Centre for Crop Science

The May 2020 national wheat outlook is predicting an overall average yield across Australia’s wheat belt but with significant regional variability, according to crop-climate researchers at The University of Queensland.

CRISPR gene editing technology has the potential to dramatically increase the number of traits that can be introduced into agricultural crops, far quicker and cheaper than genetically modified (GM) technology has been able to achieve, according to Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) director of crop science, Professor Ian Goodwin.

Hotspot areas in Australia’s wheatbelt have been identified that are especially prone to a climate-induced grain quality defect.

A new crop is making its way onto Australian farms as more severe drought causes a rethink of the crops best suited for cultivation in the northern growing region.

Leaving crop residue on the soil’s surface might inhibit the effectiveness of some pre-emergent herbicides, according to new research from Queensland.

A weed of Australia’s northern grain regions is displaying strong glyphosate resistance and could become a national headache, according to Queensland research.

Greater drought resilience is being bred into Australia’s wheat crops. A plant’s genetics can affect its susceptibility to environmental stresses, including to drought, which is becoming a major drag on the world’s food production systems, limiting yield increases and bringing food insecurity ever closer to a critical tipping point.

Prof Mike Bell from UQ-QAAFI and DAF's David Lester and Doug Sands discuss if we have successful fertility management systems? Collectively, the findings from this research, backed by the underlying regional trends in soil fertility and the drivers for successful rainfed cropping in our region, provide some useful insights into what are likely to be the critical success factors for future fertiliser management programs.