Lumen Waite 100 - Flipbook - Page 48
Kate’s unwavering passion for Australian plants
extends beyond their cultivation; it’s about nurturing a
mindset that recognises and embraces the richness of our
natural flora, fostering a sustainable and resilient future.
It is the work of sowing seeds of transformation in the
collective consciousness.
The research extends to industrial hemp, contributing to
climate change mitigation and sustainable agriculture.
Rachel says broadening crop diversity will enhance
overall agricultural resilience, with research exploring
the multifunctional aspects of plants and how they may
contribute to climate change mitigation and sustainable
agriculture. This is about “future-proofing” the role of
agriculture through the development and provision of
emerging crops that farmers can choose to grow, allowing
them to diversify in the face of climate change.
When it comes to food sustainability, Research Program
Manager at the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine,
Sam Catt, knows the importance of crop development.
Sam leads the National Faba Bean Breeding Program at
the Waite, spanning more than four decades. It’s a breeding
program that is consistently pushing the boundaries of innovation in agricultural practices.
Industrial hemp, one of the main crops in her research,
is a key example, and one which Rachel believes will be an
area of growth over the next decade.
The program focuses on developing new varieties tailored for Australian growers. As beans are high protein,
Sam says they will be key to addressing the growing demand for plant-based protein sources. The versatility of the
faba bean extends beyond traditional consumption and can
also be used to make products with concentrated and purified forms of protein for different uses.
“As well as growing cannabis for recreational and medicinal uses, the low-THC hemp can be grown as a fibre crop
for clothing, building materials like hempcrete, packaging,
or material for acoustics in cars. It is also an oil seed with an
ideal ratio of omega 3 to 6 fats and is high in protein,” she
says. “Over the next decade, what we’re doing with industrial hemp should really kick in.”
Sam’s research involves factors like yield improvement,
disease resistance, herbicide tolerance, drought tolerance,
nutritional composition, and flavour profile adjustments.
He says it’s important to adapt to changing market demands. “We’re starting to look at a lot of seed quality
traits, the nutritional composition, with the newer interest in plant-based proteins,” he says. And as the program
evolves, there is a shift towards newer technologies, showcasing a commitment to staying at the forefront of agricultural innovation.
The shift from traditional cereal-focused research to diverse crops aligns with the commitment to tackling contemporary environmental challenges. Dr Scott Boden, an
ARC Future Fellow at the School of Agriculture, Food and
Wine, focuses on the genetic regulation of inflorescence
architecture, flowering time, and grain quality in wheat,
aiming to improve the yield and nutrition of grain. Scott’s
focus lies in unravelling the genetic mechanisms dictating
the timing and quantity of flowers – crucial factors influencing a plant’s reproductive cycle.
“If we can understand those genes and how they behave
and interact with the environment, we might be able to
modify them so that the plant produces more flowers and
therefore more grain,” he says.
“IF WE CAN UNDERSTAND THOSE
GENES AND HOW THEY BEHAVE
AND INTERACT WITH THE
ENVIRONMENT, WE MIGHT BE ABLE
TO MODIFY THEM SO THAT THE
PLANT PRODUCES MORE FLOWERS
AND THEREFORE MORE GRAIN.”
This quest for boosting yield holds the promise of improving the nutritional content of wheat crops and addressing the global challenge of feeding more people. “All of my
research is targeted at this goal of increasing food production by 60 to 70 percent by 2050,” Scott says.
The Waite emerges as a dynamic powerhouse in the
realm of sustainable agriculture, addressing the urgent
challenges posed by climate change, biodiversity loss, and
the increasing demand for food security. Through the pioneering efforts of dedicated researchers, the Waite showcases a strong approach towards cultivating a resilient and
sustainable future.
- DR SCOTT BODEN
Beyond immediate implications for agriculture, faba
beans hold promise as a sustainable and strategic crop.
Sam envisions a future where they significantly contribute
to plant-based protein markets, reducing reliance on
imported soybeans and aligning with consumers’ growing
preference for locally produced products.
As we navigate an era defined by environmental
uncertainty, the Waite’s contributions extend far beyond
the boundaries of its campus. It stands as a beacon
of hope, offering tangible solutions and fostering a
collective consciousness that prioritises the resilience and
sustainability of our planet’s agricultural practices and our
changing world.
Professor Rachel Burton leads ground-breaking research at
the Waite, focusing on molecular biology and plant genomics.
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