summer 13/14 - grains research and development … · · 2016-10-07summer 13/14 contact: fleur...

Larn McMurray (SARDI) Field Day Chair addressing delegates photo by

Jeff Paull

this issue

Call for Submissions- PBA Capacity

Building Project – p 5

Farewell to Bevan Buirchell – p 6

Driving understanding of the role of

legumes in nutrition and health – p 7

PBA Program Updates- p 9

Pulse Research News – p 18

PBA Conference Pictorial – p 20

NEWS

PBA Inaugural Pulse Conference

Wrap

The PBA Inaugural Pulse Conference 2013 (held 20-23 October 2013 in Adelaide) was highly successful, with excellent input from the conference’s keynote speakers Mr Hakan Bahceci, Dr

Bunyamin Tar’an, and Dr Eric Johnson as well as many other Australian and international presenters.

All delegates certainly experienced the “Expanding Horizons”

theme, from the field day to the pulse menus, and thanks to the excellent presentations and posters expanded the breadth and depth of their pulse knowledge.

Conference Field Day

The field day saw a busy day for conference delegates who were joined at Tarlee by local

advisors and growers. The Tarlee Field Site is run by the SARDI New Variety Agronomy Group, in association with

the Mid North High Rainfall Farming Systems Group and was laid out with various historical pulse and research trials especially for the day.

Summer 13/14

Contact: Fleur Winter, PBA Coordinator

[email protected] ph: 0417 926 033

mailto:[email protected]

PBA SUMMER 13/14 NEWS

Janine Sounness,(PB Seeds) happy with PBA Hurricane XT photo by Sharon

Watt

Richard Konzag (GRDC Southern Panel) with keynote

speaker Eric Johnson (Agriculture and Agri-Food,

Canada) photo by Sharon Watt

Wayne Hawthorne (Pulse Australia) with keynote speaker Hakan Bahceci

(President CICILS IPTIC) photo by Sharon Watt

The PBA Breeding teams highlighted the latest progress in the breeding programs and launched a number of new PBA varieties. The Chickpea team

along with commercial partner Seednet launched PBA Maiden (desi) and PBA Monarch (kabuli). Seednet

then joined the PBA Field Pea team for the launch of PBA Coogee and PBA Wharton . The PBA Lentil Team along with commercial partner PBSeeds

launched PBA Hurricane XT .

Mr Hakan Bahceci President of the International Pulse Trade and Industries Confederation (CICILS IPTIC) spoke about

the marketing issues impacting the Australian industry. Dr Eric Johnson, Scott Research Station, Agriculture and

Agri-Food Canada outlined the herbicide resistance issues facing Canadian growers and highlighted some of the similarities and differences between the Canadian and

Australian experience of this increasingly important issue.

A large number of pulse researchers across a breadth of disciplines showed trials and addressed delegates on the latest in rhizobium research, forage peas, future pulse

traits (frost, heat, boron), herbicide tolerance and weed control, stubble retention, pulses in disc systems, disease

management, research into pulse virus, harvest traits, stubble retention, grain quality and marketing issues.

Attendees moved through the various research stations

depending on interest and left the field day with a much

more in-depth knowledge of the market and production challenges facing pulses and

the latest progress in pulse research.

The day also provided ample opportunity for participants

to catch up with familiar colleagues and make new

professional acquaintances

Kristy Hobson PBA Chickpea Breeder (NSW DPI) with PBA Maiden photo by Sharon Watt


Panel experts - Chef Simon Bryant, Peter Semmler (Agrisemm Global Brokerage), Regina Belski (La

Trobe University) and Chef Ragini Day photo by Sharon

Watt

Keynote speaker Bunyamin Tar’an (University of Saskatchewan) photo

by Rohan Kimber

Kurt Lindbeck and Jenny Wood (DPI NSW) with Chris Blnchard (GRDC, Southern Panel) photo by Sharon Watt

Adelaide Program

Day two of the conference saw the event officially opened by Gail Gago MLC

following a welcome by Conference Chair Phil Davies and opening remarks by

Chris Blanchard, Deputy Chair, GRDC Southern Panel on behalf of major sponsor GRDC.

Keynote speaker Hakan Bahceci opened presentations with

an overview of the current and future directions of world pulse markets and outlined progress towards having 2016 declared the International Year of the Pulse by the United

Nations.

