Genetic research is underway to help breed new canola varieties with improved frost resistance.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is leading the national project, with Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) co-investment, which includes the South Australian Research and Development Institute and NSW DPIRD.
Canola is a highly valuable break crop worth an estimated $2.7 billion per annum in Western Australia, which requires significant inputs to achieve yield potential – elevating the crop’s financial risk when sown in frost prone environments.
The ‘Reducing the frost sensitivity of Canola in Australia’ project will screen existing and novel Australian and international canola lines to identify genetic material that can set viable pods under frost conditions.
DPIRD research scientist Brenton Leske said the project aimed to deliver a stepwise change to frost management and canola production.
“Canola is particularly sensitive to frost damage at the flowering, pod development and pod filling stages,” Dr Leske said.
“This project includes two years of field trials to determine the level of genetic diversity for frost resistance, which can be used to breed new canola varieties with improved frost resistance.
“The field trials include a spatial grid of multiple temperature sensors to measure air temperature throughout the crop canopy to get a complete understanding of where the greatest frost effects are.
“Interactions between air temperature, frost damage and plant height will also be explored to relate these to yield loss due to frost.”
Through this research, a robust screening method for suitable canola germplasm will be developed, along with two hybrid offspring populations with differing frost sensitivity for future research.
GRDC Manager Genetic Technologies – Oilseeds Allison Pearson said frost can have a significant impact on canola yields, creating added risk for growers who have invested in establishing and managing the crop.
"By identifying canola germplasm with improved tolerance to frost damage, this investment will provide plant breeders with valuable new tools to develop varieties better suited to Australia's frost prone grain growing regions," Dr Pearson said.
"Ultimately, the project is about giving growers greater confidence to grow canola in frost prone regions, with new varieties better equipped to maintain yield when frost strikes."
For more information on frost identification, tools and support and crop management visit the Frost webpage.
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