projects. Scientists from more than one partner organisation jointly supervise

these students. During the past two years, seven postgraduate students success-

fully completed their PhD theses.

Communication and training

CLIMA’s progress and activities are publicised through regular press releases,

newsletters and its revised website.The fortnightly seminar series was well attended

and 45 seminars were presented by CLIMA scientists, associates and visiting scien-

tists during 2001–02.CLIMA also organised three successful research workshops on

Pasture Legume Research, Beginner Statistics Using Genstat, and Legume

Biotechnology Research.

Publications and Awards

During 2001–2002, researchers working on CLIMA projects published 61

refereed journal articles, 15 review articles and book chapters, 41 conference and

workshop papers,62 extension/advisory papers and also received a total of 12 pres-

tigious awards.

R E S E A R C H H I G H L I G H T S


Grain legume research

◗ An international collaboration has been established with researchers at theCrop Development Centre (CDC) in the University of Saskatchewan, ICRISATand ICARDA to develop chickpea varieties with increased disease and pestresistance and improved tolerance to abiotic stresses. New methods will bedeveloped to introgress desirable alleles from wild relatives into chickpea.CLIMA is also collaborating with researchers at the CDC and SARDI to developprotocols to routinely produce doubled haploids in chickpea and field pea,accelerating the development of true breeding lines.

◗ As part of the National Faba Bean Improvement Program, a remarkabledrought tolerant accession (Acc1446),originally obtained from Cyprus,was iden-tified during the dry 2002 season. In these harsh conditions, this line producedhigher grain yields than the highest yielding Western Australian grown vari-ety Fiord,due to taller plants with less leaf curling,greater flower and pod reten-tion and less seed staining.This accession will be used as a parental genotypein developing superior drought tolerant cultivars for short season environments.

◗ The partnership between CLIMA, ICARDA and the Vavilov Institute in StPetersburg has seen an influx into Australian collections of over 1000 chick-peas and their relatives as well as almost 1000 lines of lentils, peas and fababeans.These accessions add a new dimension to Australian breeding programsbecause they possess valuable traits for resistance against pests and diseases.

◗ An international project has led to the identification of excellent sources offusarium wilt resistance in a series of crossbreds between Australian lupin (L.angustifolius) cultivars and Russian resistant lines. These will be used todevelop molecular markers, enabling breeding programs to maintain fusar-ium resistance in the future.The project also identified and imported overseasL.albus and L.luteus lines with better anthracnose resistance than the Australiancultivars.Since it has emerged that Russia has a different strain of anthracnosepathogen than that which occurs in Australia, the resistance of the Australiancultivars Wonga and Tanjil to the overseas anthracnose strain will be testedshortly.

◗ Phomopsis stem and pod blight is an important disease of lupin.Three candi-date molecular markers for very high phomopsis resistance in a lupin breed-ing line were identified, two of which are co-dominant and closely linked.

◗ Improved aphid resistance has been found in crossbred lines of yellow lupin(Lupinus luteus) compared to the highly aphid-susceptible cultivar,Wodjil, theonly cultivar in use in Western Australia.Links between aphid resistance in lupinand levels of certain alkaloids are now being investigated.

◗ Accessions of Medicago truncatula, a model plant which is very well suited formolecular genetic studies, showed a range of plant resistance levels to a vari-ety of fungal necrotrophic diseases. This is a first important step towards theidentification of genes whose expression is induced by these pathogens andwhich are correlated with resistance. The information generated from thesestudies will be utilised to improve disease resistance in grain legumes.

◗ A new international collaboration with BARI and ICRISAT is aiming to achieveintegrated management of botrytis grey mould (BGM) of chickpea inBangladesh and Australia. A total of 423 lines from chickpea improvement

programs in New South Wales, Queensland,Victoria and Western Australia arecurrently being screened in Bangladesh and Nepal. Integrated managementpractices for BGM will subsequently be evaluated in Bangladesh and Australia.

◗ A great number of large-seeded kabuli chickpea lines with superior ascochytablight resistance have been identified in collaboration with ICARDA and AARI,Turkey. These are currently being developed into varieties for production inAustralia. It is anticipated that the first ascochyta blight resistant chickpea vari-ety from this project will be commercially released in 2005.The release of thesevarieties for growers will be a major boost to the chickpea industry Australiawide.

◗ Lentil crop establishment and yield in Nepal is set to improve with the iden-tification of a number of lentil lines with strong fusarium wilt resistance,waterlogging tolerance and superior adaptation to dryland environments.

◗ Interactions between Australian and Indian scientists have expanded througha collaborative project on yield improvement of chickpea for drought-proneenvironments. The project has already identified stable, high yielding geno-types that are significantly more productive than most Australian cultivars.This germplasm will strengthen breeding programs in Australia and India. Aspart of the close collaboration between the two countries, Australian scien-tists conducted short courses on experimental design and statistical analysisin India and Nepal.

◗ Three advanced chickpea breeding lines have been developed that combinetolerance to low temperature at flowering and improved resistance toascochyta blight.The successful development of these lines was the result ofa combination of a pollen selection technique and screening of molecular mark-ers.The novel lines are currently being tested to develop a suitable agronomicpackage. It is expected that one of these lines will soon be released forcommercial production in Western Australia.

◗ A new method, called optical coherence tomography, has been developed toidentify mutant and wild lupin lines with thinner seed hull. The method,which is expected to be used on a routine basis as part of the lupin breedingprogram in Western Australia, is rapid and non-destructive and will facilitatescreening for thin hull lines on a single seed basis.The selected lines have beencrossed with current,high yielding varieties and segregating progeny has beentransferred to the lupin breeder. Reduced seed hull has been correlated withincreased seed protein in lupin.

◗ Soil nutrient deficiencies,especially potassium and manganese deficiency,havebeen associated with increased alkaloid levels in narrow-leafed lupin seeds.Stimulation of alkaloid production also occurred in the glasshouse environ-ment, possibly due to root restriction, high temperature or high light inten-sity. No major effect on lupin seed alkaloid levels has been found as a resultof brown spot disease control or acidic soil amendments such as lime.

◗ Dietary intervention and post-meal studies have provided scientific evidencefor the health benefits of eating chickpeas.These results are now being usedto promote chickpea consumption to health practitioners, the general publicand the grains industry.


◗ Lathyrus breeding lines with low neurotoxin levels have been shown to be asgood a feed ingredient as the traditionally used field pea for the egg indus-try,with the advantage of having a more favourable grain price.The trace toxinlevels found in eggs and meat are safe for human consumption and the hensshowed no signs of neurotoxicity. Egg production and quality were as goodas for the field pea-based diet and in some cases showed small improvements.These findings provide the egg industry with a stable, low cost, high qualityfeed ingredient and widens the Lathyrus market.

Annual pasture legume research

◗ A new germplasm collection project is targeting short season, low latituderegions in the Mediterranean, including Eritrea, Lebanon, Canary Islands andIsrael.The project aims to find pasture legume species that flower sufficientlyearly to ensure persistence in the medium to low rainfall regions of the south-ern Australia cropping zone,which are currently lacking in the Australian geneticresource collections. New germplasm will be initially screened within thenursery program of the Australian Trifolium Genetic Resource Centre and earlyflowering material will then be field-tested as part of the National AnnualPasture Legumes Improvement Program (NAPLIP).

◗ An international project to collect germplasm and rhizobia of herbaceousperennial legumes capable of providing plant-based solutions to dryland salin-ity in southern Australia has made significant progress. Numerous accessionsof perennial legume species and root nodules were collected in the Azores,South Africa and Turkmenistan. Collected species are currently being identi-fied and rhizobial isolations are being undertaken.

◗ Detailed studies with five Trifolium species showed that the protocol for test-ing populations for Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBR) legislation is unsatisfactoryfor outcrossing annual pasture legume species.The qualities ‘Distinct’,‘Uniform’and ‘Stable’,which are currently used to determine that a cultivar is significantlydifferent from the original collected population, have been primarily deter-mined for inbreeding species. An outcrossing species has the ability to reactmore quickly to the strong selection pressures imposed on it owing to itsgreater genetic variation, which is advantageous to a farmer.However, it is thisexact quality which is causing problems with testing a newly developedoutcrossing cultivar for PBR legislation.Further research is required to developways to meet current PBR legislation using molecular markers,or to determineother methods of testing whether outcrossing cultivars are significantly differ-ent from the original collected population.

◗ A detailed study showed that the majority of commercial seed stocks oflucerne sown in Western Australia were infected with alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV)and a few with cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). A large-scale survey of lucernepastures revealed a very high incidence of AMV infections and the presenceof three different luteoviruses, one of which was new to the state.These find-ings raise concerns over the spread of damaging virus diseases from peren-nial pastures to nearby grain legume crops and annual pastures.

◗ Host range studies with subterranean clover mottle virus found 21 new hostspecies belonging to eight different genera of legumes, nine of which were

alternative annual pasture or forage species and 12 were crop legumes.Thesefindings suggest that the virus may be important in a far wider range of legumespecies than was previously thought.

◗ The National Annual Pasture Legumes Improvement Program has developedand released four new cultivars:Prima,the first variety of gland clover (Trifoliumglanduliferum); Mauro, a late flowering biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus) softerseeded than Casbah;Yelbeni,the earliest flowering yellow serradella (Ornithopuscompressus) for low rainfall areas; and Urana, a mid-season cultivar of subter-ranean clover for New South Wales.The development of the first commerciallyavailable hard-seeded varieties of French serradella (O. sativus) has beenanother exciting improvement.

◗ Improvements have been made in harvestability of sulla and purple clover,in susceptibility of purple clover to clover scorch (Kabatiella caulivora) and inrhizobial specificity of sulla.New harvest techniques are being tested and selec-tion of soft-seeded sulla is being investigated.Good clover scorch disease resist-ance has been discovered in the available collection of purple clovers. A newrhizobia, which appears to be more effective on sulla, is being tested and mayallow sulla to grow on more acid soils than previously possible.

◗ Pastures improved with serradella have been shown to have an increased stockcarrying capacity of at least 60% without any penalty in livestock perform-ance.The increased dry matter production in serradella improved pastures wasassociated with greater soil moisture use. Serradella-based pastures not onlyincreased wool yield per hectare but also slightly increased wool cut per animal.The benefits of improved pasture production ranged from $2.60 to $28 perhectare.

◗ Good progress has been made in a project to test the effectiveness and prof-itability of using lucerne intercropping for sub-soil moisture management.Thequestions currently being addressed are how much lucerne is required to reli-ably manage sub-soil moisture in a cropping system and what is the trade-off in crop yield and gross margin of lucerne as a permanent understorey.Theoutcomes of these experiments will enable grain growers to optimise lucerneproduction in the cropping phase.

◗ Lucerne in a pasture–crop rotation has been shown to deplete soil moisturemore than annual pastures, thereby reducing recharge to the watertable, andincreasing wheat yield by 10% in the year following lucerne. A new project isassessing the performance of subsequent lucerne phases in rotation and aimsto provide new information on the ongoing productivity and sustainabilityof a lucerne-based system compared to the current annual-based rotation.

◗ Novel investigations into the pharmaceutical and aquaculture potential oflegumes have made some significant progress. Preliminary bioassays ofmethanolic extracts of a number of pasture legumes indicate significantantiproliferative activity in breast cancer cell culture.Further fractionation willlead to the identification of bioactive compounds.Additionally,a series of foragelegumes containing high levels of protein and essential amino acids hasbeen identified that show potential for fishmeal replacement in the aquaculturefeed industry.


IntroductionThe importance of grain legumes in crop rotations has been well

documented.As well as being cash crops, they contribute up to 60 kilo-grams of nitrogen per hectare, act as a disease break for cereals andcanola and provide diversified herbicide and weed control options tothe rotation.

In Western Australia, lupins are the dominant grain legume crop,primarily because of their adaptation to the large area of acidic sand-plain soils in the cropping regions of the state.The opportunity for thepulse species, particularly chickpea, field pea, faba bean and lentil, hasbeen recognised for the finer textured, less acidic soils.

Chickpea production is currently well below potential, almostexclusively due to the impact of the disease ascochyta blight.

base and developing new technologies to producehigher yielding and better quality varieties which aremore resilient to disease, pest and abiotic stress.

Germplasm evaluation and access is facilitatedthrough our international linkages.We currently haveprojects involving research institutions in Bangladesh,Canada, India, Nepal, New Zealand, Poland, Russiaand the United Kingdom. In addition we have ongo-ing projects with the two international centres,ICARDA and ICRISAT.

Grain legume breeders require access to newbiotechnologies that accelerate or increases effi-ciency, or provide greater opportunities for geneticenhancement.

G R A I N L E G U M E P R O G R A M

Leader: Dr Mark Sweetingham

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: (61) 8 9368 3298

ActivitiesCLIMA’s Grain Legume Program has contributed

to a number of formal and informal workshops andmeetings with a range of industry stakeholders aimedat developing a clear understanding of the industryissues and opportunities. Research activities havebeen realigned to key industry priorities with thedevelopment of new projects to address disease andweed control issues as well as projects aimed atincreasing the value of the harvested grain.

Genetic improvement still holds the key to solv-ing many of these problems and increasing the prof-itability of grain legume production. CLIMA’spartnership with the national breeding programs isplaying an important role in expanding the germplasm

Grain Legume Program Sub-programs

Sub-program Leader Major research components

GL1 Germplasm Dr Bevan Buirchell, • Genetic resourcesDevelopment Department of Agriculture • Breeding technologiesfor Grain Legumes Western Australia

GL2 Disease and Pest Prof. Richard Oliver, • ResistanceManagement Murdoch University • Integrated Pest Management

GL3 Agro-ecological Adjunct Prof. Neil Turner, • Physiological, biochemical andAdaptation CSIRO Plant Industry molecular basis of environment

interaction• Improved screening methods for

resistance/toleranceGL4 Grain Quality, Dr Mark Sweetingham, • Improving grain appearance,

Utilisation and Department of Agriculture composition and processingProduct Development Western Australia properties

• Legume feed research• Processing research, food uses

and health benefits

CLIMA has developed a novel approach to iden-tify and implement microsatellite markers.Two suchmarkers for disease resistance in lupin are already inroutine use in the lupin breeding program.

The transgenic pulse laboratory continues ourcommitment to explore novel methods of improvingseed quality and pathogen resistance. As part of astrategy to develop a strong intellectual property(IP) position, methods to enable the removal of selec-table marker genes are being developed to facilitatethe commercialisation of transgenic legumes.Transgenic lupin, faba bean and lentil with a peroxi-dase gene from the legume Stylosanthes will be eval-uated for resistance to anthracnose and ascochytablight in glasshouse experiments in 2003.

In a new initiative, CSIRO Plant Industry and theAustralian Centre for Necrotrophic Fungal Pathogens

at Murdoch University have combined to use agenomics approach with the Medicago truncatulamodel species to identify genes and regulatory motifswith potential to generate disease resistant legumes.

Significant effort has gone into defining specificquality parameters required by premium end usersof the different grain legumes. This analysis hasprovided researchers with clear objectives to liftwhole grain quality and to explore new processingopportunities.A new project to develop value-addedplant protein products for the aquaculture feedssector has come about through excellent linkageswith scientists at the Department of Fisheries WesternAustralia and the Chemistry Centre (W.A.). Defininglegume protein functionality as food ingredients isanother priority area.

Research Highlights

Sub-program Research highlights 2000–02

Germplasm Development • Release of ascochyta resistant kabuli chickpea cultivars fast-tracked.for Grain Legumes • Desi chickpea lines with improved cold tolerance and

resistance to ascochyta blight identified

• Anthracnose resistance sources identified in L. luteus

• Fusarium wilt resistance sources identified in all lupin species

• Lupin germplasm with reduced seed coat thickness and the geneticbasis identified

• Microsatellite-anchored fragment length polymorphism (MFLP) markersidentified and implemented in lupin breeding

• Protocols for development of early stage embryos from isolated haploidmicrospores in chickpea and field pea

Disease and Pest • Medicago truncatula accessions with clear cut resistance to necrotrophicManagement fungal pathogens for genetic studies identified

• Field pea backcrossed with wild pea (P. fulvum) with resistance topea weevil

• Key compounds conferring aphid resistance in lupin identified

• Non-necrotic BYMV strain characterised and management packagedeveloped

Agro-ecological • Greater understanding of chickpea phenology in relation to regional Adaptation adaptation

• Increased knowledge of specific traits such as osmotic adjustmentand dry matter remobilisation in relation to drought tolerancein chickpea

• Knowledge that rate of seed filling under terminal drought isa key character in new high yielding lupin cultivars

• New screening methods for herbicide tolerance in lupin

Grain Quality, Utilisation • Rapid screening techniques for seed coat thickness in lupinand Product Development • New neon infra red (NIR)-based techniques for measuring protein and

alkaloid in lupin grain

• Health benefits from consuming chickpea and lupin fibre inthe diet quantified

S U B - P R O G R A M G L 1 – G ermplasm D evelopment forGra in Legumes

The Germplasm Development for Grain Legumes Sub-program

continues to add value to Western Australian and national grain

legume breeding programs through the acquisition and screening

of new germplasm and through the development and application of

new breeding technologies to our mandate species: lupin, chickpea,

field pea, faba bean and lentil.

International collaboration to developinterspecific hybrids between

chickpea and its wild relatives

Wild relatives within the genus Cicer may be the

answer to very low genetic variation in domesticated chick-

pea. A range of valuable agronomic traits have already

been identified within the eight wild annual species.These

include resistance to diseases such as ascochyta blight,

fusarium wilt, phytophora, botrytis grey mould; pests such

as leaf miner, bruchid and cyst nematode; and improved

tolerance to abiotic stresses like cold and drought.Two wild

annual Cicer species, C. reticulatum and C. echinospermum,

share the primary gene pool with chickpea (C. arietinum)

and can be crossed using conventional crossing methods

to produce fertile hybrids. There have been only isolated

reports of successful hybridisation between chickpea and

members of the remaining six wild annual species.A routine

method for crossing these species,especially C.pinnatifidum,

C. bijugum and C. judaicum, would be very useful to chick-

pea improvement. A new project at CLIMA will develop

methods to introgress desirable alleles from wild relatives

into chickpea in order to make better use of this promis-

ing genetic resource.

Collaboration has been established with researchers

at the Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatoon,

Saskatchewan, Canada; the International Crops Research

Institute for Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), India; and the

International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas

(ICARDA), Syria, all of whom have the shared objective to

improve chickpea varieties for their particular region.

Original accessions of annual wild Cicer are currently

being introduced to Western Australia from international


Sub-program Leader: Dr Bevan Buirchell


Telephone: (61) 8 9368 3653

Over the past two years our international linkages

enabled us to import in excess of 2000 new accessions of

lupins and pulses.These accessions include lines that have

resistance to major diseases that are a threat to our agri-

cultural industries. In addition, our linkages with the GRDC-

coordinated national breeding programs ensure that

relevant advanced breeding lines are evaluated locally with

the goal of releasing the best adapted lines to Western

Australian farmers.

Considerable effort is going into exploring ways to

exploit germplasm outside the commercial crop species.The

sub-program is investigating wild relatives of chickpeas for

their potential use in conventional chickpea breeding.This

has necessitated the development of new techniques for

successful interspecific crossing.

The sub-program is also involved in developing meth-

ods that will accelerate or increase the efficiency of breed-

ing programs. Double haploidy and markers for disease

resistance genes are being investigated with some success.

A project to develop a double haploidy system for chick-

peas has commenced in collaboration with international

experts in this area. Progress in molecular markers is more

advanced with markers implemented in the lupin breed-

ing program for two of the major lupin diseases: phomop-

sis stem blight and anthracnose.

Using the expertise within CLIMA to assist interna-

tional pulse breeding programs to develop better varieties

is also a central role for the sub-program and is an impor-

tant way to maintain and build new linkages. This is aptly

demonstrated by the efforts in Nepal in lentil breeding.

The sub-program held two meetings which applied

the combined expertise and analytical skills of the partner

organisations to important issues relating to lupins.The first

investigated agronomic ways of manipulating protein levels

in lupins and the second investigated a new approach to

early vigour and establishment in lupins. Both meetings

resulted in joint grant applications for industry funding.

Principal Investigators: Dr Heather Clarke (UWA),

Dr Janine Croser (UWA),

Prof. Kadambot Siddique (UWA)


collections, in collaboration with Dr Jens Berger (UWA) and

Dr Fucheng Shan (UWA).The initial aim of the project is to

examine incompatibility barriers during interspecific hybridi-

sation. This knowledge will be used to develop an in vitro

culture system for rescuing hybrids prior to abortion. We

hope to use embryo rescue as a means to culture and to

establish interspecific hybrid breeding lines between chick-

pea and key wild relatives during the three year project.

Hybrid status will be confirmed using DNA-based testing

of F1. True hybrid lines will be further developed in collab-

oration with the Australian Coordinated Chickpea

Improvement Program.

This research is supported by the Grains Research and

Development Corporation (GRDC).

National Faba Bean ImprovementProgram (NFBIP) – Western

Component

Faba beans (Vicia faba) are potentially an important

winter grain legume crop for Western Australia.We estimate

the area suitable for their production is about 100 000 to

150 000 ha per annum.The largest area of faba beans sown

in Western Australia was 40 000 ha in 1997. Currently the

faba bean area is about 10 000 ha. Most farmers cite low

and variable yields and difficulties in managing in-crop

broad-leafed weeds (radish, doublegee) as the main

constraints to faba bean production.Susceptibility to disease

and drought are the main factors causing variable yields.

The faba bean industry in Western Australia is based

on three varieties, Fiord, Ascot and Fiesta. Fiord is the high-

est yielding variety over a wide range of environments but

it is very susceptible to chocolate spot and ascochyta blight

diseases. Ascot is a derivative of Fiord and has good resist-

ance to ascochyta blight,but is susceptible to chocolate spot

and is lower yielding than Fiord. Fiesta, a new variety, has

slightly better disease resistance than Fiord and better

seed quality, but produces lower and variable yields (70%

to 100% of the yield of Fiord) due to its later flowering and

poorer adaptation to the Western Australian growing condi-

tions. This project as part of The National Faba Bean

Improvement Program (NFBIP) aims to develop varieties

with improved chocolate spot and ascochyta resistance with

stable yields across a range of environments in Western

Australia.

Evaluation/disease nurseries at four locations

(Dongara, Merredin, Katanning and Esperance) and a

drought nursery (Merredin) were established in 2000.

Germplasm obtained from NFBIP breeders in South Australia

and New South Wales were evaluated in these nurseries

together with germplasm introduced directly from ICARDA.

A range of lines with adaptation to the Western

Australian environment and disease resistance have now

been identified.Several lines with improved chocolate spot

and rust or ascochyta resistance produced yields consis-

tently equal to, or higher than, that of Fiord.The lines HB11,

SP95054, HB12, 1021 and SP95055 all showed promise and

will be further evaluated in 2002–03. The crossbred

286*970/2/8 showed the highest yields, but seed quality of

this line is poor and will need further breeding to improve

the seed quality.

The line SP95054,obtained from northern New South

Wales, produced the most consistently high yields across

all sites in 2002, and is showing particular promise in the

northern agricultural region of Western Australia. A small-

seeded selection from this line produced yields 12% higher

than Fiord in the trial at Dongara in 2002.

An accession (ACC 1446) originally obtained from

Cyprus through NFBIP showed remarkable drought tolerance

during the dry 2002 season. In the drought nursery at

Merredin, this line produced taller plants with less leaf curl-

ing, greater flower and pod retention and less seed staining

compared with Fiord.Despite low yields at Merredin ACC 1446

produced about 80% greater grain yield than that of Fiord.

Participants in the National FabaBean Improvement Program view afaba bean variety trial on NeilWandel’s farm at Scaddan duringthe field tour of the NFBIP’s annualmeeting in Esperance

Principal Investigators: Dr Peter White (DAWA),

Mr Tim Pope (UWA),



This research is supported by

the Grains Research and

Development Corporation

(GRDC).

Towards the identification ofmolecular markers linked to, and the

isolation of, novel resistance gene tocucumber mosaic virus in Lupinusluteus

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is a major viral

pathogen affecting lupin crops in Western Australia.

Infection causes yield losses of up to 50% and can persist

through seed transmission. Current methods of control

rely on the use of virus-free seed, the control of insect

vectors through pesticides and breeding for resistance.

Natural resistance to CMV has been identified in a

cultivar of L. luteus. Resistance is manifested as a hyper-

sensitive response and is controlled by a single, dominant

gene Ncm-1.This research aims to identify molecular mark-

ers linked to CMV resistance, for use in marker assisted selec-

tion, and to isolate the Ncm-1 resistance gene.

Molecular markers linked to Ncm-1 have been iden-

tified using fluorescent amplified fragment length poly-

morphisms (AFLP). A number of polymorphic fragments

segregating with resistance and three additionally charac-

terised traits (alkaloid content, pod shattering and flower

colour) have been isolated using a preliminary mapping

population constructed from the resistant L. luteus cultivar

Wodjil and a resistant accession. A further mapping popu-

lation segregating for CMV resistance, consisting of at least

150 individuals, has been developed and will be used to

confirm these putative markers and evaluate their use in

the lupin breeding program.

To further characterise and isolate Ncm-1, degener-

ate primers based on alignments of resistance gene

analogues (RGAs) have been used to generate resistance

genes candidates. Amplicons have been cloned and

sequenced and one fragment showing high identity with

the Leucine Rich Repeat motif has so far been identified.

Further examination of the resistance gene candidate is in

progress.



International linkages for crop plantgenetic resources

The partnership between CLIMA, ICARDA and the

famous Vavilov Institute, St Petersburg, has this year seen

perhaps the greatest ever single influx of crop

plant germplasm into Australian collections. In 2002 alone

more than 5900 accessions were landed in Australia. The

National Temperate Field Crops collection at the Victorian

Institute for Dryland Agriculture (VIDA) in Horsham,Victoria,

has received over 1000 chickpeas and relatives as well as

almost 1000 lines of lentils,peas and faba beans.The Winter

Cereals Collection at the Agricultural Research Center,

Tamworth, New South Wales, will after quarantine, lodge

some 1300 barley and more than 2500 wheat and relatives

(including 1380 durum wheats) in the national collection.

All the lines were characterised and classified at

ICARDA with the aid of specialist staff from the Vavilov

Institute.The GRDC funded project adds a new dimension

to Australian breeding programs because in the main the

accessions were land races and sourced from regions of the

world such as the Central Asian Republics whose genetic

base is little represented in Australian cultivars.




Famous Vavilov Institute in the heart of St Petersburg

Principal Investigators: Dr Dora A. Li (Murdoch),

Dr Bevan Buirchell (DAWA), Dr Roger A.C. Jones

(DAWA), Prof. Michael G.K. Jones (Murdoch)


Principal Investigators: Prof. Clive Francis (UWA),

Dr Ken Street (ICARDA), Dr S. Alexanian

(Vavilov Institute)


Improving lupin tolerance tometribuzin and developing lupin

tolerance to new herbicides

Metribuzin has been used in lupins as post-emer-

gence, alone or in mixtures, to give greater control of wild

radish, doublegee and capeweed. These weeds can not be

controlled adequately by pre-emergence herbicides because

they can emerge from soil and grow after lupin seedlings

emergence. Lupin crops are weak competitors with these

weeds and yield loss is severe as a result.Therefore,tolerance

to metribuzin becomes an essential agronomic trait for

lupin grown in the areas with these weeds. However, some

disease resistant cultivars such as Tanjil have shown low toler-

ance to metribuzin and suffer severe yield loss when appli-

cation of metribuzin is neccesary.Tanjil has been widely used

as a parent to provide anthracnose resistance in the lupin

breeding program since 1996.

The project,commenced in July 2002,aims to improve

tolerance to metribuzin in future cultivars. Tolerance to

metribuzin in cv. Gungurru and a restricted-branching line

75A:330 has been confirmed under phytotron conditions

in July 2002.Transfer of tolerance from Gungurru or 75A:330

to elite breeding lines and new cultivars would be an effi-

cient way to improve the tolerance rapidly.For the purpose

of selection, we need to understand the genetics of

metribuzin tolerance and subsequently develop efficient

selection methods for this trait. Crosses between tolerant

Gungurru or 75A:330 and susceptible Tanjil have been

made. Genetic of inheritance of the tolerance will be

analysed in F1 and subsequent generations of F2 and F3.

Another objective of this project is to develop lupin

germplasm with tolerance to new herbicides. As cases of

broad herbicide resistant wild radish emerge, it would be

opportune to identify tolerance to new herbicides. The

new herbicides, Balance® and Affinity®, can control herbi-

cide resistant wild radish.Current lupin cultivars have shown

susceptibility to them. However, if cultivars with tolerance

to these herbicides could be developed,this would definitely

lead to more reliable and profitable lupin production.

Tolerance to the new herbicides is expected to be

identified through induced mutation or screening the

diverse lupin germplasm collection available at Department

of Agriculture Western Australia, South Perth.A large quan-

tity of lupin seeds have been treated with chemical muta-

gens to induce the mutation desired in lupins. Screening

tolerance to new herbicides is expected to be carried out

in the next season.



Fast tracking South Australian fieldpea germplasm to Western Australia

This project commenced in 2002 with the following aims:

◗ to fast track the best of the germplasm developed at

the South Australian Research and Development

Institute (SARDI) during two decades of breeding

for developing high yielding,adapted and quality vari-

eties for Western Australia; and

Musharraf Ali and TanveerKhan examine disease reaction

in South Australian lines andother germplasm at Medina,

Western Australia

Principal Investigators: Dr Mark Sweetingham

(DAWA), Dr Ping Si (UWA), Dr David Bowran

(DAWA), Dr Terry Piper (DAWA),

Dr Bevan Buirchell (DAWA)


Principal Investigators: Dr Tanveer N Khan (DAWA),

Dr Musharraf Ali (SARDI),



An international program for theselection of lupins with improved

resistance to anthracnose and fusariumwilt

Since its arrival in 1996, anthracnose has become

the greatest disease threat to the long-term viability of lupin

industry in Western Australia. Fusarium wilt is the most

important lupin disease in Europe which crippled produc-

tion in northern Europe in the 1960s and 1970s. This proj-

ect aims to find better resistance in all lupin species of

importance to Australia and to provide the basis for breed-

ing resistance to fusarium wilt as a pre-emptive measure

to protect the industry from this important exotic pathogen.