Australian pulse markets and implications for our breeding programs was further explored by Pulse Australia Chair Peter Wilson, before an interesting panel discussion on why we (in

Australia) don’t eat more pulses and why we should. Peter Semmler, Agrisemm Global Brokerage, Dr Regina Belski

Senior Lecturer in Dietetics & Human Nutrition at La Trobe University and chefs Simon Bryant and Ragini Day were

guided through this lively discussion by facilitator Jon Lamb.

Pulse industry challenges were the order after lunch, with growers Lachie Seears and Matt

Dare presenting first-hand perspectives on producing pulses for market. Speakers also covered agronomy, stubble management, pulse quality issues, marketing and production

reliability, weed management and optimising pulse nitrogen fixation to round out the afternoon.

Delegates enjoyed a twilight stroll around the Adelaide Zoo before relaxing with canapés and

cooking demonstrations by the conferences guest chefs, Simon Bryant and Ragini Day. The chefs

then presented a sumptuous pulse feast appreciated by all. Recipes from the night are available in a Conference Dinner Recipe Book. The

pulse food theme was continued through the conference with pulses included in all meals offered

– even the field day lunch. Day three presentations examined breeding and

applied pulse research with an interesting and

insightful opening keynote presentation by Bunyamin Tar’an examining the globalisation


Conference eats

photos by Merrill Ryan

of the pulse industry, the increasing domination of cereals and oilseeds in crop rotations world-wide and how pulse breeding can continue to thrive and deliver in a time of rapid change in the agricultural research economy.

Presentations shifted to work occurring in the PBA breeding programs, international breeding

experiences and new technologies which will assist and accelerate pulse breeding. Papers focusing on physiology and the interactions between genotype and environment followed, before pulse pathology and biotic stresses were examined. Presentations finished with a look

to future directions in genomics and the potential of lupin as a human food.

Peter Wilson and Willie Erskine provided conference summaries from marketing and scientific/technology perspectives respectively. Both speakers highlighted some interesting issues which will assist to focus PBA and the pulse research community in continuing to

deliver improvements at all levels to industry.

The PBA Conference Program Booklet contains the abstracts of all presentations and is available along with the field day booklet (which gives a brief indication of the days happenings) and the Conference Recipe Booklet on the conference webpage.

Copies of presentations will also available via the webpage after Christmas.

Go to www.grdc.com.au/pba-conference for all conference documents.

Thank you to the PBA Conference Organising and Field Day Committees and all of the

sponsors and trade participants for assisting in creating such a great event.

See the end of the newsletter for more conference photos.

http://www.grdc.com.au/pba-conference


Call for Submissions- PBA Capacity Building Project

The PBA objective of contributing to education, training and teaching programs related to

pulse breeding is aimed at ensuring a strong pulse research core is available to improve pulses for Australia.

As part of this commitment GRDC provided funding for the PBA Capacity Building Project focussed on developing capacity via:

high quality research in areas of strategic relevance to PBA.

training of postgraduate students to: o increase the Australian capability in pulse research.

up skilling of current pulse researchers

support to direct high calibre undergraduate students into pulse breeding research targeted people/project combinations to ensure capacity is developed for PBA

succession planning.

To date the PBA Research Capacity Project has supported two PhD studies, for Tony Leonforte, and Larn McMurray. Larn will spend six months working at the University of Saskatchewan, under joint supervisor Bert Vandenberg, as part of his project in 2014.

The project also supported two honours students working on pulse projects at Charles Sturt University.

About $60,000 of funds remain within the PBA Capacity Building project to fund relevant projects and PBA is looking for ideas from the pulse community. Proposals should be

submitted to the PBA Coordinator, Fleur Winter ([email protected]) by Friday 28 February 2014. Projects should be of one to three years duration and will be assessed by the

GRDC against the following criteria: Contribution to education, training and teaching programs related to pulse breeding;

Fit with identified PBA priorities; Linkages with PBA projects/activities;

Provision of succession planning and continuity of capabilities for PBA; Potential long term benefits for PBA/pulse breeding; and Value for money or value for “capacity building” dollars invested.

PBA Capacity Building

Send your proposals in

now!



Dr Jon Clements and Dr Bevan Buirchell with PBA Barlock photo by Amber Atkinson, reproduced from Stock Journal online.

Farewell to Bevan Buirchell

After 25 years at the helm of what is essentially the world’s only narrow leafed lupin breeding

program Dr Bevan Buirchell departed DAFWA earlier in the year to follow new pursuits.

The lupin varieties released under Bevan’s leadership provide the varieties necessary to maintain a stable pulse rotation for many Western Australian farming systems and have created a unique industry for

Western Australia.

