Joint project to boost canola production

Scientists in Wuhan, China inspect variation among the canola lines from Australia, India and China

The quality and yield of canola and other brassica species is set to improve in India, China and Australia, thanks to a three-way research project supported by ACIAR and Australia's Grains Research and Development Corporation.

Led by Dr Phil Salisbury of Melbourne University and involving 13 institutions, the project instigated two exchanges of germplasm of canola (Brassica napus) and Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) which were evaluated over two years.

Valuable traits

The exchange has provided access to a bigger gene pool of hybrid canola cultivars, which have been further developed to suit different environments.

Valuable traits have been found which will assist with drought tolerance and disease management in the native Indian brassica species, such as Indian mustard, and in Chinese rapeseed varieties. Both species are close relatives of the canola grown commercially in Australia.

Dr Paul Fox, ACIAR's Research Program Manager for Crop Improvement & Management said the project will enhance resistance of canola crops to diseases such as the stem-rotting fungus Sclerotinia and white rust, and also improve drought tolerance, benefitting all parties involved.

From the Indian and Chinese perspective, their breeders are confident they will be able to replace their traditional canola and mustard varieties with updated cultivars, with lower levels of erucic acid and the harmful glucosinolates, which provide mustard with its distinctive tang, along with blackleg resistance.

Australian visit

During a recent visit to Australia the eight plant breeders involved in the project took part in the Australian Research Assembly on Brassicas, entitled ‘Changing Foods, Changing Climate, Changing Canola' in Ballarat.

Together, China, India and Australia produce more than half of the world's oilseed brassicas. China and India both grow around 6 million hectares, mostly for domestic consumption. Australia is the world's second largest exporter of canola oilseed, exporting over 1 million tonnes a year.

Co-funder: Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC): http://www.grdc.com.au