We have been able to screen much of the lupin

genetic resources held in the Vavilov Institute (VIR), together

with Russian, Polish and Australian breeding lines in off-

shore disease nurseries in Poland, Russia and the Ukraine.

Due to quarantine restrictions, Australia cannot afford to

import large numbers of accessions and needs to selectively

access overseas collections.Furthermore,we cannot test for


Mark Sweetingham and Irena Frencel in fusarium screening plotsin Poland

◗ to identify and utilise elite parental material for devel-

oping populations for recurrent selection with a view

to value-add to the Western Australian field pea

breeding program.

Over 350 South Australian lines including a dozen specialty

pea, for example, blue pea, maple pea and marrowfats,

were imported. They were separated into three trials

depending upon the stage of breeding and the specialty

type. Preliminary trials of over 280 lines were sown at

Merredin and Scadden. Advanced trials including 50 elite

lines were sown at Dalwallinu, Merredin, Scadden and

Williams. The specialty pea trials were sown in large plots

in cooperation with the Pulse Industry Development Project.

Moisture stress due to lack of rains led to abandon-

ing the trial at Dalwallinu. The Merredin site is seriously

drought affected but harvesting will be done to assess

drought tolerance. Scadden trials are showing significant

moisture stress but average yields under1 ton per ha are

expected.Williams suffered earlier with Brodal® damage and

at flowering and podding stage by possible Roundup®

drift due to a temperature inversion.

The South Australian pea breeder, Dr Musharraf Ali,

visited the trials and evaluated them for agronomic poten-

tial.Some trials were evaluated independently by Dr Tanveer

Khan and it was significant that correspondence between

Dr Ali and Dr Khan’s evaluation occurred more than 95% of

the time. Dr Ali also examined the blackspot reaction in

South Australian lines and other germplasm at Medina,

Western Australia.

This research is supported by the Grains Research Committee

of Western Australia (GRC-WA).


(DAWA), Dr Bevan Buirchell (DAWA), Prof. Clive

Francis (UWA), Dr Irena Frencel (Institute of Plant

Genetics, Poznan), Dr Anna Yakesheva (Russian

Lupin Research Institute, Bryansk), Dr Lubov

Ponomaryova (Valivov Institute, St Petersburg)


resistance to fusarium in Australia owing to the absence of

the disease.

More than 2000 lines (L. angustifolius, L. albus and L.

luteus) have been tested for fusarium wilt with VIR contribut-

ing germplasm from Germany, Poland, Portugal, Russia,

Spain and USA. Australia contributed advanced L. angusti-

folius and L. albus lines from our breeding program. All

Australian L. angustifolius cultivars and Stage 3 and 4 lines

were found to be highly susceptible, confirming our vuner-

ability should fusarium reach Australia.

Wodjil (L. luteus) and Kiev Mutant (L. albus) are resist-

ant as was expected given their European breeding.

Excellent sources of resistance have been identified in L.

angustifolius and a series of crossbreds between Australian

cultivars and Russian resistant lines have been developed.

We intend to phenotype F3 families of these crosses with

a view to the development of molecular markers to enable

the breeding program to maintain fusarium resistance in

the future in the absence of a local disease nursery.

We have yet to identify levels of anthracnose resist-

ance in L.angustifolius greater than our cultivars Wonga and

Tanjil.However, lines of L. albus and L. luteus, identified with

resistance better than Kiev and Teo respectively, have been

selected for import to Australia.The Russian Lupin Research

Institute in Bryansk appears to have the most advanced

anthracnose resistance breeding in L. luteus in the world,

having worked on this now for twelve years.

It has emerged that Russia has a different strain of the

anthracnose pathogen (VCG-1) to that which occurs in

Poland and Australia (VCG-2). It is therefore a priority to

determine whether Wonga and Tanjil are resistant to VCG-

1, a task planned for controlled environment experiments

in Poland shortly.



Lupin rust: an exotic disease threat to Australia

Since the lupin anthracnose outbreak in 1996, there

is a far greater expectation that the industry will be more

prepared for potential future exotic disease or pest incur-

sions.

Lupin rust, caused by the fungus Uromyces, was first

documented in Germany in 1927 on L. luteus. The disease

is commonly seen in natural populations of L.angustifolius,

L. luteus and L.cosentinii in Morocco,Spain and Portugal but

is considered of minor importance in Russia and Poland,

perhaps suggesting that the disease is more adapted to a

Mediterranean climate. Lupin rust has become a problem

in evaluation plots and some commercial winter L. albus

crops in the UK since 1995. It requires costly fungicide

control in most seasons.

With the assistance of Dr Ian Shield, we conducted a

rust screen at Rothamsted, UK, in March 2002 to assess the

relative susceptibility of a range of Lupinus species and

genotypes of potential value to Australia.Short rows of test

lines were flanked with spreader rows of the highly suscep-

tible winter L. albus cv. Ludet. Infection was uniform and

severe, making genotype comparisons straightforward.

Yield comparisons could not be obtained as the local

rabbits and hares took a particular fancy to grazing

Australian L. angustifolius cultivars.

Of 14 cultivars and advanced lines of L. angustifolius,

all were highly susceptible with the exception of cv.Jindalee

and cv. Tallerack which displayed an immune reaction.

Myallie appeared to be particularly susceptible.Kiev Mutant

and four landraces of L. albus were all susceptible as were

breeding lines of L. atlanticus, L. pilosis and L. cosentinii (cv.

Erregulla). All yellow lupin lines tested, including cv.Wodjil,

were relatively resistant as was a single line of pearl lupin

(L. mutabilis).

The project aims to compile relevant world-wide

information on the biology and management of lupin rust

on which to make informed decisions.Through liaison with

the Department of Agriculture’s GRAINGUARD initiative,

information kits and action plans will be developed in case

lupin rust arrives in Australia.

The project will now explore the genetic basis of the

resistance in Tallerack with a view to developing a molec-

ular marker to track resistance in the breeding program in

Australia in the absence of the disease.




(DAWA), Dr Ian Shield (IACR, Rothamsted,

Harpenden, UK), Dr Bevan Buirchell (DAWA),

Mr Greg Shea (DAWA), Prof. Clive Francis (UWA)


Characterisation and evaluation ofwild Cicer genetic resources to

accelerate chickpea improvement inAustralia

Cultivated chickpea has been bred and selected from

a narrow genetic base within domesticated Cicer arietinum

L. The future success of the Australian chickpea industry

depends on the production of new varieties with genes for

resistance to pests and disease and tolerance to abiotic

stresses such as drought and cold.These genes are poten-

tially available in 42 known wild relatives of chickpea within

the genus Cicer,eight of which are wild annual Cicer species

inhabiting a range of habitats from north-eastern Africa

along the eastern Mediterranean, through Israel, Syria and

Turkey to Iraq, Iran, Armenia and Afghanistan in the east.

One solution to low variation is to identify desirable

traits in the wild relatives and introgress the desirable alle-

les to generate variability in chickpea. The first step for

most efficient utilisation of genetic resources is the char-

acterisation and evaluation of wild Cicer species which

have already been collected from these regions.

The major aims the project are to study phylogenetic

relationships between Cicer species; to estimate homo-

geneity and variation within and between accessions; to

examine correlations between DNA polymorphism, agro-

nomic traits and ecogeography of collection sites; to iden-

tify duplication and gaps among entries in the world

collection; to set up DNA fingerprint profiles and a proto-

col for accession identity and hybrid testing; to assist iden-

tification of key parental genotypes for precision breeding;

and to aid future collections targeted for maximum varia-

tion across a wide range of habitats.

Collections of wild Cicer species are held in nine

international gene banks.There are 123 original accessions

of annual Cicer and an additional 470 entries that are either

selections from the original material or duplicated material

among the gene banks.Through collaboration with Mr Ted

Knight in NSW Agriculture and Dr Jens Berger, 100 original

accessions have been assembled in Western Australia from

the international collections. CLIMA has already under-

taken voluntary quarantine of the material.The accessions

are currently being grown in glasshouse. Seed multiplica-

tion and morphological examination are in progress.Seven

of the original accessions are no longer available in the inter-

national collections due to lost seed viability. The remain-

ing 16 accessions have been requested from overseas.

The project commenced its operation in July 2002.

Molecular markers of amplified fragment length polymor-

phisms (NFLP) and sequence tagged microsatellite sites

(STMS) will be applied to characterise the wild Cicer species.

DNA profiling of each accession is in progress.



The potential of the pearl lupin(Lupinus mutabilis) for southern

Australia

The pearl lupin originates from South America where

it has been semi-domestiated and grown for centuries by

the indigenous peoples of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia and is

consumed as a traditional food after de-bittering. Grain

protein and oil levels rival and in some cases exceed soybean

(protein = 38% to 50% and oil = 13% to 24%). The oil is of

good quality, being high in unsaturated fatty acids and low

in erucic acid,and the protein is higher in lysine and sulphur

amino acids than narrow-leafed lupin. It has a thin seed coat

(13%) similar to soybean, making it highly suitable for

dehulling. With increasing interest in legume protein

concentrates for premium animal feed and the human

food ingredient industries, the pearl lupin appears to offer

excellent commercial prospects. On current pricings, pearl


A wide range of annual species of wild Cicer species are grown inthe UWA glasshouse in 2002 (left to right, Kadambot Siddique,Fucheng Shan and Heather Clarke)

Principal Investigators: Dr Fucheng Shan (UWA),

Dr Heather Clarke (UWA), Dr Guijun Yan (UWA),

Associate Prof. Julie A Plummer (UWA),




(DAWA), Dr Jon Clements (UWA),

Dr Robert French (DAWA),

Ms Sofia Sipsas (DAWA), Dr Brett Glencross

(DFWA), Dr Bevan Buirchell (DAWA),

Mr Colin Smith (DAWA), Prof. Clive Francis (UWA)


lupin could receive in excess of $100 per tonne premium

over narrow-leafed lupin in high specification aquaculture

and monogastric feed markets.

The project, which commenced in July 2002, aims to

determine the feasibility of breeding and the commercial

development of pearl lupin based on agronomic and market

potential. Semi-domesticated types which are non-shatt-

tering,soft-seeded and early flowering (equivalent to Belara)

and have large (300 mg) pure white seeds have been

sourced for evaluation. Only one sweet (low alkaloid) culti-

var, Inti, bred in Chile, has been currently developed but it

is very late flowering. Inti has proven to be a difficult parent

to cross and so may not be the ideal donor of a sweet gene.

The chemical mutation of better adapted material has

commenced.

Previous small scale evaluation of this species in

Western Australia was based on a very narrow range of

germplasm poorly adapted to the short season

Mediterannean environments of the state.Large germplasm

collections exist in South America and at the Vavilov

Institute, Russia, and accessions from these will be target-

ted for import.

Recent introductions of earlier flowering material

has shown better adaptation with suitable growth habit and

good pod production.Yields in small-plots trials at Merredin,

Mingenew, Wongan Hills and Frankland indicate that the

yield potential of two early flowering semi-domesticated

lines were comparable with albus and narrow-leafed lupin.

Determining performance on a range of soil types,

waterlogging, pH and herbicide tolerances, and reaction to

the major lupin diseases and pests is an aim of the project.

Whole grain and kernel proximate analysis will be

conducted on a range of genotypes grown in a range of

environments,and protein concentrate, isoflavone yields and

feed performance data for trout will be determined.



International collaboration to developrobust protocols for doubled haploid

production in field pea and chickpea

The development of homozygous true-breeding indi-

viduals is one of the most time consuming aspects of

breeding self-fertilising species such as chickpea and field

pea, commonly taking approximately six generations.

One method of accelerating this process is by using

haploid plant material. Haploid plants can be produced in

vitro directly from the male or female gametes without fertil-

isation. When the chromosome complement is artificially

doubled, these hemizygous haploid plants having only

one allele per locus become fertile doubled haploids,which

are instantly and completely homozygous at each locus.

These doubled haploid plants can then be increased and

used immediately as varieties or,more commonly,as inbred

material for crossing or molecular mapping programs.

The development of doubled haploid populations via

anther or microspore culture has found practical applica-

tion in the breeding of many crop species, especially those

in the Gramineae and Solanaceae families,but the technique

has yet to be successfully applied to cool season grain

legumes.

Since 1999, researchers at the Crop Development

Centre (CDC), The University of Saskatchewan, Canada,

have been working on developing protocols for doubled

haploid production in field pea and chickpea. CLIMA has

recently joined in the effort as part of a GRDC-funded proj-

ect collaborating with the pulse research group at the CDC.

Principal Investigators: Dr Janine Croser (UWA),

Prof. Kadambot Siddique (UWA), Dr Philip Davies

(SARDI), Dr Monika Lülsdorf, Prof. Bert Vandenberg,

Dr Tom Warkentin (Crop Development Centre,

University of Saskatchewan)


Mark Sweetingham and JonClements examining a genotype of

pearl lupin with good yieldpotential

The CDC researchers have made promising progress toward

this goal, notably developing protocols for the routine

production of early-stage embryos from isolated

microspores in both species. The new project will bring

together the expertise of doubled haploid researchers at

the CDC, CLIMA and the South Australian Research and

Development Institute (SARDI), Adelaide. It is anticipated

that this project will lead to the development of protocols

to routinely produce doubled haploid material in field pea

and chickpea.



New strains of Phomopsis on lupinsand genetics of resistance in stems,

pods and seeds

Phomopsis (Diaporthe toxica) stem and pod blight of

lupins occurs throughout Australia and in the past has

caused lupinosis in livestock grazing stubbles and, in some

seasons, reduced yield. The 1988 release of the first resist-

ant variety, Gungurru, resulted in an immediate expansion

and subsequently the stabilisation of the industry. In some

seasons seed discolouration still reduces marketability and

growers receive dockages or cannot deliver their grain.

The project aimed to:

◗ assess the importance and spread of new strains of

phomopsis and select for resistance to species-

specific strains;

◗ develop screening tests for pod and seed resistance;

and

◗ identify the genetic basis of resistance in stems,pods

and seeds and develop populations for molecular

marker development.

Four pathotypes of the pathogen were identified with pref-

erence for different lupin species (narrow-leafed, yellow,

albus and rough-seeded lupins). In collaboration with CSIRO,

Parkville, it was shown that all four pathotypes produce

phomopsin in culture and would have the potential to

cause lupinosis in sheep. Pathotype L which preferentially

infects yellow lupins is of particular concern as no stem

resistance has been found in this species. Fortunately, our

surveys showed that pathotype L is not currently wide-

spread in the Western Australian wheatbelt but mainly

occurs in the high rainfall south-west.Stem resistance to the

corresponding pathotypes has been identified in all other

species.

Light and electron microscopy showed that pod

infection occurs mostly through pod-hairs and resistance

appears to be associated with rapid death of infected pod

hairs and epidermal cells beneath the infection site. Two


Phomopsis seed infection in cv. Kiev Mutant compared to the resistant cv. Hamburg

Principal Investigators: Dr Manisha Shankar (UWA),

Dr Mark Sweetingham (DAWA), Dr Bevan Buirchell

(DAWA), Dr Huaan Yang (DAWA),

Associate Prof. Wallace Cowling (UWA)


screening tests for pod and seed resistance have been

developed which clearly distinguish between resistant,

intermediate and susceptible types in all lupin species.

Inoculating irrigated field plots with a high density

of cultured inoculum is recommended for routine screen-

ing. Spraying spores on young primary pods in the

glasshouse is more sensitive and can be used for measur-

ing genetic segregation amongst single plants. Resistance

to pod infection has been identified in breeding lines of

narrow-leafed and yellow lupin to pathotypes A and

L, respectively.

Stem resistance in narrow-leafed lupin can be

conferred by either of two dominant genes (one in culti-

vars Gungurru and Merrit and the other in the very resist-

ant breeding line 75A:258). A cross between 75A:258 and

Merrit produced F2 plants which showed higher resistance

than either parent. An F3 family from this cross was identi-

fied as being homozygous for extreme resistance and

appears likely to carry both genes.Twenty-nine F4 families

tested uniformly homozygous for resistance as expected.

Twenty-three families were equal to or higher in resistance

than 75A:258 and have been delivered to the Australian

Coordinated Lupin Improvement Program (ACLIP) for

further evaluation.

Fourteen randomly selected F6-derived F7 families of

a cross between the seed resistant cv.Tanjil and cv.Unicrop

(susceptible to both stem and seed infection) were tested

for resistance in stems and seeds. Eight showed a similar

reaction for both stem and seed resistance, four being

homozygous susceptible and four homozygous resistant for

both traits.Two families showed homozygosity for contrary

reactions: one combined resistant stems with susceptible

seeds while the other had susceptible stems and resistant

seeds.Other families appeared heterozygous for one or both

traits.This variation in reaction of F7 families indicates that

stem and seed resistance in cv.Tanjil is controlled by differ-

ent genes.

Five homozygous resistant F2 and five homozygous

susceptible F2 plants of cross 75A:258/Unicrop were

provided to Dr H.Yang for MFLP analysis. From these three

candidate markers for very high resistance in breeding line

75A:258 were identified, two of which are co-dominant

and closely linked.



Getting the best out of cropsgenetically modified for herbicide

resistance – a risk assessment andoptimal management plan

This project will provide a quantitative analysis in

economic terms of the risks and potential benefits that will

result from the introduction of genetically modified herbi-

cide resistant crops. This analysis will allow the Australian

grains industry to make better informed decisions in an area

which will be of critical importance in the future and where

the interests of growers may differ to some degree from

those of other stakeholders. Industry interest in this area is

very high and rising as indicated by the wide coverage given

to the issue in the rural and industry press.

In this study we used Monté Carlo-based risk analy-

sis techniques to address the variability and uncertainty

inherent in weed population dynamics.We have simulated

two possible crop rotations for sequences of 30 years. One

of these is wheat–lupin–wheat–triazine tolerant (TT) canola,

and the other is wheat–lupin–wheat–Roundup Ready®

(RR) canola,both located at Wongan Hills,Western Australia.

Within these rotations, use of glyphosate as a knockdown

herbicide has been compared with use of Spray.Seed®.

Net returns have been found to fall in the longer term

in all rotations due to rising levels of herbicide resistance.

Net returns were generally highest initially but fell more

rapidly in the RR rotation where glyphosate was used as a

knockdown herbicide. Where Spray.Seed® was used as a

knockdown herbicide in the RR rotation, the initial net

return were lower but the rate of fall in net return was less.



Principal Investigators: Dr Art Diggle (DAWA),

Dr Patrick Smith (CSIRO)



Rapid recurrent selection to improveresistance to blackspot in peas

Blackspot (Mycosphaerella pinodes) is the most

damaging disease of pea in the world and impacts heav-

ily on yield and seed quality in the Australian crop.Blackspot

has become an established disease in all pea growing

regions of Australia resulting in peas being an unpopular

crop.Due to high prices and the need for more legume crops

for the medium to heavy soil types, interest in pea is increas-

ing. Blackspot cannot be controlled effectively through

chemical or cultural methods,and therefore solutions need

to come in the form of disease resistant cultivars.

Pea breeding in the past has focused on finding

major gene resistance.To date this pursuit has been unsuc-

cessful, and in light of Dr Janet Wroth’s PhD which estab-

lished the polygenic nature of resistance inheritance, it is

futile.Traditional breeding methods do not allow the pyra-

miding of multiple resistance genes.Therefore, this project

will focus on using recurrent selection to exploit resistance

genes in a population and concentrate them into elite

progeny.

This project will use a wide variety of germplasm

sources from Australia and overseas. Strong agronomic

lines from Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria

and lines from Dr Wroth’s PhD are featured with some

exotic material coming from Prof. Clive Francis’ (CLIMA)

seed collection trip to the Greek islands.The process of recur-

rent selection will also allow the stem strength qualities of

the population to be improved.New quantitative methods

will be devised to assess stem strength using physical

measures from excised stem sections.

The project will progress the population through S2

recurrent selection and by 2005, improved disease resist-

ant and improved stem strength germplasm should be

available for the Australian pea industry.


Development Corporation (GRDC) and The University of

Western Australia (UWA).

Blackspot in crop displayingclassic infection of stem, leafand pod

Principal Investigators: Mr Cameron Beeck (UWA),

Dr Janet Wroth (UWA), Associate Prof. Wallace

Cowling (UWA), Dr Tanveer Khan (DAWA)


Programmed Cell Death (PCD)inhibitor gene induced necrotrophic

fungal disease resistance in legumes

Legumes are agriculturally important in Australia

and in most parts of the world. A range of fungal diseases

are responsible for significant grain legume losses, and

become a key production constraint for Australian legume

production. Improved resistance to necrotrophic fungal

pathogens in grain legumes is the ultimate target of this

research project, because naturally occurring resistance to

these pathogens is limited in the legume gene pool.

Programmed cell death (PCD) or ‘apoptosis’ is a genet-

ically controlled mechanism in which unwanted cells are

self-destroyed. Many recent studies have shown that PCD

occurs in plants during their development and differenti-

ation stages induced either by biotic or abiotic factors.

Specific cystein proteases known as caspases (cysteinyl-

aspartate) play a crucial rule in regulating PCD.These mole-

cules have the ability to cleave very specific peptide

substrate adjacent to an aspartic acid residue, leading to the

morphological features of apoptosis.

Teguh Wijayanto checks recombinant bacterial colonies forfurther cloning

Principal Investigators: Mr Teguh Wijayanto (UWA),

Dr Susan J Barker (UWA),

Associate Prof. Wallace Cowling (UWA)


Certain caspase-specific peptide inhibitors were

found to abolish bacteria-induced PCD and enhance resist-

ance to cell death. Necrotrophs rely on induction of cell

death, and studies by Prof. D. Gilchrist, our collaborator at

University of California Davis (UCD), have shown that P35

transgenic tomatoes have reduced susceptibility to several

plant pathogens. We are testing here the hypothesis that

legume necrotrophic diseases will also be inhibited by P35

protein. This will lead to potential strategies for future

development of resistance.

The caspase inhibitor P35 gene of Baculovirus will be

genetically introduced into legume cells in an attempt to

inhibit apoptosis. Work on a gene construct is being

conducted to sub-clone the P35 gene from E.coli/pBILW

(provided by Prof. D. Gilchrist) into a suitable vector for

legume transformation (AgL0/pRM66 mcs).Transformation

of grain legumes and further transgene expression assays

(for example, PCR, Southern) will utilise the established

methods developed in CLIMA’s genetic lab.The ability of P35

gene product to inhibit plant PCD will be investigated, by

challenging the legume plants expressing the P35 gene with

a range of necrotrophic fungal pathogens.

This approach may improve the resistance of grain

legumes to pathogens that utilise apoptosis as the infec-

tion strategy.

This research is supported by an AusAid scholarship,the Grains

Research and Development Corporation (GRDC),The University

of Western Australia (UWA) and an Australian Research Council

International Linkage grant.


The Transgenic Pulse DevelopmentProject

Principal Investigators: Dr Susan Barker (UWA),

Dr Penny Smith (UWA), Dr Steve Wylie (Murdoch),

Prof. Craig Atkins (UWA), Dr T.J. Higgins (CSIRO),

Dr Linda Tabe (CSIRO), Ms Natalie Fletcher (UWA),

Ms Lisa Molvig (CSIRO), Ms Simone Chapple (UWA),

Ms Belinda Welsh (Murdoch), Mr Leon Hodgson

(UWA), Ms Priya Krishnamurthy (UWA), Ms Neroli

Davey (UWA), Ms Kanokwan Ratanasanobon

(Murdoch)


Simone Chapple with potential CMV resistantchickpeas

Diseases, competition from weeds, and nutritional

deficiencies for stock feed are some of the challenges

faced by the cool-season pulse industry. Selection of

useful traits from germplasm is the major approach to

overcome these challenges, but this can only be success-

ful where useful genes exist. Where ‘natural’ genes cannot

be found within the species, the option remains to either

bring in genes from other species, or to synthesise artifi-

cial genes.

The Transgenic Pulse Development Project

commenced in 1999 with the aim of generating pulses

with a selection of traits for enhanced productivity and

quality, and to develop a more efficient gene transfer

system. The project has its roots in earlier gene transfer

work at CLIMA by Dr Joanne Barton

and others.

A number of fungal pathogen

resistance genes isolated from other

species have been moved to lupins,

chickpea, lentils and faba beans.

Synthetic resistance genes for cucum-

ber mosaic and bean yellow mosaic

viruses were transferred to lupins and

chickpeas where appropriate.

In 2003-2004 we enter the last

year and the most exciting stage of the

project. After four years of gene trans-

fer experiments, nurturing tiny

plantlets in the laboratory, carefully

transferring the best to greenhouses,

and identification of homozygous lines,

we are now at the stage where we

have enough transgenic lines to

conduct disease resistance experi-

ments.

We have so far found 5 lupin

lines with complete immunity to BYMV,

the first time BYMV resistance has been

seen in narrow-leafed lupins. The

results were confirmed in replicated

experiments. CMV inoculations of

lupins are under way, and CMV inocula-

tions of chickpea will begin soon.

The project has commenced fungus challenge

experiments on transgenic lupins, lentils and faba beans.

In the first experiment, one lupin line showed a small but

significant improvement in tolerance to Pleiocheata root

disease.

In a PhD project, Ms Kanokwan Ratanasanobon is

investigating a number of novel ways to improve the effi-

ciency of gene transfer to lupins. The two methods that

show most promise so far are direct delivery of the gene

by shooting into the meristem 1 micron gold pellets

coated with DNA, and to force DNA into the developing

ovule under low vacuum pressure. These methods do not

yet deliver a higher efficiency of gene transfer than the

established methods, so optimisation experiments are

under way.

When lupins are fed to sheep, the low methionine

content of the grain limits meat and wool growth. A

sunflower seed albumen gene was moved into lupin to

increase the amount of methionine in the grain. The

enhanced lupin line improved live weight and wool gain

in sheep by 8% above normal lupins. Now, we are adding

a bean gene to further increase the methionine levels.


Development Corporation (GRDC)

Postgraduate students – Sub-program GL1

Name Project title UniversityMr Cameron Beeck Rapid recurrent selection to improve UWA

resistance to blackspot in peasDr Dora Li Molecular markers for CMV resistance Murdoch

in lupins Ms Vidyani Manatunga Cloning of anti-fungal antibody genes MurdochMs Christa Nicholson Cloning the pectic enzyme genes MurdochMr Visanu Somsap Transformation of narrow- and Murdoch

broad-leafed lupinsMr Teguh Wijayanto Development of fungal resistant UWA

pulse crops


Sub-program Leader:

Professor Richard Oliver


Telephone: (61) 8 9360 7404

The Disease and Pest Management Sub-program seeks toprotect grain legume crops from the threat of disease and pestsby:◗ improving our understanding of the mechanisms of patho-

genicity adopted by pests and disease-causing organisms;◗ identifying exotic threats to existing grain species;◗ improving our understanding of the mechanisms of resist-

Lupin resistance to aphids

Lupinus luteus (yellow lupin) is especially suited to,but

not restricted to, aluminium toxic acid soils where narrow-

leafed lupin tends to perform very poorly. In addition,

because of its high protein content, yellow lupin is a supe-

rior quality feed over narrow-leafed lupin for the poultry and

pig industries, and is also showing promise as a feed for the

lucrative aquaculture industry.These attributes make yellow

lupin more valuable than narrow-leafed lupin.

However, the adoption of yellow lupin by Western

Australian growers is very limited, partly because the one

cultivar in use, Wodjil, is highly aphid susceptible and

because the soils to which it is adapted are restricted.

Screenhouse trials of crossbred lines from thebreeding program

The material was not screened in the traditional way

(that is, in field trials) to avoid seasonal condition, such as

drought,which limit aphid numbers and build-up.Screening

in more sheltered conditions allowed the aphid population

to build up and facilitated the collection of tolerance infor-

mation in 2002.Plants were grown in fully enclosed screen-

houses. In August, aphids (Myzus persicae, Aphis craccivora

and Acyrthosiphon kondoi) were released into the screen-

house, allowed to multiply for several weeks and then

counted.

Lupinus luteus lines screened in 2002 included 1994

crossbreds (21 lines), 1996 crossbreds (41 lines), another

group of 1996 crossbreds (41 lines), 1997 crossbreds (37

lines), 1999 crossbreds (66 lines) and 2000 crossbreds (8

lines). Screening showed that 66% of the lines had better

aphid resistance than Wodjil.

S U B - P R O G R A M G L 2 – Disease and PestM anagement

Principal Investigators: Dr James Ridsdill-Smith

(CSIRO), Ms Françoise Berlandier (DAWA), Dr Owain

Edwards (CSIRO), Dr Yasmin Cardoza (CSIRO)


ance to pests and diseases;◗ facilitating the selection of resistant germplasm;◗ identifying and characterising germplasm that

is resistant to pests and diseases; and◗ identifying genes that could be transferred to

grain legumes that will confer resistance.Growers recognise pests and diseases as the

most important constraints to profitability in legumeproduction. In addition to crop losses that average10% to 20%, occasional devastating epidemics haveeroded grower confidence such that the continuedproduction of certain species is questioned.

Projects have focused on fungal and viraldiseases and on insect pests. The target crops havebeen lupin, faba bean, lentil and chickpea. In addition,a large basic science project has been started usingthe model legume Medicago truncatula.

The funding of the program is diversified withcontributions from GRDC, ACIAR, COGGO and GRC-WA.

