Development of genetic selection tools for improved canola acid soils tolerance - Phase 2
Tender ID: 570751
Tender Details
Tender Description
Canola is Australia's third largest crop by value and the most important break crop for cereal production. At low pH exchangeable aluminium (Al3+), manganese (Mn3+) and hydrogen (H+) ions get solubilised into a solution form. Canola in Western Australia is mostly grown on sandy-textured soils, which are prone to acidity and contain Aluminium ions at concentrations that are toxic to the plant and at concentrations > 10 mg/kg below 10cm can reduce yield by > 50% in low rainfall environments. Aluminium can rapidly inhibit root growth at micromolar concentrations. Manganese (Mn2+) ions also contribute to acid soils along with aluminium. Effects of low pH and Mn2+ on plant growth is leaf crinkling, necrotic lesions, inhibition of photosynthesis and reduced yield. The effect of the toxicities by both aluminium and manganese differs depending on soil types.
New canola varieties with soil acid tolerance can support management approaches such as liming to significantly raise canola production on acidic soils in regions with soil pH < 4.8 at 10cm. This includes large areas of Western Australia and significant grain production hectares in South East NSW, Wimmera and Central Vic, Southern Vic, Tasmania, Lower EP, York Peninsula, Mid North SA and Southern SA. Whilst surface acidity can be ameliorated by applying lime, it is more challenging to incorporate lime deeper and can take several years before these soils are productive.
This complementary management option will increase the tools available, and reduce risk, for growers managing low pH soils. This is considered the best approach due to:
1. Lime is a costly approach to reduce acid soil levels and can take many years to penetrate deep enough into the soil profile, resulting in the plant roots still being exposed to acid soils.
2. Acid soil tolerant crops provide more consistent and higher yields while the benefits from the slower soil amelioration management practices take effect.
3. Genetic adaptation of canola germplasm to acidic soils provides a cost-effective initial option where soil acidity is too severe, and the costs associated with amelioration are not economical.
Previous GRDC investment has found that there is statistically significant, and heritable genetic diversity in canola to acid soils. This next investment has been developed to (i) develop high throughput phenotyping methods that mirrors field conditions for screening soil acidity (ii) identify genomic regions, determine the loci and/or genes and develop molecular tools including diagnostic molecular markers that are associated with tolerance to soil acidity deploying in breeding programs, for use in developing improved acid soil tolerant but high yielding canola varieties for target production environments in Australian canola growing regions.
Please note the following:
1. GRDC’s strategic partnership, Analytics for the Australian Grains Industry (AAGI), can offer the following analytics support as a GRDC in-kind contribution such as fit for purpose experimental design and sampling advice and comparative single site and multi-environment genetic analyses of traits from pre-breeding trials. AAGI can also support the analysis of high-throughput data. To access this support, applicants must enquire with AAGI directly and describe the proposed support scope in their tender. The tender description should include an estimate of workload and in-kind valuation provided by AAGI.
Please make enquiries to the University of Adelaide, biometryhub@adelaide.edu.au, attention Julian Taylor. Successful applicants will be required to complete an Analytical Collaboration Plan to specify the analytics support AAGI will provide. A sample Plan template is available from AAGI. Please note, applicants that decline AAGI support must provide a technical and value-for-money rationale for not using in-kind AAGI support.
2. Collaboration between research organisations, Australian canola breeding companies and industry is mandatory. All collaborations should designate a lead organisation as per the Tender Terms and Conditions.
3. GRDC is seeking co-investment of at least 50:50 from research partners for this contract. Please see the budget template for definitions of cash and in-kind contributions.
Other Instructions:
Applications to be submitted via the Grains Investment Portal
Conditions for Participation:
1 The Tenderer must be a single legal entity or recognised firm of partners except where the Tender is submitted by a consortium and the Tender specifies that each member of the proposed consortium will be party to the contract.
2 The Tenderer and any proposed subcontractor must be compliant with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012, the Modern Slavery Act 2018 and any other applicable labour laws and standards in the jurisdiction in which they operate.
3 The Tenderer and any subcontractor must not have a judicial decision against it (not including decisions under appeal) relating to employee entitlements and who have not paid the claim.
4 The Tenderer and any subcontractor must not be named on the Consolidated List, being the list of persons and entities who are subject to targeted financial sanctions or travel bans under Australian sanction laws, as maintained by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
5 In accordance with the Shadow Economy Procurement Connected Policy, a Tenderer must include a satisfactory and valid Statement of Tax Records (STR). If the total value of all work under any proposed subcontract is expected to be equal to or above $4 million (inclusive of GST), also include a separate satisfactory and valid STR of that proposed subcontractor.
Timeframe for Delivery: 4 years
Address for Lodgement: Applications to be submitted via the Grains Investment Portal
Location
New South Wales : Central West : Far North Coast : Far West : Hunter : Illawarra : Mid North Coast : Murray : New England : Orana : Riverina : Southern Highlands : Sydney
Queensland : Cairns & Far North Queensland : Gladstone : Mackay Whitsunday Region : Mount Isa & North West Region : Rockhampton : South East Queensland : South West & Darling Downs : The Central West : Townsville : Wide Bay Burnett
Victoria : Barwon South West : Gippsland : Grampians : Hume : Loddon Mallee : Melbourne
South Australia : Adelaide : Eyre & Western : Far North : Fleurieu & Kangaroo Island : Limestone Coast : Murray & Mallee : York & Mid North
Northern Territory : Barkly : Big Rivers : Central Australia : East Arnhem : Greater Darwin : Top End
Australian Capital Territory
Tasmania
