Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Professor Peter Prentis will lead a $2.2 million study to investigate the genetic basis of several citrus traits. This includes disease resistance and plant growth habits.
QUT researchers will work with members of the CRC Future Food Systems and Superior Production PTY LTD. The project is titled “Elucidating the genetic basis of disease, dwarfing, seedlessness and early flowering in citrus through genomic approaches.”
Prentis, from QUT’s School of Biology and Environmental Science, said Australia’s $1.3 billion citrus industry is threatened by new diseases and labor shortages.
“To remain globally competitive, Australia’s orchard industries must undergo a transformation to produce new superior disease-resistant varieties compatible with high-density orchards,” Prentis said. “Genetic solutions to the various challenges are critical for the long-term viability of the industry. The cost of labor and pest and disease management are steadily rising while grower returns rarely reflect these cost increases. We need new disease-resistant varieties that flower and fruit more consistently at a young age to speed up returns for farmers and production companies.”
Prentis said the researchers will incorporate whole genome sequencing with existing breeding approaches, such as induced mutation breeding, which have a proven track record of success.
The project will focus on novel mutants with traits such as dwarfing, seedlessness and early flowering using commercial partner Superior Production’s Australian mutation breeding program.
“We will characterize the genetic basis of these important production traits for the development of new elite varieties,” Prentis said. “An important aim of the project is to discover and validate resistance genes to huanglongbing (HLB), which threatens citrus production globally. To do this we will leverage Superior Production’s extensive mutant varieties that are planted and phenotyped at their U.S. research farm.”
The research team is comprised of Prentis, Ben Dugdale, Luke Luo, Joanne Simpkins, Maiko Kato, Georgie Stephan and Jiyuan An, all from QUT, in partnership with Andrew Miles and Craig Pressler from Superior Production.
Source: QUT
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