This sub-program works in close coordinationwith the Division of Entomology Plant PathologySection and CSIRO, the ACNFP at Murdoch Universityand the grain legume breeding programs at DAWA.It also continues to strengthen linkages with theinternational Medicago community as exemplified bythe recent 1st Australian Medicago truncatula work-shop at Rottnest.

The aim was to enhance the screening process to

select improved material for commercial cultivar release in

2004. If the material had been screened in the traditional

way in field trials and subjected to seasonal conditions, little

or no aphid tolerance information would have been gath-

ered in 2002 as a result of the drought and lack of aphids

in some areas.

Screening crossbred lines from a resistant andsusceptible parent

Lupinus luteus material screened included F2

Wodjil/Teo crossbreds (190 lines).Aphids were mass-reared

and released into three screenhouses.At the time of release

test plants were at stages 2.7 to 3.3.Three species of aphids,

Myzus persicae, Aphis craccivora and Acyrthosiphon kondoi,

were released into the screenhouses,and aphid abundance

was assessed at flowering, on a scale of 0 to 5 where low

numbers represent low abundance.

Leaf samples were taken from each plant at the time

of aphid assessment for chemical analyses.The aphid score

on the susceptible parent Wodjil was 3.8 while on the

resistant Teo it was 0.6. However, in the F2 crossbred plants

there was a reasonable spread of resistance with 52% of

plants scoring 2 to 3.The spread of resistance among prog-

eny is more consistent with a co-dominant or incomplete

dominant inheritance of the resistance mechanisms than

with dominant or recessive inheritance.

A total of 414 lines of L. angustifolius were also

screened: Tallerack/Kalya crossed in 2000 (189 lines),

Kalya/Tallerack crossed in 1999 (43 lines) and Tanjil/Unicrop

material crossed in 1998 (182 lines). Of the 189

Tallerack/Kalya lines screened, 10% of lines were segregat-

ing,11% were highly susceptible,6% showed limited resist-

ance to aphids, and 53% were resistant.



Identifying the chemical mechanismsof resistance to aphids in lupins

The role of alkaloids in resistance to aphids in lupins

is being studied.Green plant tissue samples were extracted

of four narrow-leafed cultivars (two resistant: Tanjil, Kalya;

one moderately resistant:Belara; one susceptible:Tallerack),

and two yellow lupin cultivars (one resistant: Teo; one

susceptible: Wodjil). The total alkaloid extracts were quan-

tified and profiled using gas chromatography-mass spec-

trometry (GC-MS).

Distinct chemical profiles were observed between the

two lupin species (narrow-leafed and yellow lupins). In

Screening rows of crossbred lupins in screenhouse for resistance toaphids

Principal Investigators: Dr Shao Fang Wang (CCWA),

Dr James Ridsdill-Smith (CSIRO), Dr Neil Rothnie

(CCWA), Associate Prof. Emilio Ghisalberti (UWA),

Ms Françoise Berlandier (DAWA)


narrow-leafed lupins, several quinolizidine alkaloids were

present. However, alkaloid profiles in yellow lupin were

more diverse than in narrow-leafed lupin. In yellow lupins,

3-alkyal indole derivatives were present together with

quinolizidine.

Lines of narrow-leafed lupins which showed resist-

ance to aphid feeding contained higher levels of some

alkaloid compounds.The major alkaloid in the resistant line,

Teo, was a hundredfold the concentration to the suscepti-

ble cultivar, Wodjil.

It is suggested that different alkaloids are involved in

resistance to aphids in the two lupin species. A method to

analyse lupin alkaloids from very small samples in non-

destructive samples from single plants was developed

using GC-MS.The relationship between the levels of major

alkaloids and their derivatives in a single plant was then

compared with the resistance of this plant to aphids.

Based on data collected to date, the levels of alkaloids

in yellow lupin crossbreds from the breeding program did

not correlate with aphid performance.These crossbreds are

subject to wide crossing and it was concluded that the

different lines used may have contained different bioactive

compounds.

This year crossbred progeny were tested where the

main compounds involved in the resistance of the parents

were known. In the narrow-leafed lupins these were the

progeny of the Kalya/Tallerack cross and in the yellow

lupins they were the progeny of a Wodjil/Teo cross. Plants

were grown in the screenhouse and harvested for chemi-

cal analysis.

Aphid abundance was scored on a range of 0 to 5.

Aphid scores have been taken and the chemical analyses

are under way. Extra plants of Teo were grown in the field

to enable identification of some of the less common

compounds in this resistant cultivar.



Genetic dissection of fungal diseaseresistance in legumes using

Medicago truncatula

Fungal necrotrophic diseases are the greatest

constraint to the long-term viability of grain legume produc-

tion in Australia.Crop losses to fungal pathogens are chron-

ically high (around 25% overall).Key fungal diseases for grain

legumes include ascochyta blight and botrytis for chickpea,

faba bean and lentil; anthracnose, phomopsis, brown spot

and root rot for lupin; and black spot for field pea. Whilst

conventional plant breeding has and will continue to

provide useful resistance, it has failed to deliver the required

level of protection,particularly for diseases where no major

gene resistance exists (for example, blackspot of field peas

and brown spot and root rot of lupin).

To date, research into the underlying genetic basis of

plant resistance to necrotrophs has been limited by a lack

of genetic tools and plant models,particularly as Arabidopsis

is not a host to many necrotrophic species. Medicago trun-

catula (Mt) has many of the features of a model plant and

is much better suited for molecular genetic studies than any

of the important grain legumes.

Initially, eight accessions of Mt (17 [parent of RIL],

27192, 24968, Borung, 23654, DZ-315 [parent of RIL], 30119,

27063) are being tested against 40 different fungal

pathogens. Of these, the six most promising pathogen

species will be identified taking into account the economic

importance of each pathogen. Using these six pathogen

species the extensive Australian collection of Mt acces-

sions will be screened to identify those with the largest


Mt accessions 24968 (a) and27063 (b) showing susceptibleand resistant reactions toRhizoctonia solani (ZG3)respectively

Principal Investigators: Dr Karam Singh (CSIRO),

Prof. Richard Oliver (Murdoch), Dr Mark

Sweetingham (DAWA), Dr Manisha Shankar (UWA),

Dr Simon Ellwood (Murdoch)


difference in susceptibility versus resistance. The ultimate

aim is the identification of genes whose expression is

induced by these pathogens and which are correlated with

resistance.

At present 34 pathogens (17 foliar and 17 root) have

been tested against the eight accessions.Foliar inoculations

involve spray inoculating young shoots with high concen-

trations of spore suspensions and assessing symptom

development based on rating scales developed for each

pathogen.Root inoculations involve infesting plant growth

medium with millet-infested fungal inoculum and assess-

ing percentage root discolouration and shoot growth.

The following pathogens have been found to be

infective,showing low,moderate or high levels of differential

infection on various accessions: Ascochyta fabae,

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Diaporthe toxica (patho-

types A and L), Fusarium equiseti, F. oxysporum, Phoma

pinodella, Pleiochaeta setosa, Pythium sp., Rhizoctonia solani

(ZG1, ZG3 and the binucleate strain) and Stemphyllium vesi-

carium. Notably, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani

(ZG3) (see photo) and R. solani (binucleate strain) show

extreme responses of resistance and susceptibility in this

limited selection of ecotypes.



Integrated management of botrytisgrey mould of chickpea inBangladesh and Australia

Botrytis grey mould (BGM),caused by Botrytis cinerea,

is the most damaging disease of chickpea in Bangladesh

and has caused a substantial decline in chickpea produc-

tion during the past decade. Chickpea production in

Australia has also declined rapidly in recent years due to the

outbreak of fungal diseases including ascochyta blight and

BGM.

Breeding for resistance to ascochyta blight is under-

way through ACIAR (CS1-2000-066) and GRDC-funded proj-

ects.Varieties with significantly improved resistance to this

disease will be available to Australian growers during the

next two to five years. However, other disease problems,

notably BGM, will continue to hamper the recovery and

expansion of the chickpea industry.The future of the chick-

pea industry thus hinges on provision of varieties with

improved resistance to BGM and integrated management

packages to minimise the environmental and economic

costs of managing this disease.

This project received a very positive start with an

Inception Workshop held in Bangladesh in June 2002. The

workshop was attended by project staff and senior manage-

ment of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI),

Department of Agricultural Extension, BSMR Agricultural

University (Bangladesh) and International Centre for

Research in the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), India.The work-

shop, held over two days, examined the impact of BGM on

chickpea production in Bangladesh and outlined the scope

and execution of this project.Prof.Kadambot Siddique and

Mr Ted Knights reported on the constraints on chickpea

production in Australia and outlined the project and

proposed workplan to achieve integrated management of

BGM of chickpea in both countries.

An establishment meeting of the Australian part-

ners in the project was subsequently held in Perth on 18

September 2002. This meeting was attended by Dr Pande

Principal Investigators: Professor Kadambot

Siddique (UWA), Mr Bill MacLeod (DAWA),

Dr Mark Sweetingham (DAWA), Dr Tanveer Khan

and others (DAWA),

Mr Ted Knights (NSW Agriculture),

Dr Trevor Bretag (DNRE, Victoria), Dr Paul Taylor

(Melbourne University), Dr Abu Bakr and others

(BARI; Bangladesh), Dr Suresh Pande (ICRISAT;

India), Dr Chris Johansen and Mr Abu Musa

(Consultants, Bangladesh)

Email: ksiddique [email protected]

Chickpea germplasm being screened for BGM (Botrytis GreyMould) resistance under misting irrigation at Ishurdi, Bangladesh

from ICRISAT and Mr Alamgir from BARI and facilitated the

dispatch of seed from Australia and India for screening in

Bangladesh,Nepal and India.A total of 423 lines from chick-

pea improvement programs in New South Wales,

Queensland,Victoria and Western Australia will be screened

during the coming growing season in Bangladesh and

Nepal. Protocols were also finalised for the collection and

dispatch of B.cinerea isolates from Bangladesh and partners

in Australia to the University of Melbourne for DNA analy-

sis.

Planning for evaluation of components of integrated

management packages for BGM and insect pests of chick-

pea has commenced in Bangladesh.These evaluations will

be undertaken on an operational scale in farmers’ fields in

five districts in Bangladesh during the 2002–03 growing

season.Evaluation of the integrated management practices

will also be undertaken in Australia during the 2003 grow-

ing season to ensure they are viable in a system where

ascochyta blight is the major constraint.

This research is supported by the Australian Centre for

International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

Host resistance, epidemiology andintegrated management of faba

bean, chickpea and lentil diseases – WAcomponent

This project aims to improve the yield of pulse crops,

particularly faba bean,chickpea and lentil, in Australia as well

as central and west Asian countries.Yield improvement will

be achieved through identification of sources of resistance

to major disease in these areas,and through a better under-

standing of pathogen variability and disease epidemiology.

Ultimately, improved resistance will be incorporated into

locally adapted varieties to be used as key components of

integrated disease management strategies based on an

improved understanding of the diseases. This project also

includes pre-emptive screening and breeding for resistance

to exotic soil-borne diseases of faba bean, chickpea and

lentil, in order to minimise the impact on these crops in the

unfortunate event of the incursion of one or more of these

diseases into Australia.

Mr MacLeod and project staff from other Australian

partners in the project visited ICARDA in March and April

2002.The visit provided an opportunity to exchange infor-

mation and to initiate experimental work which will help

to confirm current knowledge of the epidemiology of foliar

diseases of pulses.Participants also inspected chickpea, lentil

and faba bean germplasm in disease screening nurseries

and gained first-hand knowledge of fusarium wilt of chick-

pea and lentil. Chickpea and lentil lines from breeding

programs in Australia have been sent to Syria for inclusion

in the fusarium wilt nurseries as part of the pre-emptive

screening effort planned within this project.

Evaluation of components of integrated manage-

ment of ascochyta blight of chickpea was undertaken in

Syria by ICARDA in the 2001–02 growing season.This work

was conducted in large scale plots on government research

stations and also in farmers’ fields and demonstrated the

value of sowing varieties with improved resistance, delay-

ing sowing and using seed-dressing and foliar fungicides.

It is anticipated that the efficacy of foliar fungicide appli-

cations will be improved through increased understanding

of the epidemiology of the pathogen that causes the

disease.

The epidemiology studies of the pathogens that

cause ascochyta blight in each of the pulse species are

providing knowledge of the conditions that promote the

major spore release and distribution of the spores.This work

has been conducted at a limited number of sites in Western

Australia and needs to be validated in further environ-

ments:an arrangement has been made for complementary

work to be undertaken in Syria. These epidemiological

observations are being simulated in computer models

being developed by researchers at the Department of

Agriculture Western Australia.




ICARDA faba bean germplasm screening at Lattakia, Syria. (Left toright) Mr Mohamad Mounzer Kabakebji (Germplasm expert,ICARDA), Bassam Bayaa (PlantPathologist, ICARDA), ShaabanKhalil (Faba bean Breeder, ICARDA), BillMacLeod (PlantPathologist, DAWA)

Principal Investigators: Mr Bill MacLeod (DAWA),

Professor Kadambot Siddique (UWA), Dr Mark

Sweetingham (DAWA), Dr Tanveer Khan (DAWA),

Dr Harry Marcellos (NSW Agriculture), Dr Trevor

Bretag (DNRE, Victoria), Dr Jeff Paull (University of

Adelaide), Dr Bassan Bayaa and others (ICARDA)


Fast tracking ascochyta resistant,high quality kabuli chickpeavarieties for Australia

Ascochyta blight (Aschochyta rabiei) is the most

damaging disease of chickpea in most parts of the world

and has caused widespread yield losses in Australia since

its first outbreak in South Australia in 1996.The disease has

subsequently become established in all chickpea growing

regions (except central Queensland and the Ord River

Irrigation Area,Western Australia) resulting in a rapid drop

in the chickpea area.This decline reflects the susceptibility

of current varieties and the high cost of protecting the crop

with fungicides. Although aschochyta blight can be

managed with strategic fungicide applications, this will

not be a viable long-term option, economically or envi-

ronmentally.The future of the chickpea industry thus hinges

on provision of varieties with high levels of resistance to

ascochyta.

A large number (>1500) of kabuli chickpea lines

(crossbreds) from breeding programs at the International

Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA),

Syria,and the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute (AARI),

Turkey, were screened in Turkey for ascochyta resistance in

a GRDC-funded project through CLIMA during 1998 to

2000 (UWA 248NR).Promising lines (> 300) exhibiting good

disease resistance and agronomic potential were selected

and imported to Australia between 1998 and 2000 and were

further evaluated in Western Australia and the eastern

States.Twenty-eight of these crossbred lines have been iden-

tified with superior ascochyta resistance, large seed size and

high seed yield potential with immediate prospects for

direct development into varieties for production in Australia.

The current project will progress one or two of the

ascochyta resistant kabuli chickpea lines towards release as

commercial varieties. Major activities include seed bulk up

at Carnarvon,and Australia-wide yield and seed quality test-

ing. In 2002 yield evaluation trials at Dongara showed some

promising results. It is anticipated that the first ascochyta

blight resistant chickpea variety from this project will be

commercially released in 2004.The release of large-seeded

ascochyta resistant kabuli chickpea varieties for growers will

be a major boost to the industry, particularly given that a

high value, ready market for kabuli chickpea exists.

This research is funded by the Council of Grain Growers

Organisations Limited (COGGO).

Kadambot Siddique (left) and Mike Baker in a seed bulk up of apromising line of ascochyta blight resistant kabuli chickpea atCarnarvon in 2002

Principal Investigators: Professor Kadambot

Siddique (UWA), Ms Kerry Regan (DAWA),

Dr Peter White (DAWA), Mr Mike Baker (DAWA),

Prof. Clive Francis (UWA)


Quantifying yield losses caused bythe non-necrotic strain of bean

yellow mosaic virus in lupin

In the 2001 growing season, field experiments with

non-necrotic bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV) and lupin (cv.

Tanjil) provided grain yield loss data. Department of

Agriculture Research Station sites at Badgingarra and

Avondale were used. To obtain a range of different inci-

dences of infection,small numbers of clover plants infected

with non-necrotic BYMV and infested with green peach

aphids (Myzus persicae) were introduced into plots in each

experiment.

In the plots, non-necrotic BYMV spread from the

introduced infector plants causing obvious symptoms of leaf

mottle and plant stunting. Incidence of virus infection

within plots was related to the magnitude of the initial virus

source, that is, the introduced clover infector plants. At

Badgingarra, yield was decreased by 21%, 39% and 63% in

plots with 4, 8 or 16 infector plants, respectively. Similar

results were obtained at Avondale where yield was

decreased by 24%, 31% and 62% in plots with 4, 8 or 18

infector plants, respectively. This work confirms that non-

necrotic BYMV strains have considerable yield limiting

potential when they infect lupin in the Western Australian

grain belt.

Although the scenario these results represent is a year

when aphids arrive relatively early in crops, the increasingly

widespread occurrence of non-necrotic strains in the region

is cause for concern for the lupin industry.



Quantifying yield losses caused bybeet western yellows virus in

canola

In the 2001 growing season at two Department of

Agriculture Research Station sites (Badginagarra and

Medina), field experiments with beet western yellows virus

(BWYV) and canola were undertaken to provide yield loss

information. To obtain early BWYV spread and high inci-

dences of infection,small numbers of canola plants infected

with BWYV and infested with green peach aphids (Myzus

persicae) were introduced into plots of some treatments in

each experiment. Foliar pyrethroid + imidacloprid insecti-

cide applications were used to suppress BWYV spread

differentially within the treatments. Blanket insecticide

sprays were eventually needed at both sites to prevent

substantial BWYV infection of control plots.

At Badgingarra, BWYV infection in plots with infec-

tor plants but without insecticide spray treatments (up

until 12 weeks from emergence) reached 98% of plants

compared with 8% infection in plots with no infector plants

and regular spray treatments starting at emergence, giving

yield losses of 37%.At Medina,BWYV infection in plots with

infector plants but without insecticide spray treatments (up

until three months from sowing) reached 93% compared

with 10% infection in plots with no infector plants and regu-

lar spray treatments, giving yield losses of 46%. Early aphid

numbers before plots were sprayed were insufficient to have

contributed directly to the yield losses.This work shows that

when aphids spread it to canola crops early, BWYV has

substantial yield limiting potential in the Western Australian

grain belt.



Influence of climate on aphidoutbreaks and virus epidemics in

canola

Large, square blocks of canola were established in

1999,2000 and 2001 at DAWA Research Stations at Merredin

(average annual rainfall 330 mm), Avondale (av. 420 mm),

Badgingarra (av. 600 mm) and Mount Barker (av. 750 mm).

The blocks were sown adjacent to wild radish weeds,poten-

tial sources of beet western yellows virus (BWYV). Sites

were visited every two to three weeks during the growing

season.

When the key BWYV vector, the green peach aphid,

predominated, early aphid arrival in canola led to substan-

tial BWYV spread.However, when the predominant species

was turnip aphid (Lipaphis erysime), early aphid arrival did

not lead to substantial BWYV spread. Late aphid arrival

always resulted in low BWYV incidence.

Rainfall promotes growth of weed and pasture plants

which aphids can build up on before flying to crops.When

there is little pre-growing season rainfall over summer,

aphids and BWYV can persist only in isolated pockets of


Principal Investigators: Dr Roger Jones (DAWA),

Ms Brenda Coutts (DAWA)


Principal Investigators: Dr Roger Jones (DAWA), Ms

Jenny Hawkes (UWA)


Principal Investigators:

Dr Debbie Thackray (UWA), Ms Jenny Hawkes

(UWA), Dr Roger Jones (DAWA)


surviving vegetation, so aphid build-up and migration to

crops is delayed.Early aphid arrival always followed substan-

tial rainfall in the two months preceding the growing

season. When little rain fell in March–April, aphids arrived

late.The only exception was Merredin in 2001 when turnip

aphids arrived in mid-June but green peach aphids were

not seen until mid-August.



Forecasting aphid outbreaks andcucumber mosaic virus epidemics in

lupin crops in a Mediterranean-typeclimate

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) causes a serious

disease of narrow-leafed lupin. It is seed-borne in lupin and

seed-infected plants act as the primary virus source for

secondary spread by aphid vectors within crops. Infection

with CMV causes yield losses of up to 60% in epidemic years,

but in years when spread is limited it has little impact on

yield. Aphids also cause sporadic yield losses due to direct

feeding damage.

A simulation model was developed to forecast aphid

outbreaks and CMV epidemics in lupin crops growing

in the grain belt of south-west Australia, which has a

Mediterranean-type climate.The model uses rainfall during

late summer and early autumn to calculate an index of aphid

build-up on weeds, crop volunteers and self-regenerating

annual pastures in each grain belt locality before the grow-

ing season commences in late autumn. The index is used

to forecast the timing of aphid immigration into crops.

The subsequent aphid build-up and movement

within the crop, spread of CMV from virus-infected source

plants within the crop, yield losses and percentage of

harvested seed infected are calculated. The model evalu-

ates the effects of different sowing dates, percentages of

CMV infection in seed sown, and plant densities on virus

spread. The model simulations were validated with up to

14 years of field data from seven different sites in the grain

belt, representing a wide range of pre-growing season

rainfall scenarios, sowing dates, percentages of infection in

seed sown and plant densities.

The model was incorporated into a decision support

system for use by lupin farmers and agricultural consultants

in planning CMV management and targeting sprays against

aphid feeding damage. The inputs required from the user

are cultivar, anticipated emergence date, percentage CMV

infection in seed sown, plant density and location. The

output consists of a personalised risk forecast for the user

and includes predictions for date of aphid arrival, aphid

numbers, CMV spread, final virus incidence, yield loss due

to infection and percentage infection in harvested seed.The

model can serve as a template for modelling similar

virus/aphid vector pathosystems in other regions of the

world, especially those with Mediterranean-type climates.

Further information is available at:-

http//www.agric.wa.gov.au/lupinvirus



Incidence of virus diseases in chickpeaat different sites in 2000 and 2001

In 2000 and 2001, blocks were sown with chickpea

(cv. Sona) at DAWA Research Station sites at Avondale,

Merredin and Mount Barker (and at Badgingarra in 2000).

The blocks were sown adjacent to wild radish weeds,poten-

tial sources of beet western yellows virus (BWYV).Cucumber

mosaic virus (CMV)-infected chickpea transplants (30 per

block) were introduced into each sampling area after seed-

ing but before germination to simulate 2% seed infection

in the blocks.

Principal Investigators: Dr Debbie Thackray (UWA),

Dr Art Diggle (DAWA), Ms Françoise Berlandier

(DAWA), Dr Roger Jones (DAWA)


Principal Investigators: Ms Jenny Hawkes (UWA),

Dr Debbie Thackray (UWA),

Dr Roger Jones (DAWA)


Debbie Thackray examining canola plants for presence of aphidsand virus symptoms

In 2000,BWYV was detected infecting chickpea blocks

at Department of Agriculture sites at Badgingarra,Merredin

and Mount Barker. CMV was also found at Badgingarra.

Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) was the only virus detected at

Avondale. In 2001, all three viruses were detected at

Merredin and Mount Barker, with BWYV and CMV both

found at Avondale. A high level of BWYV infection was

present at Merredin.

Aphids seldom colonise chickpea, however, winged

aphids moving through chickpea crops and probing while

searching for their preferred hosts can lead to considerable

virus spread when they arrive and start spreading early.Due

to the late arrival of aphids in both years at most sites, only

low levels of virus spread were anticipated in most of the

chickpea blocks.This is what transpired with CMV and AMV.

The incidence of BWYV found at Merredin in 2001 was

surprisingly high and is cause for concern, as regards likely

infection levels in chickpea crops in years of earlier aphid

arrival. There was greater summer rain at this site than at

the others in 2001 leading to relatively earlier aphid arrival,

with aphids first seen in late August.



Over-summering reservoirs of barleyyellow dwarf virus in a

Mediterranean-type environment

The grain belt of south-west Australia has a strict

Mediterranean climate. The dry summer poses a major

constraint on the ability of barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV)

to survive between winter growing seasons. Perennial

grasses surviving in roadside ditches,at edges of creeks and

in soaks act as infection reservoirs from which epidemics

start each year within crops. The magnitude of BYDV-

infected grass reservoirs and their proximity to crops are key

factors in predicting likelihood of yield losses from BYDV.

Information was therefore sought on the magnitude of

BYDV-infected grass reservoirs over two summers.

Tissue blot immunoassay was used to detect BYDV.

In 2000,BYDV was detected in grasses surviving during late

January to early April in 32% of 190 sites throughout the

grain belt, while in 2001 it was found in 19% of 176 sites.

Key perennial grass hosts were Cynodon dactylon, Eragrostis

curvula and Pennisetum clandestinum. Key annual grass

hosts were Chloris virgata and C.truncata. In both years,BYDV

infection was spread throughout the region but was greater

than expected in low to medium rainfall zones.When sites

were categorised according to actual non-growing season

rainfall data (November to April) rather than by rainfall

zone,virus incidence corresponded with amount of rainfall.

These results explain both the survival of BYDV over summer

in the grain belt despite the limited rainfall and the subse-

quent BYDV occurrence in cereal crops.




Lisa Smith sampling for thesurvey of aphid and virusincidence in over-summeringvegetation

Principal Investigators: Ms Jenny Hawkes (UWA),

Ms Lisa J Smith (UWA), Dr Roger Jones (DAWA)


Forecasting aphid outbreaks andepidemics of barley yellow dwarf

virus: a decision support system for aMediterranean-type climate

A simulation model was developed to forecast aphid

outbreaks and epidemics of barley yellow dwarf virus

(BYDV) in cereal crops in the grain belt of south-west

Australia, which has a Mediterranean-type climate. The

model uses rainfall during late summer and early autumn

to calculate an index of aphid build-up on grasses and

cereal volunteers in each locality before the winter grow-

ing season. The index is used to forecast the timing of

aphid immigration into crops. A variable proportion of

aphids is designated as carrying BYDV from external source

plants into crops.The subsequent build-up and movement

of aphids in the crop,BYDV spread and yield losses are calcu-

lated.

The model was validated with three years’ field data

from four different sites, representing a wide range of pre-

growing season rainfall scenarios.The model was incorpo-

rated into a decision support system (DSS), for use in

targeting insecticide sprays against BYDV vectors

(http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/bydv). The inputs from the

user are cultivar, sowing date, plant density and location.

Predictions for date of aphid arrival, aphid numbers, BYDV

spread, potential yield losses and insecticide usage are

given.This DSS can serve as a template for modelling other

virus/aphid vector pathosystems in regions with

Mediterranean-type climates.



Effects of strain-specifichypersensitive resistance on

temporal patterns of virus spread

Spread of necrotic and non-necrotic strains of bean

yellow mosaic virus (BYMV) was compared when aphid

vectors moved both types from external or internal virus

sources to plots of Lupinus spp. (lupin). Regardless of

whether virus sources were internal or external, removed

or left in place,and whether the spread was within plots with

homologous sources or across buffers to plots containing

the opposite type of virus source,non-necrotic BYMV always

spread faster than necrotic BYMV in plots of L. angustifolius

(narrow-leafed lupin).

When necrotic BYMV spread from external sources

into plots sown with two L. angustifolius genotypes differ-

ing in their necrosis responses to different BYMV strain

groups and one genotype of L. luteus (yellow lupin) giving

only non-necrotic responses, differing symptom reactions

in the two L.angustifolius genotypes revealed the presence

of two distinct necrotic BYMV strain groups.

Overall, virus spread was greater in this species than

in L. luteus. Spread of non-necrotic BYMV in L. angustifolius

was always polycyclic in nature. However, when it came

initially from external sources, spread of necrotic BYMV

was largely monocyclic. This work demonstrates how

temporal virus spread can be diminished when hypersen-

sitive (necrotic) resistance is deployed and the limitations

associated with employing hypersensitivity that is strain

specific.



Effects of strain-specifichypersensitive resistance on spatial

patterns of virus spread

Spatial patterns of spread were compared between

strains of bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV) that differ in

causing systemic necrotic (hypersensitive) or non-necrotic

symptoms in narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius).

Both types were spread by aphids from external or inter-

nal virus sources to lupins in plots. Cumulative spatial data

for plants that developed typical disease symptoms at

different stages in the growing period were assessed using

Spatial Analysis by Distance IndicEs (SADIE).

With non-necrotic BYMV, clustering of plants with

symptoms increased gradually over time,while with necrotic

BYMV there was less clustering and little increase over

time.When clustering data for plants with newly recorded

symptoms was tested for spatial association between

successive assessment dates, association was stronger for

the non-necrotic type, declining as the time lag increased.

Association was strongest for assessments two to three

weeks apart.


Dr Roger Jones (DAWA)


Principal Investigators: Ms Yvonne Cheng (UWA),

Dr Roger Jones (DAWA), Dr Debbie Thackray (UWA)



Ms Lisa J. Smith (UWA), Ms Yvonne Cheng (UWA),

Prof. Joe Perry (IACR, Rothamsted Experimental

Station, UK), Dr Roger Jones (DAWA)


The combination of clustering and association analy-

ses showed that spread of non-necrotic BYMV is less diffuse,

with considerably more localised infection surrounding

infection sources.This work demonstrates how spatial virus

spread can be diminished when hypersensitive (necrotic)

resistance is deployed, and the limitations associated with

employing hypersensitivity that is strain specific.



Generating a full length infectiousclone of cucumber mosaic virus to

determine avirulance regions

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is a well-recognised

major pathogen of a range of crops, including lupins

(Lupinus spp.), other legumes, cucurbits and Solanaceae. In

Australia, CMV subgroup II isolates damage narrow-leafed

lupin (L. angustifolius) and L. albus crops.Some L. hispanicus

and yellow lupin (L. luteus) accessions display resistance to

CMV subgroup II isolates and most CMV subgroup I isolates

by the induction of a hypersensitive response, restricting

systemic movement.

However, one subgroup I isolate overcomes this

hypersensitive response and moves systemically within

the host.The response segregates in a 3:1 ratio (hypersen-

sitive: susceptible) in L. luteus, indicating that a single domi-

nant gene, Ncm-1, is responsible. The avirulence (Avr)

determinant(s) in CMV for this interaction have not been

determined. To achieve this, full-length cDNA clones of

subgroup II CMV isolate LY have been made and a vector

is being constructed to test the infectivity of these clones.

The resistance breaking subgroup I CMV isolate SL is also

being cloned and an infectious clone being constructed.

The Avr determinants will be mapped by sequentially

swapping domains of the resistance-breaking CMV-SL

isolate with those of the CMV-LY clone,then infecting resist-

ant L. hispanicus and L. luteus genotypes with the hybrid

viruses. Domains from hybrid viruses capable of overcom-

ing the resistance phenotype will then be mapped in finer

detail by further sequential deletions and sequence analy-

sis.The 2b gene and RNA 3 of the CMV genome have been

shown to contain avirulance determinants in other plant

virus interactions and are likely candidates for this study.


Development Corporation (GRDC) and the Department of

Agriculture Western Australia (DAWA).

Molecular studies of ascochytablight disease in chickpea

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the third most impor-

tant grain legume grown worldwide with approximately 9

million tonnes produced in 1999.Australia is the fifth largest

producer and second largest exporter of chickpea world-

wide. Ascochyta blight (Aschochyta rabiei) is the most

damaging disease of chickpea.

A lack of strong resistance in the Australian breeding

germplasm is a serious problem for chickpea improve-

ment. Results from international studies indicate that one

or more major genes,buffered by a few minor genes,confer

resistance/tolerance to ascochyta blight. Identification of

genes and molecular events controlling resistance/suscep-

tibility will greatly enhance our ability to develop new

strategies for durable disease control.

To gain a better understanding of genetic factors that

control resistance to ascochyta blight in chickpea we have

established national and international collaborations that

take advantage of individual strengths and available

resources. This includes the generation of suitable

germplasm for molecular analyses, construction of molec-

ular resources for biological experiments, implementation

of bioinformatics tools for comparative genomic studies and

production of gene-specific markers for marker-assisted

breeding. Together, these resources will significantly

enhance our ability to study inherent disease responses in

chickpea, which in turn will lead to the generation of new

knowledge for developing useful tools for cultivar improve-

ment.

Current activities and collaborations include:

◗ development of desi chickpea mapping populations

for marker discovery;

◗ development of desi recombinant inbred lines from

crosses of resistant and susceptible lines for mapping

resistance genes;

◗ introduction of kabuli recombinant inbred lines used

to develop the only linkage map for ascochyta blight

resistance (courtesy Dr Fred Muehlbauer, US

Department of Agriculture);

◗ development of gene-specific markers (courtesy Prof.

Doug Cook, University of California, Davis);

◗ construction of cDNA libraries based on resistance

and susceptible lines identified in chickpea screen-

ing trials of the Department of Agriculture Western

Australia; and


Principal Investigators: Mr John H Blinco (Murdoch),

Dr Stephen J Wylie (Murdoch), Prof. Mike Jones

(Murdoch)


Principal Investigators: Ms Hui Phing Loo (Murdoch),Ms Tatjana Balint (DAWA), Dr Tanveer Khan(DAWA), Prof. Kadambot Siddique (UWA), Prof.Mike Jones (Murdoch), Dr Geoffrey Dwyer(Murdoch) Email: [email protected]

◗ application of a range of in-house and public domain

bioinformatics tools for comparative sequence analy-

sis with Medicago truncatula and other plant

genomes.

This research is supported by an International Postgraduate

Research Scholarship at Murdoch University and the Division

of Research and Development, Murdoch University.

Incorporation of pea weevil resistanceinto a cultivar field pea

An accession from a wild relative (Pisum fulvum) of

field pea (P. sativum) has previously been identified as

having resistance to pea weevil (Bruchus pisorum).An in situ

pod screening technique was used to detect resistance.

Plants were screened for a range of phenotypic traits (seed

size, flowering habit, branching habit, yield) to make up a

‘Wildness Index’.Selected progeny from an interspecific cross

was advanced from F2 to F6 by selfing. At each generation,

the most resistant and susceptible extremes were advanced,

and ‘wildness’ scores also annotated.

Two backcross cycles have been performed between

the most resistant material (selected at F5) and adapted

Western Australian lines as recurrent parent. From a test

population of 149 BC1F2 plants, five were 100% resistant, 45

were 100% susceptible and 99 plants showed an interme-

diary response (1-99% susceptible). Three resistant BC1F2

lines with a better than average ‘wildness’ranking (morpho-

logically similar to traditional field pea varieties) were

selected for a second backcross. This material has been

harvested, and a third backcross will be conducted on

plants expressing pea weevil resistance.

DNA fragments co-segregating with resistance and

susceptibility were identified in a test F3 population using

the technique of amplified fragment length polymorphism

(AFLP). Ten AFLP bands polymorphic for pea weevil resist-

ance were isolated, cloned and sequenced. Based on the

AFLP sequence data, ten primer pairs were developed and

applied in rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

Several of the primer pairs can be distinguished between

resistant and susceptible parents; the remaining will require

conversion to distinguish between them.Work is current in

screening progeny with the rapid PCR test. The combina-

tion of glasshouse evaluation for resistance and other

phenotypic characters and concomitant molecular marker

screening should identify the best lines to optimise the iden-

tification of resistant plants with more adapted background.




Student name Project title UniversityMr John Blinco Alternative strategies for control of Murdoch

CMV and BYMV in lupinMs Hui Phing Loo Molecular studies of ascochyta blight Murdoch

disease in chickpeaMs Oonagh Byrne Incorporation of pea weevil resistance UWA

into a cultivar field pea

Ms Oonagh Byrne (UWA), Dr Darryl Hardie (DAWA)


Oonagh Byrne with field peas in the glasshouse at the Departmentof Agriculture WA

S U B - P R O G R A M G L 3 – Agro-ecologica l Adaptat ion

Abiotic stresses are diverse and insidious and include drought, heat andcold stress, waterlogging, herbicide-induced stress and nutrient deficiency ortoxicity. The objective of the Agro-ecological Adaptation Sub-program is tounderstand the physiological,biochemical and molecular basis of a plant’s inter-actions with its environment and to use this knowledge to assist breedersthrough improved methods to screen for abiotic stresses.This will aid the plantbreeders in the development of varieties with improved adaptation to abiotic(climatic and edaphic) stresses and thus greater and more reliable yield andenable agronomists to better match genotypes to particular environments inorder to maximise grain production.

Lentil and Lathyrus in the cropping systems of Nepal: improving crop

establishment and yield of relay andpost-rice sown pulses in the Terai andMid-hills

There has been outstanding progress in terms of

screening for fusarium wilt resistance. At ICARDA more

than 2000 accessions were tested. Some, like ILL 7167,

showed strong resistance. The international nursery was

established in Nepal at two sites.At Khumultar in 2002 over

30 varieties showed resistance whilst one, ILL 6256, was

highly resistant. ILL 8188 and ILL 7892 were disease-free in

the ICARDA nursery trial at Nepalgunj. This screening will

be more definitive next year as the newly established ‘wilt

sick’plots in Nepal increase in inoculum levels and in unifor-

mity.

Adaptation to acid soil is an important characteris-

tic for some areas of Nepal and involves the lentils and asso-

ciated rhizobia.Rhizobial strains RRI 590 and RRI 607 selected

from collections made by Dr Jo Slattery in Nepal provide a

new source of acid tolerance.

The genotype by environment (G x E) study is in its

second year at Australian sites (two in Victoria and one in

Western Australia) and will be continued with two sites in

Nepal again. Data so far are inconclusive but indicate little

cross adaptation of Australian selected cultivars in Nepal.


Sub-program Leader:

Adjunct Professor

Neil C. Turner


Telephone: (61) 8 9333 6612

Plans for current and future seed increase and the

release of best performing lentils were put in place by Mr

R Neupane in consultation with Dr A Sarker of ICARDA.This

process will be augmented with specific project funds in

2002–03.The ICARDA lines selected in Nepal (ILL 6829, ILL

7537, ILL 7979 and ILL 7164) could constitute the next

batch for future seed increase and farmer participation.



Traits for yield improvement of chickpea for drought-prone

environments of India and Australia

Chickpea is the third largest legume crop globally and

is predominantly grown in the winter dry season under

stored soil moisture conditions in subtropical agro-ecosys-

tems (such as the Indian subcontinent) and under autumn-

or spring-sowing in Mediterranean-type climates else-

where. In both types of environment water shortages can

occur at any stage, but the likelihood of terminal drought

predominates. In the Western Australian context this has

been vividly demonstrated by very dry cropping seasons

in recent years (2000, 2002).

The focus of this project has been to identify geno-

types with improved performance under terminal drought

stress and to describe the traits associated with this success.

In addition,the project has improved our linkages with India

(responsible for about 70% of the world’s chickpea produc-

tion) by facilitating interaction between scientists from

both countries.

Principal Investigators: Prof. Clive Francis (UWA),

Prof. Kadambot Siddique (UWA), Dr Colin Hanbury

(UWA), Mr Ram Neupane (NARC), Ms Renuka

Shrestha (NARC), Ms Sharada Joshi (NARC),

Dr Ashutosh Sarker (ICARDA), Mr Michael Materne

(VIDA),

Dr Jo Slattery (Rutherglen Research Institute)


Principal Investigators: Dr Jens Berger (UWA),

Adjunct Prof. Neil C Turner (CSIRO),



The first phase of the project generated a large

amount of data in a Indo-Australian G x E study compris-

ing 26 site—year combinations with 45 to 76 genotypes per

site, and a smaller number of detailed physiological trials

comprising far fewer genotypes subjected to varying

degrees of moisture stress.This data will be comprehensively

analysed in the second phase of the project, and the signif-

icance of specific traits such as osmotic adjustment and dry

matter remobilisation tested in recombinant inbred lines.

Preliminary results indicate strong G x E interaction

in both countries. Nevertheless, stable, high yielding geno-

types significantly more productive than most Australian

cultivars have been identified and brought to the attention

of breeders in both countries. The inclusion of this

germplasm will strengthen breeding programs in Australia

and India.The future augurs well for continued interaction

between both countries. In early 2003 a series of short

courses on experimental design, spreadsheet techniques

and statistical analysis will be conducted in India and Nepal.


International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and the Grains

Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Christiane

Ludwig, Renee Buck and Rebecca Tideswell have provided

invaluable technical assistance.

Biological activity and organic matterin no-tillage systems and their

contribution to crop production

A new nitrogen fertiliser decision tool, called Select

Your Nitrogen (SYN), that accounts for the effects of tillage

on nitrogen mineralisation has been created. SYN allows

management strategies to be compared in terms of rela-

tive availability of nitrogen and impact on yield, grain qual-

ity and dollars. These comparisons facilitate the

development of customised recommendations that account

for conditions peculiar to a particular district, grower or

paddock. For example, a farmer’s current situation and

management procedures can be entered and compared

with the outcomes that would result from any contemplated

changes in management. SYN has been officially released

and is being distributed to agricultural extension special-

ists and consultants though a series of workshops.To date

workshops have been held in Northam, Geraldton,

Katanning and Esperance and about 100 specialists have

received copies of SYN and training in its use.



Germplasm enhancement fortolerance to low temperature and

its application to chickpea breeding

The Mediterranean-type regions of southern Australia

require grain legume crops that flower and pod early and

have the ability to set pods at low temperatures in order

to achieve a high yield in water limited environments. To

this end, CLIMA has carried out a germplasm enhance-

ment program that developed segregating material and

applied it to the Department of Agriculture Western

Australia’s (DAWA) chickpea breeding.

Three advanced breeding lines were developed

through this collaboration that combine tolerance to low

temperature at flowering and improved resistance to

ascochyta blight. These lines are currently being tested in

Crop Variety Testing of DAWA and also in DAWA’s fungicide

trials to develop a suitable agronomic package.It is expected

that one of these lines will be released for commercial

production in the near future.

Two biotechnology-based methods for chickpea

improvement were used in the project, firstly, the selection

of desirable alleles during the haploid phase of growth by

pollen selection, and secondly, screening for molecular

markers closely associated with chilling tolerance.

Comparisons between chilling tolerant and sensi-

tive genotypes were used to examine the effect of stress

Principal Investigators: Dr Art Diggle (DAWA),

Dr Margaret Roper (CSIRO)


Dr Heather Clarke (UWA), Dr Tanveer Khan (DAWA),



No-till farmers, as represented by the Western

Australian No-Till Farmers Association (WANTFA), recog-

nise the importance of changed mineralisation rates to

optimum choice of fertilisers in no-till systems. They are

concerned that the existing nitrogen fertiliser recommen-

dation systems were developed from experiments on tilled

systems and consequently are inaccurate for no-till. This

concern is addressed in this project through experimental

work and through the production of an updated nitrogen

fertiliser decision tool.

The rate of nitrogen mineralisation that occurs under

a range of tillage intensities has been measured through

four consecutive seasons in a typical Western Australian

wheat–lupin rotation. The experimental site is located at

Gabby Quoi Quoi, Western Australia. Results indicate that

nitrogen mineralisation is reduced in the first year after the

adoption of a no-till system, but returns to levels similar to

those in tilled systems in subsequent years.

Improving pod photosynthesis andyield in lupins

Selection for increased rates of foliar net photosyn-

thesis has been suggested as an effective means for improv-

ing productivity of grain and forage crops. In addition to

photosynthate from leaves, it is widely recognised that an

effective contribution to yields of seed crops can be made

through the photosynthetic activity of the enveloping

green parts of fruiting structures, although the efficiency

of such structures in this respect has been shown to vary

widely between and within species. In cereals, for instance,

photosynthetic activity in glumes and awns reportedly

contributes as much as 50% to 75% to developing grain.

In Brassica, the siliqua (pod) wall photosynthesis is reported

to contribute from 32% to 70% to seed yield. In chickpea

the recycling of carbon within the pod gas space has been

found to contribute significantly to seed filling, especially

when leaf photosynthesis is declining rapidly due to soil

water deficits.

A mutant genotype of narrow-leafed lupin was iden-

tified that had elevated chlorophyll content in its vegeta-

tive and reproductive tissue, particularly in stem and pod

wall. Photosynthetic rates during the day were up to four

times higher in attached intact pods of the mutant than in

the parental wild-type cv.Merrit, but pods of the two geno-

types responded closely in terms of dark respiration rates.

The reduced plant height of the mutant was completely

restored to that of its parent by application of gibberellic


on reproduction. A pollen selection technique was then

used for breeding, whereby the ovule of a susceptible vari-

ety is successfully fertilised by a pollen grain whose pollen

tube competitively wins the race for fertilisation under

chilling stress conditions.This technique has been adopted

in the chickpea improvement project at CLIMA.

Molecular markers have been associated with the

chilling tolerance trait in a segregating population from a

cross between a chilling tolerant breeding line from ICRISAT

and a sensitive Australian variety. Bulk segregant analysis

was used to rapidly screen a large number of bands based

on amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP).

Specific primers have been developed for the most closely

linked markers for use as a simple probe for routine screen-

ing of cold tolerance.These are now being tested in segre-

gating hybrid populations.

This project demonstrates that novel approaches

can be used in combination with traditional breeding to

successfully develop chilling tolerant chickpea.New meth-

ods and useful variations identified in hybrid lines at CLIMA

have been incorporated into the Australian Coordinated

Chickpea Improvement Program (ACCIP).



Chickpea breeding lines arescreened for cold tolerance atWilliams in 2002. (Left to right,Dominique Kennaird, HeatherClarke, Jenny Carter)

Principal Investigators: Dr Jon Clements (UWA),

Prof. John Pate (UWA), Dr Qifu Ma (UWA)


acid, without appreciable dilution of its high stem chloro-

phyll content. Stomatal frequencies on pod wall surfaces

were slightly elevated in the mutant compared with simi-

larly sized pods of the parent, but leaf stomatal densities

were closely similar between genotypes.Higher chlorophyll

contents of pod wall tissues reduced the level of light

transmission to developing seeds of the mutant in compar-

ison to its parent.The increased rates of photosynthesis in

pods did not, however, translate into any increase in seed

yield in the mutant,which was found to produce lower yield

than Merrit.

Crosses have been made to combine elevated chloro-

phyll levels with normal plant height and biomass. This

material may be investigated further, both experimentally

and through the lupin breeding program.

To examine variation for chlorophyll contents of

tissues among a historical collection of 21 narrow-leafed

lupin cultivars released in Australia from 1967 to 1999,

samples of leaves, stem and pod wall were taken at 35 days

after anthesis from a replicated plot trial grown at Wongan

Hills Research Station. Yield was positively correlated with

leaf chlorophyll concentration (r = +0.6) and negatively

correlated with pod wall chlorophyll concentration (r = -0.8).

The data also highlighted the successive improvements in

harvest index and flowering time (earlier) with cultivar year

of release.



The efficiency of Western regiongrain growers

Broadacre agriculture in Western Australia relies heav-

ily on export markets. Consequently, its economic sustain-

ability is conditional on farmers improving their

international competitiveness which in turn depends upon

farms selecting the most profitable mixture of enterprises

(allocative efficiency),as well as improving their productivity.

Productivity can be improved through the adoption of

new technologies (technical change) or more efficient use

of existing technologies (technical efficiency). This study

measured the allocative and technical efficiency of a sample

of 93 broadacre farmers in Western Australia over the

period 1996 to 1999.

Two relatively new techniques were used to measure

farmers’ technical and allocative efficiency. These tech-

niques are known as data envelopment analysis (DEA) and

stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). Both techniques reveal

there is some technical inefficiency among graingrowers

each year. However, an important finding is that for the

group of farmers examined, their technical efficiency

improved over the study period. In other words, these farm-

ers became more technically efficient. The distributions of

technical efficiency in each year were positively skewed

toward higher efficiency levels, indicating that the major-

ity of farms produced close to their maximum technical effi-

ciency.

The DEA and SFA measurement techniques similarly

ranked farms according to their technical efficiency score.

Hence, another key finding was that both techniques were

robust and similar in their capacity to identify and rank the

technical efficiency of farms,although DEA was found to be

a little more consistent in identifying efficient farms than

SFA.

The relationship between technical efficiency and

certain farm and farmer-specific attributes was investi-

gated to provide information that might be relevant for

directing R, D & E to improve efficiency. Tobit regression

models revealed that farmers benefited from using at least

a small amount of tillage, rather than using ‘no-till’practices

to establish their crops.Thus, the positive yield effects from

tillage (for example,greater soil–nitrogen mineralisation and

disease control) outweighed those associated with no-till

farming (for example, reduced soil erosion and greater

timeliness in sowing). Education levels and farmer age

positively influenced technical efficiency.Young and much

older farmers were less technically efficient compared to

middle-aged farmers. Farmers with more education were

also more technically efficient than farmers with little formal

education.

Pods of a high chlorophyll genotype of lupin (left) compared to thenormal type (right)

Principal Investigator: Dr Ross Kingwell (DAWA/UWA)


Allocative efficiency of farmers was examined using

the DEA technique and factors influencing allocative effi-

ciency were examined using Tobit regression analysis.

Findings were that the ability of farmers to select a more

profitable mixture of inputs and outputs, in accordance with

their respective prices, was positively related to farmer

education levels and farm size. Operators of small farms

tended to devote more time to the generation of off-farm

income and hence had less time to optimally mix and

manage on-farm operations.Also, better educated farmers

tended to be better able to formulate a profitable mix of

enterprises.

A key finding was that greater gains in farm prof-

itability were found by improving allocative rather than

technical efficiency.Further, technically efficient farms were

not necessarily allocatively efficient, which indicates that R,

D & E to improve farmers’ technical efficiency may not

necessarily ensure improvement in their allocative and

profit efficiency. Also,Tobit regression results indicate that

some variables responsible for variation in technical effi-

ciency differ to those explaining the variation in allocative

efficiency.

Farmers with greater areas of canola tended to display

higher levels of allocative efficiency but the improvement

in allocative efficiency was not statistically significant.

These findings regarding the technical and allocative

efficiency of broadacre farmers were based on a broad

ABARE sample of Western Australian broadacre farmers

and a more detailed, larger sample of 93 farmers in a south-

ern region of Western Australia over a three-year period.

Results of this study have been presented at the

Agribusiness and Grower Crop Updates in Perth in 2001 and

2002,at the annual conferences of the Australian Agricultural

and Resource Economics Society in 2001 and 2002,at semi-

nars to CLIMA and the School of Agricultural and Resource

Economics at The University of Western Australia in 2000

and 2001, in a journal article and as articles in ‘GroundCover’,

‘Australian Grain’and the ‘Countryman’.An MSc thesis based

on this research has been passed and nominated for consid-

eration as the AARES Masters thesis prize.



Control of seed alkaloid levels innarrow-leafed lupins (Lupinus

angustifolius L.) through managementof plant nutrition and agronomicpractices

Narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) was

fully domesticated in Western Australia in the 1960s from

primitive landraces and has since become an important

legume crop in southern Australia. Domesticated lupin

seed is a valuable stockfeed ingredient and a good nutri-

tional source for human consumption. It is low in anti-

nutritional factors and contains <200 mg kg-1 DM of

quinolizidine alkaloids.By contrast,seed alkaloids commonly

exceed 10000 mg kg-1 DM in bitter lupins and act as mild

toxicants and feed deterrents to animals and humans.

The Australian and New Zealand Food Authority has

established the maximum acceptable limit (MAL) of 200 mg

kg-1 DM of alkaloid concentrations in lupin seed for human

consumption.The same limit is accepted for lupin seed used

as animal feed. Unpredictable fluctuations of seed alkaloid

concentrations occur in sweet narrow-leafed lupin vari-

eties grown in different years at various locations, and the

MAL has occasionally been exceeded.Reasons for this insta-

bility of seed alkaloid concentrations are likely to include

plant stress resulting from soil nutrient deficiencies (K,P,Mn),

waterlogging, drought, high temperatures, photo-period

and light intensity, all of which vary across years and loca-

tions.

This research aimed to determine the effects of soil

nutritional status and agronomic practices on seed alkaloid

concentrations and profile in bitter and sweet narrow-

leafed lupin varieties. Priority was given to factors that are

normally manipulated in the farming system to alleviate

plant stress, such as application of fertilisers to avoid soil

nutrient deficiencies, lime to ameliorate soil acidity, or vari-

ous agronomic practices used to decrease the impact of

important diseases on narrow-leafed lupin crops.Glasshouse

and field experiments were used to test the hypothesis that

some stress treatments may be associated with high seed

alkaloid concentrations.

K and Mn deficiency were the primary factors that

were associated with high total seed alkaloid concentrations

in narrow-leafed lupin. It is possible that K deficiency causes

large increases in total seed alkaloid concentrations, while

not causing economic yield losses in the field, and this


Principal Investigators: Dr Patrizia Gremigni (UWA),

Adjunct Prof. John Hamblin (Export Grain Centre),

Dr David J Harris (CCWA),

Associate Prof. Wallace A Cowling (UWA)


could partly explain the large variation observed in lupin

seed alkaloid concentrations in Western Australia. P defi-

ciency changed the alkaloid profile of sweet lupin varieties

to that resembling a bitter lupin. P deficiency reduced the

impact of K deficiency on seed alkaloid concentrations

slightly, but not at adequate K. None of the common agro-

nomic practices for lupin brown spot disease control or

acidic soil amendments such as lime,had a major impact on

seed total alkaloid concentrations or alkaloid profiles.

Stimulation of alkaloid production occurred in the

glasshouse environment,possibly due to root restriction,high

temperature or high light intensity. This deserves further

research as it may help to explain the unpredictable fluc-

tuation in alkaloid concentrations observed in farmers’

fields.

This research supported by the Grains Research and


Adaptation of lentil (Lens culinaris) todryland environments: response to

water deficit

In Nepal, lentil (Lens culinaris) is the most important

pulse crop in terms of area under production, dietary

protein (consumed as dhal) and as a valuable export

commodity. It is grown during winter season (October to

March) usually as part of a rotation with rice, as a relay or

post-rice crop almost entirely dependent on residual soil

moisture. In both cases, a lentil crop is likely to encounter

moisture stress during a growth phase. The improvement

of the lentil plant’s ability to resist or escape drought is,

therefore, an important breeding objective.

Recent studies with diverse lentil germplasm in Nepal

(ACIAR projects PN9436, CSI/1999/0646) and at ICARDA

have identified a number of lentil lines with improved

adaptation (seed yield) under dryland conditions when

compared to the standard cultivars. However, very little is

known about the traits associated with their superior adap-

tation to the dryland environment.The objective of this proj-

ect is to identify lentil genotypes with superior adaptation

and seed yield for water deficits environments and identify

the morpho-physiological traits in lentil varieties with

improved drought resistance in Nepal.

Field experiments were conducted at two sites in

Nepal during 2001–02. Twenty diverse lentil genotypes

including Lathyrus sativus (grasspea) were evaluated for

growth, phenology, yield and yield components at two

sites representing mid hill (Khumaltar) and terai plain

(Nepalgunj).

At Khumaltar, above average rainfall was recorded

during the post-flowering period, which is very unusual for

the region. Although there was very little soil moisture

stress in the post-flowering period, lentil genotypes showed

significant variation in phenology, above ground biomass,

pod numbers, seeds per pod and seed yield.

Lentil genotypes with Indian subcontinent origin,

background and with similar morphology (ILL 7979, ILL

7723, ILL 6829, ILL 7537R, ILL 2580,Khajura 1,Khajura 2,Simal,

ILL 4402, ILL 7982, Sindur) produced an average seed yield

Principal Investigators: Ms Renuka Shrestha (UWA),

Prof. Kadambot Siddique (UWA),

Associate Prof. David Turner (UWA),

Adjunct Prof. Neil Turner (CSIRO)


Renuka Shrestha in her field trials in Nepal

of 1.39 t /ha. These genotypes flowered and matured in

about 90 and 163 days respectively and had a greater

number of filled pods per plant (94) and primary branches

per plant (5).

The Mediterranean genotypes (ILL 7957, ILL 7978, ILL

7983, ILL 8633, ILL 8621) took 132 days to flower and 178

days to mature, had short flowering duration, bore large

number of empty pods per plant (13) and hence an

extremely poor seed yield (0.37 t/ha).

Grasspea did not perform very well under Khumaltar

conditions, probably due to low temperatures during the

early growth period and late maturity (183 days).

Subcontinent genotypes were characterised by small-sized,

dark green hairy leaflets, purple stem pigmentation and

small-sized speckled seeds while Mediterranean genotypes

had light green leaflets, less pubescence and large

yellow/buff coloured seed.

At the Nepalgunj site, almost all lentil genotypes of

Indian subcontinent origin (ILL 2580, ILL 4402, ILL, LG 198,

PL 639, Sindur) and ILL 6829, ILL 7537R, ILL 7979, ILL 7982

were highly susceptible to stemphylium blight and rust

diseases. Poor canopy development (moisture stress at

vegetative phase and waterlogging after flowering), low

number of pods, poor grain filling and greater incidence of

fungal diseases contributed to poor seed yield.Grasspea was

the only adapted species under these stresses.Mediterranean

genotypes were late maturity (ILL 7957, ILL 7978, ILL 7983,

ILL 8633, ILL 8621) and thus escaped disease incidence;

however, they were susceptible to root rot at maturity.

During June to October 2002, a pot experiment eval-

uated six superior genotypes (identified from the field

experiments) under three moisture regimes (moisture stress

was imposed at late vegetative and podding stages) in

glasshouse conditions at CSIRO,Floreat.Significant variation

in plant growth, water use, photosynthetic rate, stomatal

conductance, leaf water potential, relative water content,

seed yield and yield component were observed. Detailed

analysis of the data is currently being undertaken.

This research is supported by a John Allwright Fellowship

Award from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural

Research (ACIAR).

Adapatation of lentils in Australia

Lentil production in Australia has rapidly expanded

from less than 1000 hectares prior to 1994 to 155 000

hectares in 2001. However, in many areas lentils are not a

viable crop option due to low and erratic yields and low prof-

itability.Yields and quality can also be unreliable in the more

favourable areas of the Wimmera in Victoria and Yorke

Peninsula in South Australia due to soil,climatic and disease

constraints. For lentil production to expand in Australia

key adaptational traits need to be identified and addressed

through improved cultural practices and breeding. Since

crop yields depend on the length of the growing season it

is important to understand the effect of flowering on adap-

tation.

The key impact of phenology on seed yield and qual-

ity is being investigated with the potential to breed culti-

vars better adapted to the Australian environments and to

improve management strategies. The flowering response

of lentils was found to be integral to adaptation in Australia.

Cultivars may be specifically adapted to an environment or

broadly adapted across Australia depending on their

response to photoperiod and temperature.The Coordinated

Improvement Program for Australian Lentils (CIPAL) now

includes flowering response as a key selection criteria in the

development of new cultivars. Flowering time in lentils

was not only important in maximising seed yield but

delayed flowering was found to reduce seed infection by

the disease ascochyta blight. Later sowing and later flow-

ering genotypes can be used with resistant cultivars for the

sustainable control of ascochyta blight, a major threat to

seed quality in Australia. Understanding lentil adaptation

will lead to a sustainable increase in production and qual-

ity in an industry worth over 100 million dollars to Australia

in 2001.


Development Corporation (GRDC), and the Victorian

Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE,

Victoria).


Principal Investigators: Mr Michael Materne (DNRE,

Victoria), Adj. Prof. John Hamblin (Export Grains

Centre), Dr JanBert Brouwer (Private Consultant),

Prof. Kadambot Siddique (UWA), Dr William

Erskine (ICARDA)


Rhizosphere carboxylateconcentrations of chickpea affected

by genotype and soil type

Since phosphate fertiliser is expensive and supplies

are limited, research on ‘new crops’ that use the fertiliser

more efficiently has become increasingly important. This

PhD project aims to increase our understanding of the

mechanism behind the phosphorus-acquisition efficiency

of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), which is a promising grain

legume increasingly used in rotation with wheat in Western

Australia. The focus is on the role of carboxylates in phos-

phate acquisition of chickpea grown on phosphate-fixing

soils.

We investigated whether exudation of carboxylates

by chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) roots was related to soil

phosphorus levels. In a field experiment,cv.Sona was grown

at two P levels on eight soil types at three locations. There

were large differences in extractable (0.2 mM CaCl2) rhizos-

phere carboxylate concentrations between the soil types.

The effect of P fertiliser was variable and carboxylate

concentrations depended on soil type.

To examine the effect of soil P in more detail, a

glasshouse experiment was carried out in which three

cultivars (Heera,Sona and Tyson) were grown at four P levels

on one soil type.The biomass of chickpea plants increased

with the P level of the soil, but did not significantly change

the root mass ratio. Rhizosphere concentrations of the

carboxylates malonate, malate and citrate were high and

did not differ between P treatments.This indicated that there

was no simple relation between available P and root exuda-

tion rates, in contrast to earlier results in studies using

hydroponics. Cultivars differed in exudation pattern: Sona

and Tyson rhizosphere carboxylate concentrations increased

with time, whereas those of Heera decreased.

It is hypothesised that chickpea roots always exude

some carboxylates into the rhizosphere.They only increase

carboxylate exudation considerably when the P availabil-

ity is extremely low, which may occur in soils that strongly

bind P.

Further research will include soil experiments on

carboxylates in the rhizosphere during development and

hydroponics studies on carboxylate exudation at different

solution P levels.

This research is supported by the School of Plant Biology, The

University of Western Australia.

Increased benefits of phosphorusfertiliser through the use of new grain

legumes

Phosphorus (P) is an essential mineral nutrient for

plant growth and is mainly derived from the soil.Due to the

lack of P in Australian soils, the application of P-based

fertiliser is essential for crop production. A total of 600

million dollars per year is spent on phosphate fertiliser in

Australia’s rural area, with well over 200 million spent in

Western Australia. In most soils, only a small portion of

applied P fertilisers is available to plants due to P fixation,

chemical precipitation and physical adsorption by soil

constituents. However, similar to many native plants, some

new legume crops such as lupin and chickpea can access

P that is unavailable to wheat and barley. Root exudates

released by the roots of legumes dissolve P away from soil

particles and make it available to plants.

The main aim of this project is to quantify the

response of legume crop species to P already present in the

soil and applied to the crop as fertiliser as well as to under-

stand the reasons for differences amongst the species by

studying the role of specific root traits (for example,

exudates) of various species, in obtaining P from different

soils. A second aim is to determine whether the influence

of legume crops on P availability persists into the subse-

quent growing season.

Both field and glasshouse experiments are being

conducted which include chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), field

pea (Pisum sativum L.), faba bean (Vicia faba L.), white lupin

(Lupinus albus L.), lentil (Lens culinaris L.) and wheat (Triticum

aestivum L.). Preliminary data suggest that: grain legumes

are generally less responsive to P fertiliser than wheat; and

high-exuding legumes appear to have a positive effect on

wheat growth when these legumes were not fertilised, but

such an effect was not present for low-exuding or P-fertilised

legumes.The knowledge gained from the project will help

to choose appropriate new legumes and rotations,develop

a fertiliser-decision support system and improve efficiency

of P fertiliser use for legume crops and wheat grown in rota-

tion.



Principal Investigators: Ms Madeleine Wouterlood

(UWA), Mr Greg Cawthray (UWA), Mr Stephen

Turner (UWA), Prof. Hans Lambers (UWA),

Dr Erik Veneklaas (UWA)


Principal Investigators: Mr Mohammad Nuruzzaman

(UWA), Prof. Hans Lambers (UWA), Mr Mike Bolland

(DAWA), Dr Erik Veneklaas (UWA)


Root exudates and phosphorusnutrition of grain legumes

Low-molecular-weight organic anions, particularly

carboxylates, which are exuded in large amounts by some

grain legumes have the potential to enhance the availability

of phosphorus (P) to plants. Western Australian soils are

inherently low in P, and much of the large amounts of P

fertiliser used on crops is unavailable due to reaction with

the soil. Our research aims to determine the importance of

root exudates for a range of grain legumes. We assess the

relationship between exuded carboxylates and P fertiliser

requirement, and consider effects on other crops grown in

rotation with grain legumes.

We have confirmed the presence of large amounts of

carboxylates in the rhizospheres of chickpea (desi and

kabuli types), lupins (narrow-leafed, white, L. pilosus), and

smaller amounts in field pea and faba bean. Composition

is species-dependent. In chickpea, different genotypes

exude different amounts of carboxylates.

Growing conditions have a large effect on carboxy-

late amounts. In chickpea grown in pots using 11 different

Western Australian soils, rhizosphere carboxylate concen-

trations varied by an order of magnitude. Indicators of P

status of soils were not correlated with carboxylate concen-

trations. Similar results were found for white lupin, which

also showed a large shift in composition of carboxylates.

Citrate was the dominant root exudate in neutral to high

pH soils, whereas malate was dominant in moderately acid

soils.

In chickpea on 11 different soils,growth and P uptake

was positively correlated with rhizosphere carboxylate

concentrations. Our results indicate that carboxylates can

indeed mobilise scarcely available soil P. Selection of crop

species and breeding for genotypes with appropriate root

exudation patterns is probably worthwile for soils with

high buffer capacities for P, which often contain consider-

able amounts of residual P.

PhD students currently working on these topics are

Madeleine Wouterlood,Mohammad Nuruzzaman and Stuart

Pearse.


(GRC-WA),the Grains Research and Development Corporation

(GRDC), the Australian Research Council (ARC),The University

of Western Australia (UWA) and the Department of Agriculture

Western Australia (DAWA).

An ecophysiological analysis of theresponse to phosphate fertiliser of

different lupin and pulse species,canola and wheat on phosphate-fixingsoil

The primary aim of this study is to determine the rate

of phosphorus fertilisation that is optimal for new pulse

crops on neutral to alkaline soil types in the Western

Australian wheatbelt. This will involve investigations of

yield and yield components under different phosphorus

regimes and environments,as well as investigations into the

role of root exudates in phosphorus mobilisation and nutri-

tion.The combination of these approaches will then enable

primary producers to increase the efficiency of P fertilisers

through management of inputs and crop rotations.

This project is one of the first studies that combines

agronomic and ecophysiological approaches to explain

and interpret observed differences in phosphorus-acquisi-

tion efficiency amongst grain legume species and, within

these species, across different soil types. This study will

focus on root anatomy and geometry in conjunction with

rhizosphere chemistry to aid in the understanding of growth

and yield responses to phosphorus and differences in P-

acquisition efficiency and their interaction with soil type.

It is the intention of this project to evaluate the

potential of several nitrogen-fixing grain legume species

(albus lupin, field pea, chickpea, faba bean, lentil) as possi-

ble low-input crops to grow in rotation with cereals and

canola in Western Australia.Work will be undertaken in the

field and the glasshouse. Knowledge gained from this

experimental work will then be incorporated into current

fertiliser recommendations for farmers,as well as contribut-

ing to existing fertiliser decision support systems.

This research is supported by the Australian Research Council

(ARC) Linkage Scheme.


Principal Investigator: Mr Stuart Pearse (UWA)


Principal Investigators: Dr Erik Veneklaas (UWA),

Prof. Hans Lambers (UWA), Mr Greg Cawthray

(UWA), Mr Alasdair Grigg (UWA), Mr Mohammad

Nuruzzaman (UWA), Mr Stuart Pearse (UWA), Mr

Pete Rees (UWA), Mr Tim Scanlon (UWA), Mr Jason

Stevens (UWA), Mr Stephen Turner (UWA), Ms

Madeleine Wouterlood (UWA), Mr Mike Bolland

(DAWA)


New high quality oil seed crops fortemperate and tropical Australia

Yield testing was conducted at four sites in 2001.

Indian and Ethiopian mustards have been consistently high

yielding. Crambe was vigorous in its early growth and

clearly well adapted to Mediterranean climates. Of consid-

erable interest is the apparent adaptation of Camelina to

sandy soils. It was the highest yielding species on Merredin

sand, a real plus for the species as these soils represent an

extensive range to which canola is not well adapted.Linseed

yield was erratic with the trial cultivars Walaga and Glenelg

being generally lower yielding than canola.For all the alter-

native oil seeds, higher yielding selections are likely to

come through the program.

In terms of oil quality, Camelina, with its light color

and 34% alpha linolenic (Omega 3), has prospects as a

food and health market oil. Linseed (flax seed) oil consis-

tently contained more than 50% Omega 3 under the trial

conditions, well above the standard set for use as flax seed

oil in the European health food market.

Crambe achieved satisfactory erucic acid levels of 55%

or more. There is a market for the oil as an industrial lubri-

cant but one currently dominated by USA growers. The

Indian and Ethiopian mustards are being evaluated as

condiment mustards. Higher yielding selections likely to

become available are candidates for biodiesel oils as well

as condiment use.Niger oil is similar to sunflower oil in terms

of a high content (75%) of linoleic acid and produces a light

well-flavored oil. It also fetches premium prices on the USA

birdseed markets.

This research is supported by the Rural Industries Research and

Development Corporation (RIRDC) with GRDC project UWA308

providing a germplasm source.


Student name Project title UniversityMr Nassar Abbas Investigation of environmental staining and storage UWA

discolouration in faba beanMs Margaret Campbell The influence of genetics and environment on the natural UWA

history of Camelina sativa L. with particular reference to oil qualityDr Patrizia Gremigni Control of seed alkaloid levels in narrow-leafed UWA

lupins (Lupinus angustifolius L.) through management ofplant nutrition and agronomic practices

Mr Michael Materne Adaptation of lentils to short season areas of southern Australia UWAMs Helen Mifka Understanding symbiotic instability in pea root nodule bacteria MUMr Mohammad Nuruzzaman Increased benefits of phosphorus fertiliser through the use UWA

of new grainMr Stuart Pearce An ecophysiological analysis of the response to phosphate UWA

fertiliser of different lupin species, canola and wheat onphosphate-fixing soil

Ms Renuka Shrestha Adaptation of lentil to dryland environments: response to UWAwater deficits

Ms Madeleine Wouterlood The role of root exudation of carboxylates in phosphate UWAmobilisation in the soil and in efficiency of phosphorusacquisition of chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

Principal Investigators: Ms Margaret Campbell

(UWA), Prof. Clive Francis (UWA),

Prof. Stan Kailis (UWA),

Dr O Dzyuba (Vavilov Institute)


Jon Clements studies the ecogeography of Niger in Nepal


Sub-program Leader:

Dr Mark Sweetingham


Telephone: (61) 8 9368 3298

S U B - P R O G R A M G L 4 – Grain Qual i t y, Ut i l i sat ion andProduc t D evelopment

The Grain Quality, Utilisation and Product Development Sub-program seeks to increase the value of grain legumes to the wholeWestern Australian economy by:◗ improving the whole grain quality parameters required by key

end-users;◗ increasing and communicating the knowledge of the nutri-

tional and functional value of our grain legumes in feed andfood systems; and

In 2001 the sub-program held an informal workshop

to discuss a range of aspects relating to lupin alkaloids.This

was well attended by scientists from the partner organisa-

tions, the Chemistry Centre (W.A.), private consultants and

industry representatives. The workshop led to several

research proposals and helped refocus several existing

project objectives.

This sub-program works in close coordination with

the Germplasm Development for Grain Legumes Sub-

program in CLIMA and with the grain legume breeding

programs at DAWA.It also continues to strengthen linkages

with the School of Health Sciences at Deakin University,Food

Science Australia and medical scientists at UWA.

Improving lupin quality and yield bymodifying hull and pod wall

Narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) grain is

used extensively in animal feed markets and is worth over

$200 million a year in Australia. The objective of this proj-

ect is to improve seed quality and yield by reducing the rela-

tively thick seed hull and pod wall of this species.

To examine the range of hull and pod wall propor-

tions currently available in the lupin breeding program

and to determine the potential for selection and improve-

ment, a statistical analysis of 17 site by year combinations

with 125 breeding lines was conducted.The results showed

that seed hull and pod wall are relatively stable traits across

years and environments, so selection can be reliably

achieved with high heritability.This will facilitate transfer of

these traits to advanced backgrounds with high efficiency.

The results identified lines with only 10% less hull than

Tanjil and indicated the relatively narrow range available to

Principal Investigators: Dr Miles Dracup (DAWA),

Dr Jon Clements (UWA)


◗ identifying new product opportunities for value-added processing.

For growers the price received for grain is obviously

an important driver of profitability. In the case of the edible

pulses, grain appearance, particularly seed size and colour,

is critical in the market place. For splitting and milling, size

uniformity and dehulling efficiency are crucial.Health bene-

fits from consuming pulses are also attracting increasing

exposure, largely due to their low glycaemic index. The

low price received for lupin compared to soybean in inter-

national protein feed markets, whilst frustrating, actually

reflects the relative protein content of the two commodi-

ties. One approach to increase the value of lupin grain

involves increasing the protein content of the whole grain

or reducing the high proportion of hull in the grain.

In addition, the sub-program aims to exploit specific

grain quality constituents unique to lupin which could

command a premium in food or feed markets.Certain lupin

protein fractions have excellent functional properties sought

by the food ingredient industry.Similar opportunities exist

for a range of phytochemicals, which have notable health

benefits. It is hoped that this could lead to increased on-

shore as well as off-shore processing opportunities.

The sub-program currently has a small number of

projects but will expand with two new projects commenc-

ing in 2003. The first, in association with Department of

Fisheries Western Australia, will work on the development

of lupin protein products for the aquaculture feed sector.

This builds on increasing environmental and economic

reasons to substitute plant proteins for fish meal in what

has become the fastest growing livestock production indus-

try in the world. The second new initiative will be a UWA-

based project which aims to alter lupin seed composition

by manipulating key enzymes and regulatory mechanisms

which determine partitioning of the storage oil and protein

bodies in the developing seed.

breeders in the current breeding program. The analysis

also showed a negative correlation between hull percent-

age and protein content, showing that selecting breeding

lines for thinner seed coat will tend to increase protein

(Clements, JUC,Dracup,M & Galwey,N,2002.Effect of geno-

type and environment on proportion of seed hull and pod

wall in lupin. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 53, 1147-1154).

In order to facilitate breeding for hull reduction we

investigated the use of optical coherence tomography

(OCT) to rapidly select thin hulled genotypes among

germplasm or segregating seeds. OCT has been adapted

from a biomedical application to measure the hull thickness

in lupin after detailed tests and development with thin-

hulled and normal-hulled lines. In collaboration with elec-

trical engineers, OCT with infrared illumination at 980 nm

was used to compare the hull thickness of different geno-

types of lupin.

OCT-derived hull layer thickness correlated highly

with actual hull thickness determined by environmental

scanning electron microscopy (r = 0.90) and allowed reli-

able distinction between thin-hulled and normal geno-

types of Lupinus angustifolius as well as other species like

L. albus. The imaging could clearly penetrate lupin seed to

a depth and measurement resolution in seed of approxi-

mately 200 µm.

The use of OCT to measure hull thickness is rapid and

non-destructive and should be very useful in screening for

thin hull lines on a single seed basis in germplasm or prog-

eny from crosses (Clements et al. 2002, submitted). This

method has the potential to become the routine screen-

ing test for the lupin breeding program in Western Australia.

Neon infra red (NIR) will also be investigated to determine

whether it can be used for screening at the same time, so

that protein and oil may be measured.

Mutation breeding was used to provide alternative

sources of thin hull. Ten mutant lines of L. angustifolius

have been selected and preliminary confirmation indicates

reductions in seed hull of 15% to 25% compared to cv.Tanjil.

Wild and semi-domesticated L. angustifolius accessions

have also been tested and lines with 15% to 25% reduction

in seed hull have been identified. Chemical analysis of one

of the mutants with 23% less hull indicates an associated

12% reduction in crude fibre, and 9% reduction in acid

detergent fibre (ADF) fibre.Oil content was increased by 20%

and protein was not changed significantly.

Crosses with current high yielding varieties and the

low hull genotypes have been made and segregating prog-

eny transferred to the lupin breeder. Some potential trans-

gressive segregation for even lower hull percentage (about

30% lower than Tanjil) and pod wall (about 20% lower

than Tanjil) have been identified in crosses with Tanjil. Five

mutant lines of L.angustifolius have been selected with 15%

to 18% less pod wall.Lower pod wall proportion was found

to be correlated with higher yield when analysed among

breeding lines in crop variety testing (CVT) trials.Lower pod

wall proportion selections have come from wild germplasm

and from mutants.



Jon Clements and Miles Dracup examine plants with the thin seedhull trait that should improve lupin seed quality

Quality screening support for pulsebreeding programs – Western

Regions

This project commenced in 2002 with the following

aims:

• to provide quality data on all relevant stages of

breeding and variety selection programs;

• to develop digital imaging methodology that will

enhance current quality evaluation and provide a

database of images of samples for use by breeders

and marketers; and

• to contribute to the ongoing development and vali-

dation of methods adopted into the Australian Pulse

Quality Manual and contribution of data to the

national pulse quality database.

In the four months since the commencement of the proj-

ect the Pulse Quality laboratory of the Department of

Agriculture Western Australia has been relocated from

accommodation at the Curtin University of Technology to

refurbished laboratories at South Perth.This has facilitated

improved interaction between laboratory staff,plant breed-

Principal Investigators: Dr Tanveer Khan (DAWA), Ms

Sofia Sipsas (DAWA), Mr Peter Burridge (UWA),



ers and other research staff and greatly simplified sample

management.

Digital imaging equipment has been purchased and

installed, and experiments were carried out on field pea to

measure seed size and colour. Some progress has been

made in establishing the best optical conditions and

computer evaluation protocols to measure the size distri-

bution of field pea. It is planned to trial the digital analysis

techniques on the 2002–03 season field pea and chickpea

and compare the results with sieving methods.

The laboratory is gearing up for the receipt of breed-

ers’and CVT samples from the current harvest.Kabuli chick-

pea lines from the Ord River are in the process of being

analysed.



Before conducting the health benefit studies, some

product formulation was necessary. Dr Rachel Kelly (FSA)

developed a recipe for bread with a high level of chickpea

flour (30%) and organised baking of bread and shortbread

biscuits for use in trials. She also coordinated delivery of

tinned Edgell chickpea to Baker Medical Research Institute

in Melbourne and University of Tasmania in Launceston.

Prof. Paul Nestel and Prof. Madeleine Ball designed

diets with elevated chickpea levels.Prof.Nestel and Prof.Ball

have each completed one dietary intervention study exam-

ining the effect of increased chickpea in the diet on cardio-

vascular risk factors and bowel health.Trial results are being

analysed and second trials are being conducted. Dr Stuart

Johnson formulated chickpea bread which was evaluated

by sensory panels for post-meal studies.The chickpea bread

was evaluated against pre-set food acceptability criteria as

previously published by Dr Johnson to ensure that the

bread will be suitable for inclusion in his post-meal stud-

ies which are being conducted this year.

Promotion of pulse consumption is occuring and

results are being disseminated to health practitioners, the

general public and the grains industry.Dr.Longnecker gave

invited talks at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Nutrition

Society of Asutralia in Fremantle, Western Australia in

December, 2000, the Chickpea Focus 2001 in Goondiwindi,

Queensland,and Lentil Focus 2002 in Horsham,Victoria.Her

talks resulted in articles in the rural media of the region (for

example, Farm Weekly in Western Australia, Dec, 2000; The

Land Newspaper, New South Wales in late 2001) as well as

some radio coverage (for example, Perth’s metropolitan

ABC lunchtime talk back show).A full page article on pulses

appeared in Perth’s main metropolitan paper and an arti-

cle about the study appeared in the Examiner, Launceston’s

main paper. Results of the trials will be used in targeted

promotion of pulses with health practitioners.

This project is supported by the Grains Research and


Evaluation of Lathyrus cicera as a feedingredient for layers

Research at CLIMA has indicated that Lathyrus cicera

and L. sativus (grasspea) have potential as grain legumes

on 100 000 to 300 000 ha of neutral to alkaline soils in low-

to-medium rainfall areas of southern Australia. They are

adapted to similar regions to field pea and are quite drought

tolerant.They do not have serious disease problems and are

envisaged as low maintenance/low cost crops for the


Digital imaging equipment used to measure seed size and colour inpulses

Determination and promotion ofhealth benefits of pulses with

special emphasis on chickpeas

We are into the final year of this project which

includes two key components.Studies are being conducted

which examine the health benefits of eating chickpea (Prof.

Nestel, Prof. Ball and Dr Johnson) and the results of those

studies are being used as the basis of promotion of chick-

pea for greater inclusion in the modern Australian diet (Dr

Longnecker and Dr Kelly).

Principal Investigators: Dr Nancy Longnecker (UWA),

Prof. Paul Nestel (Baker Medical Research

Institute), Prof. Madeleine Ball (University of

Tasmania), Dr Stuart Johnson (Deakin University),

Dr Rachel Kelly (Food Science Australia)


Principal Investigators:

Dr Colin Hanbury (UWA), Mr Bob Hughes (SARDI)


purposes of green manure, managing herbicide resistant

weeds, forage, hay and grain (principally for animal feed).

Both of these Lathyrus species have been used exten-

sively in the past for animal feed. The principal drawback

for increased adoption of Lathyrus species is the presence,

principally in the grain, of the neurotoxin known as ODAP.

When consumed in large amounts ODAP can produce a

paralysis of the hind legs known as ‘lathyrism’. ODAP was

identified in the 1960s and since that time plant breeding

has produced lines with low toxin levels.These newer lines

with low toxin levels have not been widely evaluated for

animal feed and the present study is the first to evaluate

their use in poultry.

A goal of establishing Lathyrus cultivation in Australia

was to develop animal feed markets, so Lathyrus cicera cv.

Chalus was trialed with laying hens.Chalus was released by

CLIMA in 1998 and consistently shows low levels of ODAP

(0.09%), which is about 70% lower than that found in fields

in India.Chalus is well adapted across southern Australia and

is the first in a series of cultivars to be released by CLIMA.

There is a low ODAP L. sativus now approaching commer-

cial release.

It is necessary to establish Chalus as safe for the

laying hens and for any consumers of eggs or bird tissue.

Since little was known about the fate of ODAP in hens, one

aim was to investigate whether, after feeding with Chalus,

ODAP could be found in eggs or body tissue of hens. The

second aim was to demonstrate that Chalus was a good

quality feed capable of replacing, for example, field pea in

laying hen diets without penalty in egg production.

To investigate the possible residue of ODAP in the

hens they were fed up to 30% Chalus in a wheat-based diet

for 32 weeks.Three hens each were fed one of the diets with

an inclusion of Chalus at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 25% and 30%.

Chalus was a substitute for field pea.No ODAP was detected

in egg white at any time. Egg yolk, breast meat and liver

showed trace levels of ODAP,but this was not consistent (the

highest level was 0.8 ppm).

After 32 weeks of feeding the brain tissue showed the

most consistent traces of ODAP (range 0.4 ppm to 0.8

ppm) but levels were 20 times less than that shown in rats

when lathyrism symptoms were evident. The trace levels

detected in hens and egg yolk were 300 times less than the

ODAP levels in the grain they were fed. Any consumption

of these low levels of ODAP in the hens and the eggs

would be too low to affect humans or animals.

Studies of human consumption of ODAP have shown

that regular consumption of grain at levels 3000 times

(approx 0.70 %) the levels detected in this study are suffi-

cient to cause lathyrism symptoms, only if the grain is

consumed exclusively and under circumstances of malnour-

ishment.Hence the possibility that consuming eggs or hen

tissue as produced in this study are extremely unlikely to

pose any problem. The hens showed no signs of neuro-

toxicity and deaths in the experiment were minimal and not

related to feed type.

Egg production and quality was measured in a flock

of 760 hens over an intensive feeding period of eight weeks

at levels of inclusion of Chalus at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 25%

and 30% and compared to field pea in a wheat-based diet.

Egg production and quality were as good as the field pea-

based diet and in some cases showed small improvements,

and were always at a level expected for the age and breed

of the hens. Feed intake and conversion were marginally

better but not significant for Chalus compared to field pea.

Chalus showed slightly less soiling compared to field pea.

Egg shell thickness and proportion were unaffected by

the inclusion of Chalus in the diet, as was the egg weight.

However, the yolk colour was significantly improved by

the inclusion of Chalus.

It was concluded that Chalus was as good a feed

ingredient as field pea, with no detrimental effects. One

significant advantage of Chalus to the consumer is the

likely grain price.Due to the low maintenance nature of the

crop it is expected that grain price is likely to be around $140

per tonne.This compares very favourably with field pea at

$220 per tonne and even lupins at $190 per tonne. Chalus

is a better quality ingredient for layers than lupin at pres-

ent.Composition-wise,Chalus is almost identical to field pea

but protein levels of about 26% are 2% higher than field pea.

These results bode well for the continued adoption

of Lathyrus species in low-to-medium rainfall farming

systems of southern Australia, especially as the initial prob-

lem of establishing cultivation has been the lack of exist-

ing markets. Further cultivars are planned with improved

adaptation and agronomic characteristics. These could

provide the egg industry with a stable, low cost, high qual-

ity feed ingredient.


Development Corporation (RIRDC) Egg Program.


ActivitiesCLIMA contributed to the ongoing state pasture

program now led by DAWA by looking at alternative pasture

or forage legumes, especially focusing on non-traditional

uses or completely new species.These activities will be inte-

grated with ongoing projects in the Salinity area and the

National Annual Pasture Legume Improvement Program.

Some examples include:

◗ Pasture or forages for pharmaceutical use, especially

those with high content of phytoestrogens or other

flavonoids.Possible anticancer activity will be assessed

in a RIRDC supported project.

◗ Pasture species with special nutritive features for

health, meat, wool, milk or aquaculture production,

for example, anti-helminthic activity and the assess-

ment of essential fatty acids in a wide range of

species.

◗ Development of rapid analytical techniques and fine-

tuning existing techniques to determine the nutritive

value of pastures.

The genetic resource enhancement of key annual

pasture legumes will be a major component of CLIMA

activities. In this, the network of international linkages,

especially ICARDA, plays a major role. Given our substan-

tial genetic resource base, CLIMA and our key partner

DAWA intend to maintain our past outstanding successes

in introducing new annuals to the pasture scene, for exam-

ple, biserrula.Current priorities include Trifolium dasyurum,

T. spumosum, T. purpureum and Trigonella balansae.

With the development of the Salinity CRC,species for

saline or waterlogged soils will be sought through linkages

with international partners and on collection trips into

such areas as the Central Asian Republics.

Leader: Professor Clive Francis


Telephone: (61) 8 9380 1878

PA S T U R E L E G U M E P R O G R A M

IntroductionWestern Australia’s farming systems are a legacy of the ‘sub and

super’revolution that allowed development of millions of hectares of nutri-ent deficient, light land soils cleared for agriculture in the 1950s, 1960sand 1970s. Super phosphate and trace elements allowed the prolificgrowth of subterranean clover for animal production and provided theresidual nitrogen needed to grow the follow-on cereal crops.

Many challenges to this ley farming system based on an annuallyregenerating legume – phytoestrogens (clover disease), poor seed set,inadequate hard seed, insect pests and fungal disease– have been met and overcome through scientificresearch in the decades since the system was intro-duced.

More recently, the cost of seed harvesting andlack of new land coupled with low prices for wool andanimal products have reduced producer interest inimproving pastures for animal production. In the lastfew years,however,wool and in particular meat pricesare rebounding. New opportunities to use pasturesas vital parts of sustainable crop-orientated farmingsystems which emerged during the first phase ofCLIMA have been enthusiastically adopted by farm-ers.

The continued value of animal products and thebenefits of rotation with cereal and oil seed havecontinued the pressure for new and strategicallyproductive species.Newly developed pasture specieswith improved adaptation to hostile soil conditions,aerial seeding for easy harvest and short pasturephases are poised to recapture a significant role infarming systems.

Pasture Legume Program Sub-programs

Sub-program Leader Major research components

PL1 Germplasm Development Mr Richard Snowball, • Collections in new locationsfor Pasture Legumes Department of Agriculture • Ecogeography, characterisation and

Western Australia evaluation of new germplasmPL2 Biotics Interactions Dr Soressa Kitessa, • Refined near infra red for pasture quality

CSIRO • Definition of specific nutritive or bioticadvantages

PL3 Annual Pasture Legume Associate Prof. Mike Ewing, • Agronomic evaluation of species adapted Improvement CRC Dryland Salinity, to acid and neutral soils

DAWA • Research into variation in key adaptivecharacters of the test species

PL4 Novel Uses of Forage Adjunct Prof. John Howieson, • Novel pasture/forage legume alternativesLegumes Murdoch University, DAWA • Legumes with pharmaceutical or

aquaculture advantages

Research Highlights

Sub-program Research highlights 2000–02Germplasm Development for • Assessment and selection within Ornithopus and TrifoliumPasture Legumes purpureum collections

• New germplasm from central Asia (Turkmenistan) and theMediterranean (Azores)

Biotics Interactions • Development of NIR technology to measure important pasturequality parameters

• Technology to link pasture and meat qualityAnnual Pasture Legume Improvement • Release of RLEM resistant T. glanduliferum

• Selection of a new line of Biserrula pelecinus• Selection of harder seeded Ornithopus sativus lines• A new early maturing hard-seeded subterranean clover

Novel Uses of Forage Legumes • Trifolium dasyurum (formosum), a likely new pasture alternative• Clovers with high isoflavone content for pharmaceutical use


Sub-program Leader: Mr Richard Snowball


Telephone: (61) 8 9368 3517

S U B - P R O G R A M P L 1 – G ermplasm D evelopment forPasture Legumes

The prime focus of the Germplasm Development for PastureLegumes Sub-program is to increase the existing genetic resourceand to value add to the collection. Existing germplasm is currentlyheld in the Australian Trifolium Genetic Resource Centre.The Centreis hosted by the Department of Agriculture Western Australia(DAWA) and is supported with funding from the Grains Researchand Development Corporation (GRDC).Core activities of the Centreinclude germplasm acquisition, characterisation, conservation anddistribution.These activities are undertaken through two projects

Improving the utilisation of pasturegermplasm by the development of a

core collection using ecogeographicaland molecular techniques

Adding value to the Western Australian genetic

resource collection of Trifolium species through the devel-

opment of a ‘Core Collection’ is the objective of this new

project. The collections of some species are too large to

effectively select a representative subset for screening and

field testing by pasture plant breeders. This project will

develop a core collection of a priority species, Trifolium

spumosum, by using collection site/habitat data and plant

morphological data to undertake an ecogeographic study.

Molecular techniques such as random amplification of

polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and amplified fragment length

polymorphisms (AFLP) will also be investigated to better

describe the genetic diversity in the collection. A core

collection of 40 or 50 accessions containing most of the

genetic diversity from a total of several hundred will signif-

icantly improve the utilisation of germplasm from the

Genetic Resource Centre.The most appropriate molecular

method identified for screening Trifolium spumosum

germplasm may be directly transferable to other species in

the collection.

The project will run for three years commencing in

March 2003. Mr Kioumars Ghamkhar has been appointed

to the position.



Principal Investigators: Dr Sarita Bennett (UWA), Mr

Richard Snowball (DAWA)


Plants of Trifolium spumosum growing at the Medina ResearchStation showing typical leaf marks

managed through DAWA. The first is with annualspecies and has been ongoing since 1986.The secondis a Salinity CRC project and involves work with peren-nial species. Mr Kris Gajda and Mr Brad Wintle are thecurrent project staff.

This world class centre is the foundation upon which

germplasm development projects can grow. Germplasm

collected from the wild by Australians in collaboration with

overseas pasture scientists has largely contributed to the

existing collection. Two projects aim to increase genetic

diversity of annual and perennial pasture legumes through

collecting missions to the Mediterranean, Central Asia,

South Africa and central and north America.The Perennial

Pastures for Cropping Systems Project and the National

Annual Pasture Legumes Improvement Program (NAPLIP)

will utilise newly collected seed and rhizobia for field test-

ing and cultivar development across southern Australia.

Other projects that add value to the existing collection look

at understanding the breeding systems of species to aid in

the development of Plant Breeder’s Rights policy and aim

to develop core collections to improve the utilisation of

existing genetic resources by pasture breeders.

Germplasm collection of Trifoliumand other pasture legume species

from short season, low latitude regionsin the Mediterranean

Pasture legume improvement in the medium and low

rainfall regions of the southern Australia cropping zone is

dependant on the availability of suitable germplasm from

Australian genetic resource collections.Unfortunately,exist-

ing collections possess very few accessions that flower

sufficiently early to ensure persistence in these short season

regions. These accessions have been collected over the

past 50 years and have concentrated on southern European

countries including Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece

and Turkey.

This project aims to find new germplasm of impor-

tant pasture legume species from short season areas in

countries in the Mediterranean region that lie at lower lati-

tude. Targets include Canary Islands, Morocco, Eritrea,

Jordon, Israel and Lebanon.Earlier collections from Morocco

and Israel have provided some evidence that early flower-

ing germplasm can be found. The project plans to send a

mission to Eritrea and Lebanon in 2003 and Canary Islands

and Israel in 2004.These plans will depend on approval by

host countries and the development of material transfer

agreements. The seed collections will be augmented with

collections of root nodules of lesser known legume species

where existing rhizobial collections are inadequate. New

germplasm will be initially screened within the nursery

program of the Australian Trifolium Genetic Resource Centre.

Early flowering material will then be field tested as part of

the National Annual Pasture Legumes Improvement

Program.



Perennial pastures for croppingsystems

The objective of this project is to identify a range of

new perennial legumes and grasses for areas where lucerne

is less suited, in particular, acid soils and waterlogged soils.

Since July 1999 when it commenced essentially from first

base, the project has gained considerable momentum by

concurrently tackling seed acquisition,quarantine, rhizobia

strain matching, herbage quality, seed increase, field eval-

uation and, recently, selection of elite germplasm.

Germplasm acquisition and the seed increase

program at Medina Research Station is progressing well with

more than 650 lines (>50 species) of herbaceous perennial

legumes grown to date. Material from regions with a

Principal Investigators: Mr Richard Snowball (DAWA),

Associate Prof. Mike Ewing (DAWA),

Mr Kris Gajda (DAWA), Mr Brad Wintle (UWA),

Dr Sarita Bennett (UWA), Mr Graeme Sandral (NSW

Agriculture), Mr Brad Nutt (DAWA), Prof. Clive

Francis (UWA), Mr Mehreteab Aberra (DAWA)


Principal Investigators: Mr Geoff Moore (DAWA),

Associate Prof. Mike Ewing (DAWA),

Mr John Titterington (UWA), Mr Brad Wintle (UWA),

Associate Prof. John Howieson (Murdoch),

Mrs Anita Lyons (DAWA), Mr Arjen Ryder (DAWA)


Richard Snowball collecting in Sicily (Dorycnium hirsutum on left)while on a mission with Geoff Moore and Mario Pagnotta in 1999.This mission was part of a joint UWA/Italian project managed byPhil Cocks aimed at understanding the distribution of perennialforage legumes with potential in southern Australia farmingsystems


Mediterranean climate has been specifically targeted. The

preliminary evaluation has identified promising material for

field testing. The rhizobia strain matching undertaken by

John Howieson and his colleagues at the Centre for Rhizobia

Studies has identified suitable strains for key species.

An extensive field evaluation program is underway

with plot trials and field nursery trials in diverse environ-

ments from Tenterden (south) to Dandaragan and Bibby

Springs north of Perth.Species showing promise in the field

include Dorycnium hirsutum, D. rectum, Lotus maroccanus,

L. corniculatus and L. creticus.

Three perennial grass trials have been established to

identify the most promising grass species and varieties

and the appropriate niches in the Western Australian wheat-

belt.At the Kendenup site, we are measuring the water use

of the various perennial grass types (for example, C3

summer-active, C3 summer-dormant, C4 summer-active)

compared to lucerne and subterranean clover controls.


Development Corporation (GRDC)

International collaboration for thecollection of germplasm of

herbaceous perennial legumes andrhizobia with which to develop plantsolutions to dryland salinity

This project, funded by GRDC, represents a series of

collection missions that include South Africa,Canary Islands,

Mexico and western USA. The primary objective of this

project is to identify and collect germplasm and rhizobia

of perennial legumes capable of providing plant-based

solutions to dryland salinity in southern Australia.The major

aims are:

◗ to strengthen international collaboration in legume

pasture research through joint collection and prelim-

inary evaluation of herbaceous perennial legumes

and rhizobia from South Africa, America and Central

Asia;

◗ to identify germplasm of perennial legumes and

rhizobia adapted to acid soils in cropping zones of

southern Australia capable of providing plant-based

solutions to dryland salinity; and

◗ to make contact and linkages with local scientists

working in genetic resources.

Summary of mission to the Azores (Graeme Sandral and Richard Snowball)

Seven of the nine islands in the Azores Archipelago

were visited, Sao Miguel, Santa Maria,Terceira, Pico, Fail, Sao

Jorge and Graciosa. The most significant collections made

of perennial legume species include 13 accessions of Lotus

azoricus from two sites, 17 accessions of Lotus creticus from

four sites and Vicia benghalensis from three sites. Other

important collections include Lotus uliginosus from 51 sites,

Trifolium repens from 35 sites,Medicago lupulina from 17 sites

and Trifolium pratense from 14 sites. Only a small number

of accessions were collected of Trifolium fragiferum (straw-

berry clover), Medicago sativa (lucerne) and Teline monspes-

sulanus.Valuable collections were made of phalaris (Phalaris

aquatica) and cocksfoot (Dactyllis glomerata).The two most

common annual legumes collected were slender serradella

(Ornithopus pinnatus) and Lotus subbiflorus. Very small

numbers of a range of species of Trifolium, Vicia and Lathyrus

were collected. Root nodules were collected from most

priority species, including from Lotus azoricus, L. creticus,

Dorycnium rectum (Canary clover), a promising alternativeperennial legume in the field nursery at Tenterden, with JohnTitterington in the background

Principal Investigators: Associate Prof. John

Howieson (Murdoch), Mr Geoff Moore (DAWA),

Dr Daniel Real (Uruguay),

Dr Diana Fedorenko (DAWA),

Dr Brian Dear (NSW Ag), Mr Graeme Sandral (NSW

Ag), Mr Ron Yates (Murdoch)


L.uliginosus and Vicia benghalensis. Soils were collected from

all sites to assist in the extraction of root nodule rhizobia.

Summary of mission to Canary Islands and Cape Verde (Graeme Sandral)

Communications have taken place with authorities

and efforts are continuing to develop material transfer

agreements.

Summary of mission to Turkmenistan (Peter Skinner and Kevin Foster)

A total of 413 ecotypes were collected from 48 sites,

244 accessions being from 59 different legumes species.The

most commonly collected legumes were from the

Astragalus, Trigonella and Medicago genera.Of these,18 have

so far been identified as perennial. In addition to seed, 41

nodule samples were collected from which 300 rhizobial

isolations have so far been made. These bacteria will be

crucial in evaluating the collected legumes, many of which

are likely to have specific symbiotic requirements.

Summary of mission to South Africa (Ron Yates)

The first stage of a collection of perennial herba-

ceous legumes and their rhizobia from southern Africa

was completed in September 2002 and involved Dr Daniel

Real from INIA, Uruguay. In-country assistance was also

provided by Dr Ian Law, PPRI Pretoria and Dr Johan van

Heerden in Capetown. Because of AQIS limitations, much

of the plant germplasm is being seed-increased in Pretoria

at facilities of the Plant Protection Research Institute and

supervised by Mrs Marike Trystman. These will be viewed

in early 2003 when decisions will be made as to which

species should receive AQIS attention.Nodule isolations are

being undertaken by Dr Law. Seed increase and breeding

of Lotononis spp. will be undertaken by Dr Real in Uruguay

for both Australian and Uruguayan conditions.



Problems in PBR legislation: naturalvs. breeder’s selection from a wild

population, and the advantage ofoutcrossing clover species in a pasture

Current Plant Breeder’s Rights protocols in Australia have

been developed using inbreeding species as the model

species. It is currently assumed that four years of selec-

tion is sufficient to produce a cultivar that is significantly

different from the original collected population at the

site of origin, and that subsequently a cultivar will remain

distinct, uniform and stable.

Outcrossing legume pasture species have been

under-utilised to date as little is known about their ecology

or genetics and current research has focused mainly on self-

fertilising species. However, outcrossing species have the

potential to increase the diversity of a pasture system in

terms of new species and an increase in the genetic varia-

tion of individual pastures.This in turn would provide stabil-

ity against a variable and stressful climate, such as false

breaks and drought years,plus provide greater competition

against weeds.

Seed from five species of Trifolium collected in

Sardinia were sown at the University Field Station in Shenton

Park (869 mm annual rainfall) and at a site at Cunderdin 150

km east of Perth (375 mm annual rainfall) for two years. A

number of morphological characters were scored in both

years. In the first year there was little difference in the

morphological characters between the two sites, particu-

larly days to flowering, plant dry weight and seed weight.

However, in the second year the species all started to show

some adaptation to the new sites.All species showed some

adaptation to the new environment,and in T.nigrescens (an

outcrossing species) this was greater than in the other

species.

The technique used to assess the suitability of molec-

ular methods for distinction uniformity and stability (DUS)

testing was amplified fragment length polymorphisms

(AFLP). Only two species were used for the AFLP analysis:

T. glomeratum (an inbreeder) and T. nigrescens (an

outcrosser), with two accessions used of each. From the

results it is suggested that the use of molecular techniques

for DUS testing may be possible in inbreeding species

where the genetic difference between populations is very

clear, with little overlap between populations.These popu-

lations can therefore be classified as ‘Distinct’. However,

with wild populations of outcrossing species there is very

little genetic difference between populations, and large

genetic differences within populations, such that it would

be hard to classify them as ‘Distinct’.

Principal Investigator: Dr Sarita Bennett (UWA)



The Distinct, Uniform and Stable qualities

are easier to meet with inbreeding species where

there is less change from year to year in the

population. However, with seasonal variability,

particularly in very dry years such as 2001, an

outcrossing species will react faster to the strong

selection pressure imposed upon it, resulting in

potentially significant differences in key charac-

ters in the regeneration year, such as days to

flowering. This is an advantage to the farmer

who will be assured of at least some plants within

the pasture flowering and setting seed even in

years with adverse climatic conditions. The

greater genetic variation that is present in

outcrossing species is a component of their abil-

ity to react to adverse years.These advantageous

characteristics of variability and mobility are

those that will cause problems with DUS testing

for PBR legislation.

This project was supported by the Grains Research

and Development Corporation (GRDC) and has

been completed.

AFLP gels for Trifolium glomeratum (Tg) and Trifolium nigrescens (Tn) fromcollection sites 6 and 10 showing within and between population variation

Postgraduate students – Sub-program PL1

Student name Project title UniversityMr Phil Nichols Evolution in mixtures and segregating populations of UWA

subterranean cloverMr Greg Sweeney Role of naturalised legumes in pasture improvement in the UWA

southern Flinders Ranges of South Australia

Sub-program Leader:

Dr Soressa Kitessa


Telephone: (61) 8 9333 6639

S U B - P R O G R A M P L 2 – Biot ic Interac t ions

The Biotic Interactions Sub-program covers a wide range of theplant–animal interface including nutritional/anti-nutritional properties ofpasture legumes for farm animals, insect resistance, and bacterial and viralassociations with pasture legumes. A brief progress summary of two proj-ects currently running under this sub-program is given below. There is alsoa project on ‘Use of neon infra red to inexpensively and rapidly predict thequality of legume pastures and fodder’ approved for funding from CLIMAInternal Funding Support.This project will be conducted at CSIRO LivestockIndustries under the supervision of Dr Robyn Dynes and Dr Hayley Norman.

Host range and symptomatology ofsubterranean clover mottle virus in

alternative pasture, forage and croplegumes

A total of 51 plant species representing 25 different

genera belonging to seven families were challenged with

subterranean clover mottle virus (SCMoV) by inoculation

with infective sap, including 39 legume species and 12

Principal Investigators: Mr John Fosu-Nyarko

(Murdoch), Dr Roger Jones (DAWA), Ms Lisa Smith

(UWA), Prof. Mike Jones (Murdoch), Dr Geoffrey

Dwyer (Murdoch)


Severe mottle and leaf deformation in leaves of Trigonellabalansae systemically infected with SCMoV

species belonging to the families Amaranthaceae,Apiaceae,

Chenopodiaceae,Cruciferae,Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae.

Twenty-one new host species belonging to eight different

genera of legumes were found for SCMoV, nine of which

were alternative annual pasture or forage species and 12

crop legumes.Of these,seven pasture or forage species and

six crop species were infected systemically.Two species of

Chenopodium were also hosts. The host status of eight

previously tested legume species was also re-examined.The

implications of these results for pastures sown with alter-

native pasture or forage legumes and plant improvement

programs evaluating such species for commercial use are

discussed.



Virus disease incidence in lucernepastures and seed stocks

A 2000–01 survey of commercial seed stocks of

lucerne being sown in the Western Australian wheatbelt

showed that the majority were infected with alfalfa mosaic

virus (AMV) and a few with cucumber mosaic virus (CMV).

The inevitable consequence of unknowingly sowing

infected seed stocks is that they cause the introduction of

seed-borne virus infection within pastures.This practice initi-

ates epidemics of AMV and CMV.

In a survey of three-year-old lucerne pastures in the

Western Australian wheatbelt in 2001, 30 of 31 pastures

sampled were found infected with AMV but no CMV was

detected. AMV incidences were often high (up to 98% of

plants infected), with more than 50% infection within 20 of

the pastures. Infection with luteoviruses was detected in 11

of 31 pastures sampled. Bean leaf roll virus was found for

Principal Investigator: Dr Roger Jones (DAWA)


the first time in Western Australia, subterranean clover red

leaf virus for the first time in the wheatbelt, and beet west-

ern yellows virus for the first time in lucerne in the state.

Bluegreen aphid infestations were common in the

pastures sampled and cowpea aphid was also often found.

Both aphid species are efficient vectors of these viruses.

Infection with viruses in lucerne stands is cause for concern

not only because of production losses within the infected

stands but also because they provide an infection reservoir

for virus diseases to survive over summer and subsequently

spread to nearby crops of pulses, lupin and annual pastures.

Abundance, nodulation and geneticdiversity in nodules of root nodule

bacteria from two phylogenetic groups,in relation to symbiotic nitrogenfixation in the field

The symbioses between Rhizobium leguminosarum

and subterranean clover and between Bradyrhizobium sp.

(Lupinus) and Lupinus angustifolius have been integral to

agricultural production in Australia’s Mediterranean climate

regions.The symbiosis between B.sp. (Lupinus) and L.angus-

tifolius has been associated with higher and more consis-

tent levels of N2 fixation than the symbiosis between R. l.

bv.trifolii and subterranean clover in south-western Australia.

This has occurred under conditions that include interrup-

tion of the symbiosis by rotational practices and summer

drought and infrequent reinoculation with elite strains of

root nodule bacteria.

This study sought to explain differences in symbiotic

performance between R. l. bv. trifolii and B. sp. (Lupinus) in

terms of the persistence of their populations under selec-

tion pressures encountered in the presence or absence of

their legume host. Persistence was defined in relation to

abundance in soil and consequent nodulation of the host

legume and the genetic profile and N2 fixing effectiveness

of isolates recovered from nodules.

The success of the B. sp. (Lupinus) / L. angustifolius

symbiosis over a prolonged period in south-western

Australia was seen as due to several factors.These are:a large

increase in abundance of B. sp. (Lupinus) when lupin is

introduced, resulting in adequate nodulation even where

the population is sparse prior to lupin growth; and a popu-

lation dominated by effective N2 fixing phenotypes, most

likely of inoculant origin.The limited range of inoculants and

limited range of host legume species and cultivars intro-

duced into south-western Australia, combined with the

inherent genetic stability of the organism, were considered

sufficient to preclude the development of significant diver-

sity in N2 fixing phenotype among naturalised populations

of B. sp. (Lupinus) in south-western Australia.

In contrast, the R. l. bv. trifolii population comprised

a more diverse range of genotypes and N2 fixing pheno-

types.Variability in N2 fixing effectiveness under field condi-

tions was seen as resulting from interactions between

diversity in introduced inoculants; introduced species and

cultivars of host legume; diversity in soil microhabitats;

and a genetically flexible organism. The indeterminate

nodules of the subterranean clover host were considered

important to maintaining a pool of phenotypically diverse

R.l.bv. trifolii in soil even in the presence of continuous host

legume.





Student name Project title UniversityMs Michelle Dunne The effect of growth pH of legume root nodule bacterial Murdoch

inoculants on their performance in acid soilsMs Krystyna Haq Persistence of rhizobia and bradyrhizobia in soil UWAMr Ron Yates Ecology of rhizobia nodulating Mediterranean perennial legumes UWA

Principal Investigators: Ms Krystyna Haq (UWA),

Associate Prof. Lynette Abbott (UWA),

Dr Janice Thies (UWA/Cornell University),

Dr Simon Toze (CSIRO)


S U B - P R O G R A M P L 3 – Annual Pasture LegumeImprovement

The Annual Pasture Legume Improvement Sub-program drawstogether research activities that focus on the breeding and selection ofnew pasture legumes for Western Australian farming systems. It alsoincludes research into the development of systems, particularly theidentification of constraints with available pasture legume cultivars.

Research in the sub-program is looking to develop strategies forpasture legume management within the constraints imposed by currentcultivars. The research has many novel features. It is developing annuallegume cultivars that will be needed for farming systems that have notyet fully evolved. This has required recourse to legume species notpreviously used in managed agriculture.The sub-program also involvesresearch into the use of lucerne in farming systems in the cropping zonesof Western Australia.

Sub-program Leader:

Associate Professor Mike Ewing


Telephone: (61) 8 93801876

Purple clover (Trifolium purpureum)

Initial evaluation was conducted on a salinity/water-

logging cohort at three sites in 2002 but seasonal conditions

were extremely unfavourable at these sites.

Intensive investigation across a range of species was

conducted to determine resistance to bluegreen aphids

(170 lines), redlegged earthmite (88 lines) and clover scorch

(279 lines). It is important to note that wide variabilty was

found in the levels of resistance for each of these threats,

increasing the likelihood of resistant cultivars being devel-

oped over the next five to 10 years.

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the tolerance

of 12 new pasture legumes to 25 herbicides and herbicide

mixes. Results were presented to farmers at the annual

Agribusiness Crop Update meeting in February 2002.

Patterns of hardseed breakdown have been exten-

sively studied for several new alternative pasture legumes.

Results indicate that many of the species tested have the

capacity to avoid false breaks of season (unseasonal rains)

and show characteristics that will allow them to be used in

both ley and phase farming systems. Evidence for delayed

germination in several species has implications for weed

management.These species used in combination with non-

selective herbicides soon after the break of season can

effectively control herbicide-resistant weeds. Further stud-

ies are currently underway to investigate the reliability of

these particular traits and may allow them to be developed

as selection criteria for new cultivars.

The Trifolium Genetic Resource Centre continues to

introduce and characterise new germplasm of priority

species in support of NAPLIP field evaluation trials.

Collections grown in 2001 include 47 accessions of B.peleci-

nus from Sardinia and Spain; 63 accessions of L. ornithopo-

diodes from Sardinia, Sicily, Spain and Greece; the collection

of O. isthmocarpus (Moroccan serradella) consisting of 17

newly collected accessions from Spain and 18 accessions

from existing collections; 10 accessions of Moroccan clover

(T. isthmocarpum) collected from Tunisia in 1994; and several

Trifolium species mostly from recent collecting missions to

Italy and Spain including T. resupinatum (Persian clover), T.

hirtum (rose clover), T.spumosum (bladder clover), T.pallidum

and T. lappaceum (lap clover). Two collections of Trifolium

dasyurum (eastern star clover) and T. purpureum (purple

clover) form the basis for a program of Targeted

Characterisation, a component project of NAPLIP.Work with

the collections of these two species involved screening

purple clover accessions for seed threshability, and meas-

uring field seed softening in both species.Collections grown

in 2002 include Egyptian clover (T. alexandrinum), cupped

clover (T. cherleri), rose clover (T. hirtum), T. palaestinum from

Israel,purple clover (T.purpureum),Persian clover (T.resupina-

tum), Biserrula pelecinus and Hymenocarpus circinatus.




The National Annual PastureLegumes Improvement Program

(NAPLIP) – Western Australiancomponent

The National Annual Pasture Legumes Improvement

Program (NAPLIP) is a collaborative project between

Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, South

Australia and Victoria, funded jointly by GRDC and Australian

Wool Innovation.The main aim of the project is to identify

and develop cultivars of new pasture legume species for use

in existing and emerging farming systems, to meet the

complementary needs of grain growers and livestock

producers.

In the last two years, four new cultivars of pasture

legumes species have been released (below).

1. Prima, the first variety in the world of Trifolium glan-

duliferum (gland clover), is a mid-season cultivar well

adapted to a broad range of soil types and pH, easy

to harvest with conventional header harvesters and

fully resistant to RLEM.

2. Mauro is a late flowering biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus),

softer seeded than Casbah.

3. Yelbeni is the earliest flowering yellow serradella

(Ornithopus compressus) for low rainfall areas (250

mm).

4. Urana is a mid-season cultivar of subterranean clover

targeted for New South Wales.

An exciting outcome is the development of the first vari-

eties of hard-seeded French serradella (O. sativus) in the

world. The material has been bred and selected from cv.

Cadiz, a soft-seeded cultivar of French serradella devel-

oped by CLIMA. Basic seed of two new cultivars was

produced at Badgingarra in 2002 and will be available to

licensees for the 2003 season.

In addition, seven cohorts of new material are

currently undergoing field evaluation in Western Australia.

These comprise 11 late maturing French serradella lines, 12

early flowering rose clover (Trifolium hirtum) lines, 24 blad-

der clover (T. spumosum) lines, 11 sulla (Hedysarum coro-

narium) lines,13 purple clover (T.purpureum) lines, four early

maturing Persian clovers (T. resupinatum) and 28 lines of

Trigonella for low rainfall alkaline soil. Work in 2001 also

resulted in the selection of 15 elite lines of Lotus ornithopo-

dioides, which were seed increased in 2002 for field evalu-

ation in 2003.

Principal Investigators: Associate Prof. Mike Ewing

(DAWA), Mr Brad Nutt (DAWA),

Mr Richard Snowball (DAWA), Dr Angelo Loi (UWA),

Dr Clinton Revell (DAWA), Mr Phil Nichols (DAWA),

Mr Andrew Blake (DAWA), Ms Anita Lyons (DAWA)


Seed production limits sulla andpurple clover as fodders

Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium) and purple clover

(Trifolium purpureum) are highly productive and high qual-

ity pasture/forage legumes with some history of commer-

cial use in Mediterranean climatic conditions. The prime

advantages which these have over other species in current

use include their deep rooting ability which extends the

spring growth of both species, and their plant structure

which makes them suitable for direct heading by conven-

tional harvesting equipment. The ability to dry the soil to

a greater depth than most annual legumes contributes

not only to productivity and quality but also to their sustain-

ability by reducing the potential for ground water recharge

and hence salinity.The biennial character of sulla allows for

rapid growth and water use in the autumn.

Limitations to the successful commercialisation of

purple clover and sulla are in the area of harvest efficiency

of both species, the susceptibility to clover scorch in purple

clover and the rhizobial specificity of sulla. Harvestability

experiments were set up this season at Boyup Brook and

Northampton and experimental and commercial harvesters

were modified to improve harvesting of both crops.

Much has also been learned recently with the devel-

opment of Trifolium dasyurum (eastern star clover) in terms

of improved harvesting where the crop is swathed before

being picked up with a cereal harvester.This technique will

be trialled this summer with purple clover and sulla.

Selection of a completely soft-seeded sulla is being inves-

tigated this season.This will eliminate the need for dehulling

and improve its suitably to phase farming systems.

The entire collection of purple clovers available has

been screened for clover scorch disease (Kabatiella caulivora)

and good resistance has been discovered within the species.

The elite group that was selected has been re-screened

during 2002. A new rhizobium is being tested this season

that appears to be more effective on sulla and may allow

it to be grown on more acid soils than previously possible.


Development Corporation (RIRDC).

Economic and environmentalbenefits of serradella-based

pastures for low rainfall highly acidicsoils

This project aimed to quantify the benefits of

serradella-based pastures, analyse the impact on a whole

farm through modelling and estimate current adoption

levels.Experimental results indicated that pasture improved

with serradella could increase stock carrying capacity by at

least 60% (from 2.5 to 4 dse/ha) without any penalty in live-

stock performance. The higher dry matter production,

particularly in spring,suggests that this difference could be

greater or grazing extended for a longer period. The

increased stock carrying capacity directly relates to an

increased wool yield per hectare. However, there was also

slightly higher wool cut per animal on the pasture improved

with serradella.The increase in dry matter production from

the pasture improved with serradella was also associated

with greater soil moisture use. The top 1.7 m soil profile

under the serradella pastures was 4% to 9% drier than

under the unimproved pasture in 1998 and 2000. The

increased use of soil moisture occurs in the 60 cm and 120

cm zone in the soil profile.

The economic analysis utilised MIDAS (Model of

Integrated Dryland Agricultural Systems) to assess the

impact of improved pasture production on whole farm

profitability. Improving pasture production does not alter

the mix of the farming enterprise selected by MIDAS.

However, it does make use of the improved production on

highly acidic soils by increasing the stocking rate by 0.9

dse/ha to 1.3 dse/ha depending on the rotation. In perma-

nent pasture this returns an extra $2.60/ha to $6.20/ha

based on low wool prices. If serradella–crop rotations are

chosen for the lighter textured soils, the benefit can be

between $10/ha to $28/ha over unimproved pasture.These

benefits have been calculated after accounting for the

costs of establishment.

An estimate of current serradella adoption was devel-

oped through surveys of seed cleaning companies and 60

growers. Of the several cultivars of serradella that have

been released, Cadiz French serradella is perhaps the best

known and most widely grown cultivar. Current estimates

would suggest as much as 0.5 million hectares are sown

annually in Western Australia. Much of the success and on-

farm adoption of Cadiz is related to the ease of seed produc-

tion, one of the key selection criteria. However, the header

harvestability of Cadiz and simplicity of on-farm seed

Principal Investigators: Associate Prof. Mike Ewing

(DAWA), Mr Peter Skinner (DAWA), Mr Kevin Foster

(DAWA), Mr Phil Nichols (DAWA), Mr Brad Nutt

(DAWA), Mr Richard Snowball (DAWA)


Principal Investigators: Mr Brad Nutt (DAWA),

Associate Prof. Mike Ewing (DAWA)


production, although desirable, is limiting our ability to

accurately report on the uptake and use of serradella.

Cadiz French serradella is a major land use in the

northern agricultural region of Western Australia. In the

survey of 60 growers, on average 5.9% (ranging between

0% and 27% of cropping program) of the area sown to either

crops or pastures in 2002 was sown to Cadiz. On a regional

scale,this equates to between 220 000 and 250 000 hectares

sown this season.This is likely to represent 50% of the total

area (estimated at 500 000 ha) in the state, although less

reliable information is available from regions outside the

northern agricultural region.

The suitability of yellow serradella as a regenerating

pasture legume has long been recognised. The supply of

germinable seed has been a major obstacle and the success

of Cadiz (which is freely available) clearly demonstrates the

impact this limitation can have on adoption. The modifi-

cation of the Trangie dehuller by Brad Nutt at CLIMA and

subsequent commercial investment by Satinwood Pty Ltd

and Ballard Seeds since 1996 has revolutionised yellow

serradella seed availability.

From a baseline perhaps as low as one hundred

hectares in 1994, dehulling and the commercial release of

the cultivars Santorini, Charano, King and Yelbini, and the

introduction of Avila seed crops have seen the area of

yellow serradella in Western Australia expand rapidly.

Current estimates exceed 60 000 hectares, with 50% of

this estimated to be in the northern agricultural region of

Western Australia.

To context this, approximately 40 t of dehulled seed

(>90% germinable) was sold on the domestic market in

Western Australia for sowing in 2002 alone. Assuming 1%

of this sown area is harvested at the end of 2002 and yields

on average 500 kg/ha, all of which is dehulled, this will

produce another 50 t of pure seed. Thus rapid adoption is

currently underway.



Lucerne intercropping for sub-soilwater management

This four-year project (2000–2004) is an on-farm test

of the effectiveness and profitability of using intercropped

lucerne for water management. The concept being tested

is lucerne as a permanent background to annual cropping

to reduce deep drainage. The main questions are how

much lucerne is required to reliably manage sub-soil water

in a cropping system and what is the trade-off in crop yield

and gross margin of lucerne as a permanent understorey.

The years 2000 and 2001 were two of the driest years

on record but, despite some setbacks (there was no crop

harvest in the 2000 season and the lucerne required replant-

ing in 2001), four sites have been successfully established

with intercropped lucerne. Data was collected progres-

sively from two sites since December 2000 and two sites

since April 2001. The sites, with soil types varying from

sandy duplex to heavy clay, are on the property of JR and

RJ Patterson east of Dumbleyung,Western Australia,approx-

imately 200 km south-east of Perth.

The intercrop design is one row of lucerne between

two rows of crop. Monocultures of lucerne and crop have

also been established at each site in order to 1) establish

the extent of the lateral drying effect of the lucerne into

adjoining crop rows; and 2) enable a direct comparison

between the effectiveness and economics of intercrop-

ping and phase farming.Detailed studies of water relations

and crop and lucerne biomass at fine-scale are being under-

taken.

In 2001 grain yield in lucerne intercrop treatments

ranged from -40% to +15% of sole crop yield, translating

to a gross margin range of -$130/ha to +$83/ha. The yield

penalties in intercropping were highest on sites following

lucerne, more strongly correlated with lucerne age than

density, and negatively correlated to sole crop yield (that

is, the higher the sole crop yield, the lower the penalty in

intercropping).

Summer rainfall (November–December 2001) trig-

gered a marked increase in soil water buffer size after a long

period of little change with low (max 50 mm) or negative

(min -30 mm) buffers throughout the winter season of

2001.The mean increase in buffer size between November

2001 and March 2002 was 60 mm in sole lucerne (94 mm,

54 mm and 40 mm) and 15 mm in intercrop lucerne (23 mm

and 6 mm). In terms of the trade-off between grain yield

and water mangement, the two sites for which an


Principal Investigators: Dr Ted Lefroy (CSIRO), Dr

Christine Davies (UWA), Mr David Waugh (UWA), Dr

Richard Stirzaker (CSIRO)


assessment can be made for the season 2001–02 so far are

showing a $51/ha opportunity cost for a soil water buffer

of 0 mm on a clay-loam and an $83/ha profit for a soil water

buffer of 13 mm on a sandy duplex soil.

The end product of these experiments will be a

ready-reckoner that will enable grain growers to calculate

the spacing required between intercropped lucerne rows

to reduce median deep drainage to less than 5% of annual

rainfall on soils with high and low clay content, and the

impact this is likely to have on grain yield. This will be

achieved by determining the drainage:yield ratios for

lucerne–crop combinations on each soil type. This ratio

summarises the trade-off between the aboveground influ-

ence of a perennial on the yield of an adjacent annual

crop and its belowground influence on reducing drainage

below the crop. The data on change in soil water content

along the transects will be used to estimate the lateral

influence of the lucerne on drainage.



Low recharge farming systems for thesouthern wheatbelt of Western

Australia based on lucerne

Dryland salinity and waterlogging are predicted to

impact 6 million ha of productive agricultural land in

Western Australia.This discharge of water and salts is largely

caused by insufficient water use by the annual crops and

pastures cultivated across much of the agricultural land-

scape. Within the current phase farming system, perenni-

als could be most readily fitted into the pasture phase to

improve water balance while maintaining the profitable

cropping enterprise.Lucerne is the oldest cultivated forage

plant and most readily available option for farmers to

adopt.

Previously, project UWA 149 assessed the perform-

ance of a lucerne phase against annual pasture in one

pasture–crop rotation at Borden.Over the three-year pasture

phase lucerne depleted soil water (10 cm to 150 cm) 40 mm

to 100 mm more than annual pasture, and produced

herbage quantities similar to or greater than the clover

pasture with a reduced weed component. The soil water

buffer was maintained for two crops (wheat and canola)

following the lucerne phase, compared to the annual

pasture. The soil water use, N-fixation, weed control and

improvements to soil structure combined to increase wheat

yield in the year following lucerne (4.7 t/ha compared to 4.0

t/ha after annual pasture).

The research component of the current project UWA

339 is assessing the performance of subsequent lucerne

phases in rotation.This will provide new knowledge on the

ongoing productivity and sustainability of a lucerne-based

system compared to the current annual-based rotation.The

project also seeks to address any systems-related issues with

the adoption of lucerne on a large scale. In 2001 the Borden

site was re-sown to pasture (lucerne and subterranean

clover monocultures), including a cover-cropping treat-

ment where lucerne was sown with a cereal (barley) in alter-

nate rows to reduce establishment costs. The production

of legume biomass in the lucerne monoculture (1.5 t/ha)

and cover-cropping (0.5 t/ha) treatments was less than the

annual pasture (2.5 t/ha) in 2001.However,once established,

the lucerne monoculture treatments have produced 3 t/ha

to 3.5 t/ha biomass compared to the 1.5 t/ha of annual

pasture produced during the 2002 season.

Principal Investigators: Ms Sharon Dawson (UWA),

Mr Roy Latta (DAWA), Mr Tom Bailey (UWA), Prof.

Phil Cocks (UWA)


This project also supports and coordinates the activ-

ities of the Western Australian Lucerne Growers Inc (WALG);

a group of 450 farmer,agribusiness and researcher members

which provides the extension network for this and associ-

ated research projects.The flow of R & D outcomes through

quarterly newsletters, regional field days and formal events

has directly contributed to the adoption of lucerne over

approximately 50 000 ha in Western Australia. The wider

communication strategy is structured to disseminate trial


outcomes from regional focus sites, providing confidence

and support for the wider uptake of lucerne-based phase

farming systems.



Sharon Dawson examining lucerne root growth


Student name Project title UniversityMr Mark Gherardi Water and micronutrient use by pastures grown on bauxite UWA

residue

S U B - P R O G R A M P L 4 – Novel Uses of Forage Legumes

Pastures have traditionally been used solely as a source of feedfor grazing animals.There is the opportunity to exploit our pasturelegume genetic resources for novel outcomes – naturalanthelmintics, valuable phytohormones, summer legume feed,aquaculture , exported forage and seeds – in the development ofnovel products and secondary processing of pasture legumecomponents. Our vast genetic resources in forage legumes havenot been well explored for novel uses such as these. This sub-program will endeavour to identify new opportunities for apply-ing our excellent selection and breeding skills. If successful, farmersin Western Australia will have an expanded list of high value prod-ucts to develop for world markets.

BackgroundThere is a large untapped potential in the utilisation

of forage legumes as sources of protein, dietary phytohor-

mones and new drugs in industries other than mainstream

agriculture.Two outstanding opportunities present them-

selves in 1) the extraction of phytohormones and devel-

opment of new drugs; and 2) the development of

aquaculture feeds for the expanding intensive fish and

prawn industries. Both activities require a fundamental

understanding of the chemical make-up of the target

legume and the development of clinical bioassays.

The discovery of phytoestrogens from red clover

(Trifolium pratense) as cancer preventatives and as treat-

ments for menopause and osteoporosis and biological

activities of fenugreek (Trigonelle foenum-graecum) in antiox-

idants,antidiabetics, tonic,carminative and anti-lipid perox-

idative are good examples of the benefits of pasture

legumes. Some species of legumes contain flavonoids,

isoflavonoids, and saponins which have shown broad

biological activities including anticancer,anti-oxidant,antivi-

ral, antimicrobial, anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory

activities, and treatments for menopause and osteoporo-

sis.

We have access to a unique database of isoflavones

from clovers. Our aim is to identify novel compounds with

antiproliferative effect in human breast and/or prostate

cancer cells. Our preliminary bioassay results indicate that

methanolic extracts of two clovers show significant antipro-

liferative activity in breast cancer cell culture. Further frac-

tionation will lead to identification of bioactive compounds.

Legumes containing high quality proteins and rich in

essential amino acids show potential for fish meal replace-

ment in the aquaculture feed industry in the future.

Developing high quality aquaculture products to compete

Sub-program Leader:

Associate Professor John Howieson


Telephone: (61) 8 9360 2231

Investigation into legumes withpharmaceutical and aquaculture

potential

The aims of this project are to:

◗ develop a capacity for chemical analysis of legumes

such that species from our unique legume gene-

bank with valuable pharmaceutical or aquaculture

benefit can be developed;

◗ undertake chemical identification of bioactive

compounds, in particular isoflavonoids from legumes,

and assess their efficacy in mammalian

breast/prostate cancer proliferation assays;

◗ generate a basic knowledge of the chemistry of

legume germplasm such that cultivars can be devel-

oped to suit specific industries; and

◗ develop cultivars for specific industries.

Principal Investigators: Dr Shao Fang Wang (CCWA),

Associate Prof. Peter Leedman (UWA), Prof. Clive

Francis (UWA), Dr Steven Carr (DAWA), Associate

Prof. John Howieson (Murdoch), Mr Warren Potts

(Glen Forrest Stockfeeders), Mr Kevin Foster

(DAWA)


with or to replace soy in aquaculture is a substantial chal-

lenge.The aquaculture industry is familiar with soymeal and

the soy lobby is enormously powerful. We therefore need

a sophisticated understanding of the exact demands of the

aquaculture feed market, in terms of product chemical

constituents as well as efficacy. Having established this, we

need to research whether our legume genebank can deliver

an appropriate product.

Our current understanding of the aquaculture market

demands in terms of product constituency to feed crustacea

and salmonids suggests the following essential criteria:

protein >45%; high concentrations of the S-group amino

acids (lysine and methionine); C2 and C4 lipids; and high

protein digestibility with no anti-nutritional factors or char-

acteristics. An additional advantage would be the pres-

ence of soluble pigments such as the ketocarotenoids (for

example, astaxanthin) which produce the pink colouration

in farmed salmonids and prawns.

ProgressThe project commenced in July 2002 with the grow-

out of a targeted group of forage legumes at Medina from

which material has been harvested for gross extractions.

These extracts are currently entering cancer cell bioassays

at Royal Perth Hospital.With bioassay-guided fractionation,

biologically active compounds will be identified.A series of

forage legumes has been identified that might suit the aqua-

culture phase of the project and seeds of these have been

accessed from the DAWA germplasm storage facilities.

Chemical analysis of these seeds will commence in 2003.

The research is supported by the Rural Industries Research and

Development Corporation (RIRDC).


Awards Received by CLIMA Personnel

Award Name Received from Scientist

Young Scientist Award 2002 Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Australia Dr Brett Glencross

Australian Citation Laureate 2001 Institute of Scientific Information USA Adjuct Prof. Neil Turner

Best Masters Thesis 2002 Australian Agricultural and Resource Mr Ben HendersonEconomics Society (Supervisor: Dr Ross Kingwell)

Best Oral Students Presentation 12th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference Ms Oonagh Byrne(September 2002)

Best Poster Award 4th European Grain Legume Conference Dr Jon Clements(July 2001) Dr Miles Dracup

Editorial Advisory Board Member Australian Journal of Agricultural Research Prof. Kadambot Siddique

Editorial Advisory Board Member European Journal of Agronomy Prof. Kadambot Siddique

Fellowship Academy of Technological Sciences and Dr James Ridsdill-SmithEngineering Mr Trevor Flugge

Fellowship Australian Institute of Agricultural Dr James Ridsdill-SmithScience and Technology Dr Roger Jones

Fellowship National Academy of Agricultural Adjunct Prof. Neil TurnerSciences, India

State Landcare Awards 2001 Western Australianfinalists – ‘Alcoa Landcare Lucerne Growers Inc.Community Group’ section (Coordinator: Ms Sharon

Dawson)

Urrbrae Memorial Award 2001 – Urrbrae Memorial Award Trust Prof. Kadambot SiddiqueExcellence in Agricultural Science

AWA R D S R E C E I V E D


Theses Passed - Clima Postgraduate Students

Name student Thesis title Supervisors 2001/2002

Vanessa Dunbabin The effect of root system form Prof. Zed Rengel 2002and function on nitrate uptake by Dr Art Digglelupins in a leaching environment

Patrizia Gremigni Control of seed alkaloid levels in narrow- Assoc. Prof. Wallace Cowling 2002leafed lupins (Lupinus angustifolius L.) Adj. Prof. John Hamblinthrough management of plant nutrition Dr David Harrisand agronomic practices

Krishna Mann Response of Helicoverpa punctigera Prof. K.Sivasithamparam 2002Wallengren to chickpea genotypes Assoc. Prof. Emilio Ghisalberti(Cicer arietinum L.) differing in plant Dr James Ridsdill-Smithchemicals especially organic acids andisoflavones

Alison McInnes Field populations of bradyrhizobia Prof. Lyn Abbott 2002associated with serradella Dr Janice Thies

Assoc. Prof. John Howieson

Hayley Norman The reproductive strategies of annual Prof. Phil Cocks 2002legumes from Mediterranean-type Dr Nick Galweyclimates

Yvette Oliver Field measurement and estimation of Dr Ian Fillery 2002soil water and chemical transport in Assoc. Prof Keith Smettemdeep sands

Lingwen Zeng Changes in the seed coat of legumes Prof. Phil Cocks 2001associated with seed softening Prof. Stan Kailis

T H E S E S PA S S E D

Refereed Journal ArticlesAdhikari, K.N., Galwey, N.W. and Dracup, M. (2002). The genetic control of mildly restricted

branching in narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.). Euphytica, 123: 101-109.

Adhikari, K.N., Galwey, N.W. and Dracup. M. (2001). The genetic control of highly restricted

branching in narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.). Euphytica, 117: 261-274.

Asseng, S., Dunin, F. X., Fillery, I. R. P., Tennant D., and Keating, B. A. (2001). Potential deep

drainage under wheat crops in a Mediterranean climate. II. Management opportunities to

control drainage. Australian Journal Agricultural Research, 52: 57-66.

Asseng, S., Fillery, I. R. P., Dunin, F. X., Keating, B. A., and Meinke H. (2001). Potential deep

drainage under wheat crops in a Mediterranean climate. I. Temporal and spatial variability.

Australian Journal Agricultural Research, 52: 45-56.

Behboudian, M.H., Ma, Q., Turner, N.C. and Palta, J.A. (2001). Reactions of chickpea to water

stress: yield and seed composition. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 81:

1288-1291.

Bennett, S.J. and Galwey, N. (2002). The use of spatial analysis to measure the effect of

environmental heterogeneity on genetic variation in Trifolium L. species from Sardinia.

Journal of Agricultural Science, 139: 283-294.

Bolland, M.D.A., Riethmuller, G.P., Siddique, K.H.M. and Loss, S.P. (2001). Method of

phosphorus fertiliser application and row spacing on grain yield of faba bean (Vicia faba

L.). Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 41: 227-234.

Bolland, M.D.A., Sweetingham, M.W. and Jarvis, R.J. (2001). Effect of Pleiochaeta setosa on

field responses of Lupinus angustifolius and L. luteus to applications of phosphorus.

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 41: 549-556.

Brennan, R.F. and Longnecker, N.E. (2001). Effects of the concentration of manganese in

the seed in alleviating manganese deficiency of Lupinus angustifolius L. Australian Journal

of Experimental Agriculture, 41: 1199-1205.

Brennan, R.F., Bolland, M.D.A. and Siddique, K.H.M. (2001). Response of cool-season grain

legumes and wheat to soil-applied zinc. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 24: 727-741.

Cheng, Y., Jones, R.A.C. and Thackray, D.J. (2002). Deploying strain specific hypersensitive

resistance to diminish temporal virus spread. Annals of Applied Biology, 140: 69-79.

Clements, J.C. and Atkins, C.A. (2001). Characterisation of a non-abscission mutant in

Lupinus angustifolius L. I. Genetic and structural aspects. American Journal of Botany,

88: 31-42.

Clements, J.C. and Atkins, C.A. (2001). Characterisation of a non-abscission mutant in

Lupinus angustifolius L.: Physiological aspects. Annals of Botany, 88: 629-635.

Clements, J.C., Dracup, M. and Galwey, N. (2002). Effect of genotype and environment on

proportion of seed hull and pod wall in lupin. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research,

53: 1147-1154.

Clements, J.C., Mishra, B., Francis, C.M., Neupane, R.K., Francis, D.S. and Campbell, M. (2002).

Collection and Ecogeography of Niger (Guizotia abyssinica) in Nepal. Plant Genetic

Resources Newsletter, 129: 32.

Collins, M.T., Thies, J.E. and Abbott, L.K. (2002). Diversity and symbiotic effectiveness of

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii isolates from pasture soils in south-western

Australia. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 40: 1319-1329.


C L I M A P U B L I C AT I O N S 2 0 0 1 - 2 0 0 2

Coutts, B.A. and Jones, R.A.C. (2002). Temporal dynamics of spread of four viruses within

mixed species perennial pastures. Annals of Applied Biology, 140: 37-52.

Diggle, A.J., Salam, M.U., Thomas, G.J., Yang, H., O’Connell, M. and Sweetingham, M.W.

(2002). AnthracnoseTracer: A Spatiotemporal Model for Simulating the Spread of

Anthracnose in a Lupin Field. Phytopathology, 92: 1110-1121.

Dunbabin, V.M., Diggle, A.J and Rengel, Z. (2002). Simulation of field data by a basic three-

dimensional model of interactive root growth. Plant and Soil, 239: 39-54.

Dunbabin, V.M., Diggle, A.J. Rengel, Z. and van Hugten, R. (2002). Modelling the

interactions between water and nutrient uptake and root growth. Plant and Soil,

239: 19-38.

Dunbabin, V.M., Rengel, Z. and Diggle, A. (2001) Lupinus angustifolius has a plastic influx

response to heterogeneously supplied nitrate while Lupinus pilosus does not. Australian

Journal of Agricultural Research, 52: 505-512.

Dunbabin, V.M., Rengel, Z. and Diggle, A. (2001) The root growth response to

heterogeneous nitrate supply differs for Lupinus angustifolius and Lupinus pilosus.

Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 52: 495-503.

Elmer, W.H., Yang, H.A. and Sweetingham M.W. (2001) Characterization of Colletotrichum

gloeosporioides from ornamental lupines in Connecticut. Plant Disease, 85: 216-219.

Fillery, I.R.P. (2001). The fate of biologically-fixed nitrogen in dryland farmings systems: a

review. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 41: 361-381.

Fosu-Nyarko, J., Jones R.A.C., Smith L.J., Jones, M.G.K. and Dwyer, G.I. (2002). Host range and

symptomatology of Subterranean clover mottle virus in alternative pasture, forage and crop

legumes. Australasian Plant Pathology, 31: 345-350

French, R.J. (2002). Soil factors influencing growth and yield of narrow-leafed lupin and

field pea in Western Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 53: 217-225.

French, R.J., Sweetingham, M.W. and Shea, G.G. (2001). A comparison of the adaptation of

yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.) and narrow-leafed lupin (L. angustifolius L.) to acid

sandplain soils in low rainfall agricultural areas of Western Australia. Australian Journal of

Agricultural Research, 52: 945-954.

Gremigni P., Wong M., Edwards N., Harris D. and Hamblin J. (2001). Potassium nutrition

effects on seed alkaloid concentrations, yield and mineral content in lupin (Lupinus

angustifolius L.). Plant and Soil, 234: 131-142.

Hartung, W., Leport, L., Ratcliffe, R.G., Sauter, A., Duda, R. and Turner, N.C. (2002). Abscisic

acid concentration, root pH and anatomy do not explain growth differences of chickpea

(Cicer arietinum L.) and lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) on acid and alkaline soils. Plant and

Soil, 240: 191-199.

Jones, R.A.C. (2001). Developing integrated disease management strategies against non-

persistently aphid-borne viruses: A model programme. Integrated Pest Management

Reviews, 6: 15-46.

Jones, R.A.C. and Ferris, D.J. (2001). Virus infection stimulates phyto-oestrogen production

in pasture legume plants growing in grazed swards. Annals of Applied Biology,

138: 171-179.

C L I M A P U B L I C AT I O N S 2 0 0 1 - 2 0 0 2 ( co n t . )

Jones, R.A.C., Fosu-Nyarko, J., Jones, M.G.K. and Dwyer, G.I. (2001). Subterranean clover

mottle virus. AAB Descriptions of Plant Viruses, 329: 8.

Kumar, S., Sivasithamparan, K. and Sweetingham, M.W. (2002). Prolific production of

sclerotia in soil by Rhizoctonia solani anastomosis group (AG) 11 pathogenic on lupin.

Annals of Applied Biology, 141: 11-18.

Latham, L.J. and Jones, R.A.C. (2001). Alfalfa mosaic and pea seed-borne mosaic viruses in

cool season crop, annual pasture and forage legumes: susceptibility, sensitivity and seed

transmission. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 52: 710-90.

Latham, L.J. and Jones, R.A.C. (2001). Distribution and incidence of virus infection in

experimental plots, commercial crops and seed stocks of cool season crop legumes.

Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 52: 397-413.

Latham, L.J., Jones, R.A.C., and McKirdy, S.J. (2001). Cucumber mosaic cucumovirus

infection of cool season crop, annual pasture and forage legumes: susceptibility, sensitivity

and seed transmission. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 52: 683-689.

Lazaro, A., Campbell, M., Francis, C., Robertson, L. and de la Cuadra. (2002). Collecting

biodiversity of important forage legumes in Spain. Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter,

129:11-16

Liu, Fei-Hu and Longnecker, N. (2002). Interactive effect of cytokinin and potassium on

sink-source relationships in Lupinus angustifolius. Plant Growth Regulation, 36: 1-6.

Loi, A., Howieson, J.G. and Carr, S.J. (2001). Biserrula pelecinus Cv. Casbah. Australian Journal

of Experimental Agriculture, 41: 841-842.

Loi, A., Nutt, B. and Corleto, A. (2002). Rivoluzione verde per i pascoli Australiani a clima

Mediterraneo: nuove specie per un’agricoltura piu’ economica ed ecologicamente

sostenibile. Informatore Agrario, 23: 52-56.

Ma, Q., Behboudian, M.H., Turner, N.C. and Palta, J.A. (2001). Gas exchange by pods and

subtending leaves and internal recycling of CO2 by pods of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

subjected to water deficits. Journal of Experimental Botany, 52: 123-131.

Ma,Q., Longnecker, N. and Atkins, C. (2002). Varying phosphorus supply and development,

growth and seed yield in narrow-leafed lupin. Plant and Soil, 239: 79-85.

Makkouk, K.M., Bashir, M., Jones, R.A.C. and Kumari, S.G. (2001). Survey for viruses in lentil

and chickpea crops in Pakistan. Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection, 108: 258-268.

McDougall, D.J., Longnecker, N.E., Marsh, S.P. and Smith, F.P. (2001). Attitudes of pulse

farmers in Western Australia towards genetically modified organisms in agriculture.

Australasian Biotechnology, 11: 3, 36-39.

Pardini, A., Gremigni, P., Longhi, F. and Lombardi, P. (2001). Impatto del ‘Ley Farming

System’ sulle risorse ambientali dell’Australia occidentale. Bollettino Della Societá

Geografica Italiana, Seri XII, VI: 651-672.

Ridsdill-Smith, J., Ghisalberti, E. and Jiang, Y. (2002). Induced responses in clover to an

herbaceous mite. Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, 51: 170-181.

Seymour, M., Siddique, K.H.M., Brandon, N., Martin, L. and Jackson E. (2002). Response of

vetch (Vicia ssp.) to plant density in south-western Australia. Australian Journal of

Experimental Agriculture, 42: 1043-1051.


Shackle, H., Bennett, S.J., Snowball, R., Samaras, S., Francis, C. and Maxted, N. (2001). The

ecogeography and collection of forage and pasture legumes in the east Aegean Islands,

Greece. Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter, 128: 55-63.

Shankar, M., Cowling, W.A. and Sweetingham, M.W. (2002). Identification of alleles at two

loci controlling resistance to Phomopsis stem blight in narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus

angustifolius L.). Euphytica, 125: 35-44.

Siddique, K.H.M., Regan, K.L., Tennant, D. and Thomson, B.D. (2001). Water use and water

use efficiency of cool season grain legumes in low rainfall Mediterranean-type

environments. European Journal of Agronomy, 15: 267-80.

Tang, C., Hinsinger, P., Drevon, J.J. and Jaillard, B. (2001). Phosphorus deficiency impairs

early nodule functioning and enhances proton release in roots of Medicago truncatula L.

Annals of Botany, 88: 131-138.

Taylor, G.B. and Revell, C.K. (2002). Seed softening, imbibition time, and seedling

establishment in yellow serradella. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research,

53: 1011-1018.

Thackray, D. J., Smith, L.J., Cheng, Y., Perry, J.N. and Jones, R.A.C. (2002). Effect of strain-

specific hypersensitive resistance on spatial patterns of virus spread. Annals of Applied

Biology, 141: 45-59.

Thompson, R.B. and Fillery, I.R.P. (2002). Mineralisation of nitrogen contained in mature

subterranean clover, capeweed and annual ryegrass and subsequent nitrogen use by

wheat in dryland farming systems. Australian Journal Agricultural Research, 40: 299-315.

Turner, N.C., Wright, G.C. and Siddique, K.H.M. (2001). Adaptation of grain legumes (pulses)

to water-limited environments. Advances in Agronomy, 71: 193-231.

White, C.L., Hanbury, C.D., Young, P., Phillips, N., Wiese, S.C., Milton, J.B., Davidson, R.H.,

Siddique, K.H.M. and Harris, D. (2002). The nutritional value of Lathyrus cicera and Lupinus

angustifolius grain for sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 99: 45-64.

Wylie, S. J., Kueh, J., Welsh, B., Smith, L. J., Jones, M. G. K. and Jones, R. A. C. (2002). A non-

aphid transmissible isolate of bean yellow mosaic potyvirus has an altered NAG motif in

its coat protein. Archives in Virology, 147: 1813-1820.

Yang, H., Sweetingham, M.W., Cowling, W.A. and Smith, P.M.C. (2001). DNA fingerprinting

based on microsatellite-anchored fragment length polymorphisms, and isolation of

sequence-specific PCR markers in lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.). Molecular Breeding,

7: 203-209.

Yang, H.A. and Sweetingham, M.W. (2002). Variation in morphology and pathogenicity of

Pleiochaeta setosa isolates from Lupinus spp. and other legumes. Australasian Plant

Pathology, 31: 273-280.

Yang, H.A., Shankar, M., Buirchell, B.J., Sweetingham, M.W., Caminero, C. and Smith, P.M.C.

(2002). Development of molecular markers using MFLP linked to a gene conferring

resistance to Diaporthe toxica in narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.). Theoretical

and Applied Genetics, 105: 265-270.

Yu, Q., Kuo, J. and Tang, C. (2001). Using confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy to Measure

Apoplastic pH Change in Roots of Lupinus angustifolius L. in Response to High pH. Annals

of Botany, 87: 47-52.


Review articles and book chaptersBakr, M.A., Siddique, K.H.M. and Johansen, C. (Eds.). (2002) Integrated Management of

Botrytis Grey Mould of Chickpea in Bangladesh and Australia: Summary Proceedings of a

Project Inception Workshop, 1-2 June 2002, BARI, Dhaka. Pp. 138.

Bennett, S.J. and Maxted, N. (2001). Ecogeographic Environment of the Mediterranean. In:

Plant Genetic Resources of Legumes in the Mediterranean. (Eds. N. Maxted and S.J.

Bennett). Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 39: 33-51.

Bennett, S.J., Reid, R. and Francis, C. (2001). Minor and under-utilised legumes. In: Plant

Genetic Resources of Legumes in the Mediterranean. (Eds. N. Maxted and S.J. Bennett).

Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 39: 207-230.

Erskine, W., Siddique, K., Khan, T., and Cowling, W. (2001). Utilisation of Grain Legume

Diversity. In: Plant Genetic Resources of Legumes in the Mediterranean. (Eds. N. Maxted

and S.J. Bennett). Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 39: 311-326.

Fillery, I.R.P. and Recous, S. (2001). Use of enriched 15N sources to study soil N

transformations. In: Stable Isotope Techniques in the Study of Biological Processes and

Functioning of Ecosystems (Eds. M.J. Unkovich, D.J. Gibbs, J.S. Pate and A.M. McNeill) pp.

167-194. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

Henderson, B. (2001). Technical efficiency in Western Australian broadacre farming. In:

Research Profile: Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Western

Australia in 2001. (Eds. R. Fraser and J. Taylor), pp. 3-22.

Jones, R.A.C., Fosu-Nyarko, J., Jones, M.G.K. and Dwyer, G.I. (2001). Subterranean clover

mottle virus. AAB Descriptions of Plant Viruses. No. 329. 8pp.

Lamont, E.J., Zoghlami, A., Sackville-Hamilton, R. and Bennett, S.J. (2001). Clovers (Trifolium

L.). In: Plant Genetic Resources of Legumes in the Mediterranean. (Eds. N. Maxted and S.J.


Maxted, N. and Bennett, S.J. (2001). Legume Diversity in the Mediterranean Region. In:

Plant Genetic Resources of Legumes in the Mediterranean. (Eds. N. Maxted and S.J.


Maxted, N. and Bennett, S.J. (2001). Conservation, diversity and use of Mediterranean

legumes. In: Plant genetic resources of legumes in the Mediterranean. (Eds. N. Maxted and

S.J. Bennett). Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands, 39: 1-32.

Maxted, N. and Bennett, S.J. (2001). Future conservation and utilisation priorities. In: Plant

genetic resources of legumes in the Mediterranean. (Eds. N. Maxted and S.J. Bennett).

Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands 39: 357-378.

Maxted, N. and Bennett, S.J. (Eds.) (2001). Plant genetic resources of legumes in the

Mediterranean. Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands.

Sanita’ di Toppi L., Cobbett C.S., Gremigni P., Pawlik-Skowro?ska B. and Prasad M.N.V. (2002).

Heavy metals. In: Abiotic stresses in plants. (Ed. L. Sanita’ di Toppi). Research Signpost,

Trivandrum-Kerala, India. (In press).

Sanita’ di Toppi L., Favali M. A., Gabbrielli R. and Gremigni P. (2001). Brassicaceae. In: Metals

in the environment: analysis by biodiversity. (Ed. M.N.V. Prasad). Marcel Dekker Inc., New

York, U.S.A., pp. 219-257.

Turner, N.C., Wright, G.C. and Siddique, K.H.M. (2001). Adaptation of grain legumes (pulses)

to water-limited environments. Advances in Agronomy 71: 193-231.


Conferences and WorkshopsAbbo, S., Turner, N., French, R.J. and Berger, J.D. (2002). Breeding for osmotic adjustment in

chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). 12th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference – Plant

Breeding for the 3rd Millennium, Perth, Western Australia, 15-20 September 2002.

pp. 463-467.

Bennett, S.J. (2001). Pollen-ovule ratios as a method of estimating breeding system in

Trifolium pasture species. 10th Australian Agronomy Conference, Hobart.

Http://regional.org.au/au/asa/2001/

Berger, J.D., Turner, N.C. and Ali, M. (2002). AMMI analysis of genotype by environment

interaction across India and Australia reveals specific adaptation in dryland chickpea. 12th

Australasian Plant Breeding Conference – Plant Breeding for the 3rd Millennium, Perth,

Western Australia, 15-20 September 2002. pp. 507-509.

Berlandier, F., Edwards, O., Ridsdill-Smith, J. and Wang, S.F. (2002). Improving aphid

resistance in lupin crops. Abstr. 33rd AGM and Scientific, Australian Entomological Society.

Fremantle, September.

Byrne, O.M.T., Galwey, N.W. and Hardie, D. (2002). Searching for molecular markers for

resistance to pea weevil. 12th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference – Plant Breeding for

the 3rd Millennium, Perth, Western Australia, 15-20 September 2002. pp. 362-366.

Cheng, Y., Jones, R.A.C. and Thackray, D.J. (2002). Deploying strain-specific hypersensitive

virus resistance in field conditions. In: Proceedings of 8th International Plant Virus

Epidemiology Symposium, Aschersleben, Germany, 12-17 May 2002. pp 161.

Clarke, H. (2001). Improving tolerance to low temperature in chickpea. Proceedings of the

4th European Conference on Grain Legumes, Cracow, Poland, 8-12 July 2001.

Clarke, H. (2001). Amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) as a tool for chickpea

improvement. Biotechnology Forum: the Biotechnology discipline initiative to network,

Perth, 1 March 2001.

Clarke, H.J., Shan, F., Yan, G., Plummer, J. and Siddique, K. (2002). Genetic diversity of

chickpea and its wild relatives: the potential of DNA profiles. 12th Australasian Plant

Breeding Conference – Plant Breeding for the 3rd Millennium, Perth, Western Australia,

15-20 September 2002. pp. 204-206.

Clements, J.C. and Dracup, M. (2002). Research on proportion of seed hull and pod wall

for lupin improvement: variation in germplasm and mutant populations and G & E effects.

10th International Lupin Conference, June, Laugarvatn, Iceland.

Clements, J.C. and Dracup, M. (2001). Lowering the seed hull proportion in narrow leafed

lupin (L. angustifolius). 4th European Conference on Grain Legumes, July, Cracow, Poland.

Clements, J.C., Qifu Ma, and Pate, J.S. (2002). A high chlorophyll genotype in Lupinus

angustifolius L. – Comparison with parent genotype in terms of carbon economy of fruits,

yield and water use efficiency. 10th International Lupin Conference, June, Laugarvatn,

Iceland.

Clements, J.C., Zvyagin, A., Silva, D., Wanner, T., Sampson, D. and Cowling, W.A. (2002). Use of

optical coherence tomography to measure the hull thickness of lupin seeds. 12th

Australasian Plant Breeding Conference – Plant Breeding for the 3rd Millennium, Perth,

Western Australia, 15-20 September 2002. pp. 733-736.


Dwyer, G., Loo, H.P., Schibeci, D., Hunter, A., Siddique, K., Khan, T., Bellgard, M. and Jones, M.

(2002). Molecular and Bioinformatics approaches for chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

improvement. 12th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference – Plant Breeding for the 3rd

Millennium, Perth, Western Australia, 15-20 September 2002. pp. 42-46.

Fresnillo Fedorenko, D.E. (2001). Ten years of ecological research on Medicago minima (L.)

Bart. Proceedings of the 14th Eucarpia Medicago spp. Group Meeting, Zaragoza and Lleida,

Spain, 12-15 September 2001.

Gremigni P., Hamblin J. and Harris D. (2001). Seed alkaloid levels in L. angustifolius as

affected by genotype x environment interactions. Proceedings of the 4th European

Conference on Grain Legumes, 8-16 July 2001, Cracow, Poland.

Gremigni, P. and Cowling, W.A. (2001). Genotypic variation in Mn-efficiency among

narrow-leafed lupin varieties and between lupin species. Proceedings of the 5th WA

Symposium on Ions in the soil-water-plant continuum, 27 April 2001, Perth, Western

Australia.

Gunasekera, C.P., Martin, L.D., Walton, G.H. and Siddique, K.H.M. (2001). Growth, dry matter

production and seed yield of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) in the Mediterranean

environment of south-western Australia. Proceedings of the 10th Australian Agronomy

Conference, Hobart, January/February. 2001.www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2001/

Gunasekera, C.P., Martin, L.D., Walton, G.H. and Siddique, K.H.M. (2001). Indian Mustard

(Brassica juncea L) – A promising oilseed crop for low rainfall cropping regions of Western

Australia. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Biennial Australian Research Assembly on

Brassicas, Geelong, Victoria, 1-5 October 2001, pp. 135- 140.

Gunasekera, C.P., Martin, L.D., Walton, G.H. and Siddique, K.H.M. (2001). Growth and seed

yield components of Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) and canola (Brassica napus L.) in a

low rainfall short season Mediterranean-type environment. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth

Biennial Australian Research Assembly on Brassicas, Geelong, Victoria, 1-5 October 2001,

pp. 144-149.

Hawkes, J.R. and Jones, R.A.C. (2002). Yield losses caused by beet western yellows virus in

oilseed rape in a mediterranean-type environment. In: Proceedings of 8th International

Plant Virus Epidemiology Symposium, Aschersleben, Germany, 12-17 May 2002. pp 139.

Hawkes, J.R., Smith, L.J. and Jones, R.A.C. (2002). Over-summering reservoirs of barley

yellow dwarf virus in a mediterranean-type environment. In: Proceedings of 8th

International Plant Virus Epidemiology Symposium, Aschersleben, Germany, 12-17 May

2002. pp 85.

Henderson, B. and Kingwell, R. (2002) The technical and allocative efficiency of broadacre

farmers. 46th Annual Conference of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics

Society, 13-15 February 2002, Canberra.

Jones, R.A.C. (2002). Using epidemiological information to develop effective integrated

virus disease management strategies. In: Proceedings of 8th International Plant Virus

Epidemiology Symposium, Aschersleben, Germany, 12-17 May 2002. pp3.

Jones, R.A.C. (2002). Analysing diverse spatial patterns of virus spread in grain legume and

vegetable plantings using quadrated data. In: First Joint Conference of the International

Working Groups on Legume and Vegetable Viruses – Vegetable and Legume Virus

research for the New Millennium. Bonn, Germany, 4-9 August 2002. pp. 20.


Knights, E.J. and Siddique, K.H.M. (2002). Chickpea status and production constraints in

Bangladesh. In: Integrated Management of Botrytis Grey Mould of Chickpea in

Bangladesh and Australia: (Eds. M.A. Bakr, K.H.M. Siddique and C. Johansen). Summary

Proceedings of a Project Inception Workshop, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1-2 June, 2002.

pp 33-41.

Knights, E.J. and Siddique, K.H.M. (2002). Manifestation of Botrytis cinerea on chickpeas in

Australia. In: Integrated Management of Botrytis Grey Mould of Chickpea in Bangladesh

and Australia: (Eds. M.A. Bakr, K.H.M. Siddique and C. Johansen). Summary Proceedings of a

Project Inception Workshop, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1-2 June, 2002. pp 70-77.

Latham, L.J. and Jones, R.A.C. (2002). Temporal and spatial dynamics of spread of two non-

persistently aphid-borne viruses in faba bean (Vicia faba). In: Proceedings of 8th


2002. pp 141.

Loi, A., Sandral, G.A., Gajda, K., McRobb, R.K., Snowball, R. and Lopez, F.G. (2002). Lotus

ornithopodiodides L. a new pasture legume with potential for Mediterranean farming

systems. 12th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference – Plant Breeding for the 3rd


Palta, J.A., Turner, N.C., French, R.J. and Buirchell, B. (2001). Terminal drought and seed yield

of lupin. Proceedings of the 10th Australian Agronomy Conference, Hobart,

January/February 2001.www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2001/

Shankar, M., Sweetingham, M., Buirchell, B. and Cowling, W. (2002). Evidence that

resistance to phomopsis stem and pod blight in Lupinus angustifolius cv Tanjil is controlled

by different genes. 12th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference – Plant Breeding for the

3rd Millennium, Perth, Western Australia, 15-20 September 2002. pp. 429-431.

Shankar, M., Sweetingham, M., Buirchell, B. and Cowling, W. (2002). Identification of a gene

conferring resistance to phomopsis pod blight in Lupinus angustifolius. 12th Australasian

Plant Breeding Conference – Plant Breeding for the 3rd Millennium, Perth, Western

Australia, 15-20 September 2002. pp. 427-428.

Sharma, H.C., Mann, K., Kashyap, S., Pampapathy, G. and Ridsdill-Smith, J. (2002).

Identification of resistance to Helicoverpa in wild species of chickpeas. ‘Plant Breeding for

the 11th Millennium’ J.A. McComb (Ed.) Proc. 12th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference,

Perth, Western Australia, 15-20 Sept. 2002. pp.277-280. (Australian Plant Breeding Assoc.

Inc.).

Sharma, H.C., Stevenson, P.C., Pampapathy, G., Lenka, S.K. and Ridsdill-Smith, J. (2002).

Mechanisms and diversity of resistance in wild relatives of crops to Helicoverpa armigera.

Abstr. 33rd AGM and Scientific, Australian Entomological Society. Fremantle, September.

Thackray, D.J. and Jones, R.A.C. (2002). Forecasting aphid outbreaks and epidemics of

barley yellow dwarf virus – a decision support system for a mediterranean-type climate. In:

Proceedings of 8th International Plant Virus Epidemiology Symposium, Aschersleben,

Germany, 12-17 May 2002. pp 135.

Thackray, D.J., Hawkes, J.R. and Jones, R.A.C. (2002). Effects of pre-growing season rainfall

on aphid arrival and virus epidemics in oilseed rape in a mediterranean-type climate. In:

Proceedings of 8th International Plant Virus Epidemiology Symposium, Aschersleben,

Germany, 12-17 May 2002. pp 147.


Thackray, D.J., Smith, L.J., Cheng, Y., Perry, J.N. and Jones, R.A.C. (2002). Effects of strain-

specific hypersensitive resistance on spatial patterns of virus spread. In: Proceedings of 8th


2002. pp 146.

Thackray, D.J., Ward, L., Thomas, M. and Jones, R.A.C. (2002). Relationships between aphid

numbers, BYDV spread and yield losses in wheat growing in a mediterranean-type

climate. In: Proceedings of 8th International Plant Virus Epidemiology Symposium,

Aschersleben, Germany, 12-17 May 2002. pp 145.

Turner, N.C., Ma, Q., Leport, L., Davies, S.L. and Siddique, K.H.M. (2001). Adaptation of

chickpea to water-limited environments. Proceedings of the 10th Australian Agronomy

Conference, Hobart, January/February 2001.www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2001/

Wang, S.F., Ridsdill-Smith, T.J. and Ghisalberti, E.L. (2002). Resistance mechanisms in

Trifolium species to redlegged earth mite, Halotydeus destructor ; role of volatiles. ‘Plant

Breeding for the 11th Millennium’ J.A. McComb (Ed.) Proc. 12th Australasian Plant

Breeding Conference, Perth, Western Australia, 15-20 Sept. 2002. pp.435-436. (Australian

Plant Breeding Assoc. Inc.).

Wylie, S.J., Barker, S., Smith, P. and Higgins, T.J. (2002). The transgenic pulse development

project. 12th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference – Plant Breeding for the 3rd


Extension/Advisory Berger, J., Turner, N.C., and Siddique, K.H.M. (2001). Desi chickpea: Performance under

drought. In: Crop Updates – Pulse Research and Development in Western Australia 2001.

pp. 35-37. Agriculture Western Australia, South Perth.

Byrne, O.and Hardie, D. (2002). Incorporation of pea weevil resistance into a field pea

variety. In: Crop Updates – Pulse Research and Development in Western Australia 2002. pp.

107-108. Department of Agriculture Western Australia.

Clarke, H. (2001). Desi chickpea: Resistance to chilling at flowering and to budworm. In:

Crop Updates – Pulse Research and Development in Western Australia 2001. pp. 37-38.

Agriculture Western Australia, South Perth.

Clarke, H. (2002). Desi chickpea: Tolerance to chilling at flowering. In: Crop Updates – Pulse

Research and Development in Western Australia 2002. pp. 36-37. Department of


Clements, J.C. and Dracup, M. (2001). Selection for thinner seed coats and podwalls in

lupins. Proceedings of the 2001 Agribusiness Crop Updates, Perth, Western Australia,


Clements, J.C., Mishra, B., Francis, C.M., Neupane, R.K., Francis, D.S. and Campbell, M.C.

(2002). Collection and ecogeography of Niger (Guizotia abyssinica) in Nepal. IPGRI Plant

Genetic Resources Newsletter 129, 1-8.

Dwyer, G., Loo, H., Khan, T., Siddique, K.H.M., Bellgard, M. and M. Jones, M. (2002). Molecular

studies of ascochyta blight disease in chickpea. In: Crop Updates – Pulse Research and

Development in Western Australia 2002. pp. 37-38. Department of Agriculture Western

Australia.


Fosu-Nyarko J., Jones, R., Smith L., Jones, M., and Dwyer, G. (2002). Responses of alternative

annual pasture and forage legumes to challenge with infectious subterranean clover

mottle virus. In: Crop Updates – Farming Systems for Sustainability (Ed Olive R.), p. 35-36.

Francis, C.M. and Siddique, K.H.M. (2001). International selection, introduction and fast

tracking of kabuli chickpea with large seed size. Biomass, yield and ascochyta resistance.

Final report to GRDC (UWA 248). pp. 12.

Galwey, N.G., Adhikari, K.N., Dracup, M and Thomson, B. (2001). Determination of the

optimum genetic background for restricted branching genes in Lupinus angustifolius. Final

report to GRDC (UWA 204).

Gunasekera, C.P., Martin, L.D., Walton, G.H. and Siddique, K.H.M. (2001). Adaptation of Indian

Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) to the low rainfall short season Mediterranean environment of

Western Australia. In: Proceedings of Crop Updates – Technical Information for

Agribusiness, 2001 Oilseeds Updates, Western Australia.

Hanbury, C. and Hughes, B. (2002). New grain legume for layers. Evaluation of Lathyrus

cicera as a feed ingredient for layers. A report for the Rural Industries Research and

Development Corporation. pp. 1-22.

Hanbury, C. and Hughes, B. (2002). Lathyrus: Poultry feeding trials. In: Crop Updates – Pulse

Research and Development in Western Australia 2002. pp. 72-73. Department of


Hanbury, C., Siddique, K.H.M. and Francis, C. (2002). Lentil: Productivity and yield stability in

Australia and Nepal. In: Crop Updates – Pulse Research and Development in Western

Australia 2002. pp. 64. Department of Agriculture Western Australia.

Hanbury, C., Siddique, K.H.M. and White, C., Mullan, B., and Hughes, B. (2001). Lathyrus:

Animal feeding trials. In: Crop Updates – Pulse Research and Development in Western

Australia 2001. pp. 79-80. Agriculture Western Australia.

Hanbury, C.D. and Siddique, K.H.M. (2001). Multipurpose grasspea has bright future.

Farming Ahead 118, 42-44.

Hawkes, J. and Jones, R. (2001). Aphids and disease hitch a ride over summer. In: Australian

Grain (Western Focus) 11, pp. iv-v.

Hawkes, J. and Jones, R.A.C. (2001). Distribution and incidence of aphids and barley yellow

dwarf virus in over-summering grasses in the WA wheatbelt. In Crop Updates - Cereals (Ed

Jettner R. and Johns J), pp. 665-66.

Hawkes, J., Thackray, D. and Jones, R. (2002). Incidence of virus diseases in chickpea. In:

Crop Updates – Pulse Research and Development in Western Australia 2002 (Eds Regan K.

and White P.), pp. 101-102. Department of Agriculture Western Australia.

Henderson, B. and Kingwell, R. (2001) The efficiency of grain-growers in Western Australia.

Agri-business Crop Update 2001, Perth, Western Australia.

Henderson, B. and Kingwell, R. (2001) Are WA graingrowers efficient? In: Australian Grain,

11: 3.

Henderson, B. and Kingwell, R. (2001) Testing the efficiency of broadacre farms. Journal of

Agriculture (West. Aust.), 42: 2-5.

Henderson, B. and Kingwell, R. (2002) Are WA broadacre farmers efficient? Crop Update

2002 conference, 20-21 February 2002, Perth, Western Australia.

Jones, R. (2001). Widespread lucerne plantings pose disease risk to other crops. In:

Australian Grain, 11: 40-41.


Jones, R. (2001). Disease risk to crops and pastures from widespread sowing of lucerne. In:

Crop Updates – Farming Systems and Sustainability (Eds Olive R. and Revell C.), pp. 37-38.

Jones, R. (2002) Integrated management strategies for virus diseases of lupins. In:

Australian Grain, Southern Australia Focus 12 (1), pp vi-vii.

Jones, R. (2002). Integrated management strategies for virus diseases in lupins. In: Crop

Updates - Lupins (Ed McLarty A.) p. 25-26.

Jones, R. (2002). Yield losses caused when beet western yellows virus infects canola.. In:

Crop Updates - Canola (Ed McLarty A.) p. 42-44.

Jones, R. and Coutts, B. (2002) Lupin yield losses from the non-necrotic strain of BYMV. In:

Australian Grain, Southern Australia Focus, 12 (1), pp vii-viii.

Jones, R. and Coutts, B. (2001). The new strain of bean yellow mosaic virus: yield losses and

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Jones, R. and Harman, D. (2002). Survey of Western Australian lucerne stands reveals

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Jones, R. and Hawkes, J. (2002). Yield losses when beet western yellows virus infects

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Latham, L.J. and Jones, R.A.C. (2001). Causal agent of devastating carrot disease is

identified. In: Good Fruit and Vegetables, Vol 11 No. 10 p. 21.

Palta, J., Nandwal, A. and Turner, N.C. (2002). Desi chickpea: Foliar application of N increases

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Web SitesAustralian Trifolium Genetic Resource Centre.

http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/progserv/plants/pasture/improvement/index.htm

CLIMA web site. http://www.clima.uwa.edu.au

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Lupid aphid and virus web site. http;//www.agric.wa.gov.au/lupinvirus


C L I M A R E S E A R C H P R O J E C T S 2 0 0 1 - 2 0 0 2

CLIMA Research Projects 2001-2002

Client Grant No. Title Supervisor

GRDC UWA00036 An International collaboration to develop Prof. K. Siddiqueinterspecific hybrids between chickpea and Dr H. Clarkeits wild annual relatives

GRDC UWA00035 An International collaboration to develop Prof K. Siddiquerobust protocols for doubled haploid production Dr J. Croserin field pea and chickpea

GRDC UWA 346 An international program for selection of lupins Dr M. Sweetinghamwith improved resistance to anthracnose and Prof. C. FrancisFusarium wilt

GRDC UWA 267 Biological activity and organic matter in Dr A. Diggleno-tillage systems and their contribution tocrop production

GRC Chemical mechanisms of resistance in lupins Dr J. Ridsdill-Smithto aphids

GRDC UWA 357 Determination and promotion of health benefits Dr N. Longneckerof pulses with special emphasis on chickpea

GRDC UWA 313 Determining the yield limiting potential of new Dr R. Jonesvirus diseases of lupin or canola and surveyingfor virus infection reservoirs outside thegrowing season

GRC Developing L. angustifolius with seed quality Dr J. Clementschanges using single seed NIR screening Prof C. Atkins

GRDC UWA 062 Development of value-added plant protein Dr B. Glencrossproducts for the aquaculture feeds sector Ms S. Sipsas

GRDC UWA00015 Differentiating between sweet and bitter Dr D. Harrislupins in the field Dr B. Buirchell

GRDC UWA 255 Economic and environmental benefits of Assoc. Prof. M. Ewingserradella based pasture for low rainfall,highly acidic soils

RIRDC UWA 61A Evaluation of Lathyrus cicera as a feed Dr C. Hanburyingredient for layers

COGGO Fast tracking ascochyta resistant, high quality Prof. K. Siddiquekabuli chickpea varieties for Australia Ms K. Regan

GRC Fast tracking South Australian field pea Dr T. Khangermplasm to Western Australia Prof. K. Siddique

GRDC UWA 290 Forecasting and decision support for aphid Dr R. Jonesand virus control in crops and medic pastures

GRDC UWA00038 Genetic Dissection of Fungal Disease Resistance Dr K. Singhin Legumes using Medicago trunculata Prof. R. Oliver

GRDC UWA00040 Germplasm collection of Trifolium and Mr R. Snowballother pasture legume species from short Assoc. Prof. M. Ewingseason, low latitude regions in the Mediterranean

GRDC UWA 355 Getting the best out of crops genetically Dr A. Digglemodified for herbicide

ACIAR CS1/2000/066 Host resistance, epidemiology and integrated Prof. K. Siddiquemanagement of faba bean chickpea and Mr W. MacLeodlentil disease - WA component


CLIMA Research Projects 2001-2002 (cont.)

GRDC UWA00009 Improved lupin grain quality and yield through Dr J. Clementsgenetic manipulation of key physiological traits Dr B. Buirchell

GRDC UWA 295 Improving lupin quality and yield by Dr M. Dracupmodifying the hull and the pod wall Dr J. Clements

GRDC UWA00042 Improving lupin tolerance to metribuzin and Dr M. Sweetinghamdeveloping germplasm with tolerance to the Dr Ping Sinew herbicides, Balance and Affinity

GRC Improving pod photosynthesis and yield in Dr J. Clementslupins

GRDC UWA00005 Improving the utilisation of pasture Dr S. Bennettgermplasm by the development of a core Mr R. Snowballcollection using ecogeographical and moleculartechniques

GRDC UWA 314 Incorporation of pea weevil resistance into Dr D. Hardiea cultivar field pea Ms O. Byrne

RIRDC 0049 UWA 64 Integrate, Segregate or rotate trees with crops Dr T. Lefroy

ACIAR CS1/2001/039 Integrated management of Botrytis grey Prof. K. Siddiquemould of chickpea in Bangladesh and Dr M. A. BakrAustralia (Bangladesh)

GRDC UWA 366 International collaboration for the collection Assoc. Prof. J. Howiesonof germplasm of herbaceous perenniallegumes and rhizobia with which to developplant solutions to dryland salinity

GRDC UWA 308 International linkages for crop plant genetic Prof C. Francisresources

RIRDC Investigation into legumes with Dr S. Wangpharmaceutical and aquaculture potential Assoc. Prof. J. Howieson

ACIAR CS1/1999/064 Lentil and Lathyrus in the cropping systems Prof. C. Francisof Nepal: improving crop establishment and Prof. K. Siddiqueyield of relay and post-rice sown pulses inthe terai and mid-hills

GRDC UWA 339 Low recharge farming systems for the Prof. P. Cockssouthern wheat belt of WA based on lucerne

GRDC UWA 345 Lucerne intercropping for sub-soil water Dr T. Lefroymanagement

GRDC CLM 30 Lupin anthracnose: genetics, pathology and Dr B. Buirchellmarker-assisted breeding

GRDC UWA 315 Lupin resistance to aphids: Enhance selection Dr J. Ridsdill-Smithprocedures and identify mechanisms of resistance.

GRC Lupin rust an exotic disease threat to Dr M. SweetinghamAustralia Dr J. Clements

GRDC UWA 360 National annual pasture legume improvement Assoc. Prof. M. Ewingprogram - Western Australian Component

GRDC UWA349 National Faba Bean Improvement Project – Dr P. WhiteWestern Component Prof. K. Siddique

RIRDC NPP98-26 New high quality oil seed crops for temperate Prof. C. Francisand tropical Australia

CLIMA Research Projects 2001-2002 (cont.)

RIRDC New oilseed options for Australian Farmers Prof. C. Francisand Industry Ms M. Campbell

GRDC UWA 317 New strains of Phomopsis on lupins and Dr M. Sweetinghamgenetics of resistance in stem, pods and seeds

RIRDC RAS 0040 Perennial grain crops for high water use Dr T. LefroyUWA 60A

GRDC UWA 337 Perennial pastures for cropping systems Assoc. Prof. M. EwingMr G. Moore

GRDC PDF38 Post Doctoral Fellowship - Dr Fucheng Shan – Dr H. ClarkeCharacterisation evaluation of wild Cicer Prof. K. Siddiquegenetic resources to accelerate chickpeaimprovement in Australia

GRDC UWA00022 Quality screening support for pulse breeding Dr T. Khanprograms-Western Region Ms S. Sipsas

GRDC UWA 354 Screening for resistance to chilling and Dr H. ClarkeHelicoverpa sp. in chickpea

RIRDC Seed production limits sulla and purple Assoc. Prof. M. Ewingclover as fodders

GRDC UWA00043 The potential of the pearl lupin Dr M. Sweetingham(lupinius mutabilis) for southern Australia Prof. C. Francis

ACIAR CS1/1996/07 Traits for yield improvement of chickpea in Adj. Prof. N. Turnerdrought-prone environments of India and Prof. K. SiddiqueAustralia

GRDC UWA 309 Transgenic Pulse Development Project Dr P. SmithDr S. Barker


A B B R E V I AT I O N S

AARES Australian Agricultural Resource and Economics Society

AARI Aegean Agricultural Research Institute

ABARE Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics

ACCIP Australian Coordinated Chickpea Improvement Program

ACIAR Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

ACLIP Australian Coordinated Lupin Improvement Program

ACNFP Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes

AQIS Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service

ARC Australian Research Council

AWB Australian Wheat Board Ltd

BARI Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute

BSMR Bangabandhu Skeikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University,

Bangladesh

CCWA Chemistry Centre (W.A.)

CDC Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan

CIPAL Coordinated Improvement Program for Australian Lentils

CLIMA Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture

CNR Consiglio Nationale del la Recherche

COGGO Council of Grain Grower Organisations

CRC Cooperative Research Centre

CRS Centre for Rhizobial Studies

CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

DAWA Department of Agriculture Western Australia

DFWA Department of Fisheries Western Australia

DNRE, Victoria Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment

FSA Food Science Australia

GP of WA Grain Pool of Western Australia

GRC-WA Grains Research Committee of Western Australia

GRDC Grains Research and Development Corporation

IAG Industry Advisory Group

IACR IACR, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden UK

ICARDA International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas

ICRISAT International Centre for Research in the Semi-Arid Tropics

INIA Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuaries, Uraguay

INRA Institute National de la Recherche Agronomique

IP Intellectual Property

IWS International Wool Secretariat

LWRRDC Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation

MU Murdoch University

NAPLIP National Annual Pasture Legume Improvement Program

NACR Nepal Agricultural Research Council

NFBIP National Faba Bean Improvement Program

NSW Ag New South Wales Department of Agriculture

PBR Plant Breeder’s Rights

PPRI Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria

QDPI Queensland Department of Primary Industry

R & D Research and Development

RIRDC Rural Industry Research and Development Corporation

SARDI South Australian Research and Development Institute

UCD University of California, Davis

A B B R E V I AT I O N S ( C O N T. )UWA The University of Western Australia

Vic Ag Victorian Agriculture

VIDA Victorian Institute for Dryland Agriculture

VIR Vavilov Institute, St Petersberg

WA Western Australia

WAHRI WA Herbicide Resistance Initiative

WALG Western Australian Lucerne Growers Inc

WANTFA Western Australian No-Till Farmers Association

Woolpro Wool Program


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