The numerous variety releases with higher yield, disease tolerance, herbicide tolerance

and stability of performance are a credit to Bevan’s innovative

plant breeding skills. His selection of new high

performance genetic material has created an excellent pipeline of material for the lupin breeding

program. The implementation of an effective and evolving

molecular marker program under Bevan’s leadership is also a significant achievement and will

also assist the lupin breeding program into the future.

Bevan’s legacy extends beyond Australia and global lupin breeding, like PBA, will miss his expertise. Bevan’s practical and straightforward approach to both breeding and PBA, has

been much appreciated and we are sure will be carried into his new ventures.

From all at PBA farewell Bevan, best wishes and don’t forget to look us up occasionally! Dr Jon Clements has been appointed as leader of the PBA Lupin Program. Jon is back with

DAFWA, where he started his career nearly 27 years ago, and hit the ground running delivering an excellent presentation on lupin breeding progress at the recent PBA Inaugural

Pulse Conference after only a few months on the job – welcome Jon!


Driving understanding of the role of

legumes in nutrition and health

Georgie Aley, Managing Director, Grains & Legumes Nutrition CouncilTM

With the increased prevalence of lifestyle related chronic diseases over the past decade, the importance of food in reducing risk of

disease has begun to move into the spotlight. A growing body of evidence indicates the role of legumes in maintaining health and reducing risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Understanding more about the legumes and health is key to

ensuring the potential of legumes is fully realised.

As the independent authority on the nutrition and health benefits of grains and legumes, Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council (GLNC) reviews existing, and invests in new, scientific research and food processing analysis to monitor current and emerging trends in the role of

grains and legumes in nutrition and health. We have some exciting projects on our radar for 2014 that will lead us closer to understanding the association between grain and legume

consumption and the prevention and management of chronic conditions.

Fibre

Legumes are important sources of different types of fibres. In 2014, GLNC will commence a

three year project to investigate the health effects of different fibres in grains and legumes and determine if Australians are eating enough of the different fibre types for reduced risk of

chronic disease and promotion of health. Identification of fibres with key health benefits, but which currently have limited consumption in the Australian diet, will provide focus for work on

improving the traits of Australian legumes to boost their health potential. This project will include:

A systematic review of current evidence to determine clinical outcomes of different fibres and amounts required

A proposal for analternative classification of fibres to ‘soluble fibre’ and ‘insoluble fibre’ based on physiological effects, health effects, grain type or other characteristic

Determination the current Australian intake of different fibres from grain and legume

foods

Nutrient Analysis

As part of the 2014 – 2016 GLNC Strategic Plan, the Council will establish a national database covering 25 key nutrients in grains and legumes produced in Australia. The nutrient profile will provide the food industry raw data which will enhance product development. On an

international level it will allow the comparison of Australian grown grains and legumes with those produced in other countries, potentially demonstrating superior traits of Australian

grains and legumes beyond traditional market signals. Such an extensive database for legumes with human nutrition as the focus is not currently

available in the public domain. The objectives of the project are to determine the nutrient profile of representative samples of intact grains and legumes produced in Australia, when

processed into ingredients and foods and the effect of combining representative samples of grains and legumes on the overall nutrient profile. A pilot project has recently been completed and the full scale project will commence in 2014.


Pulse intake and chronic disease: new study

Much of the research on legumes and health benefits to date is based on short-term clinical trials. However, a key gap in the evidence for legumes is observational studies to provide

information on the long-term benefits.

GLNC is driving the first Australian-based analysis of the association between legume intake and chronic disease. Due for completion in March 2014, the analysis will determine if there is a link between eating legumes and reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes, as well as risk

factors including cholesterol and blood glucose levels.

The study, being conducted at the University of Wollongong, is a secondary analysis of data from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study – the largest prospective cohort study conducted in Australia, tracking development of chronic disease in 41,500 middle-aged

adults. It includes 30% southern European migrants with higher intakes of legumes than other population groups in Australia, allowing for analysis of higher intakes of legumes. This

analysis will provide much needed evidence of the number of serves of legumes people should eat every week to help reduce the risk of chronic disease.

Legumes and cognitive decline: clinical trial

Australia’s population is ageing and rates of obesity are rising. This is particularly concerning given obesity and ageing are associated with greater risk of cardiovascular disease and

impaired cognition. To learn more about the role of legumes in helping prevent obesity- and age-related cognitive decline, GLNC is facilitating an international clinical trial on the effect of legume foods on cognitive decline in obese older adults, with findings due in March 2014.

The 12 week trial will determine whether 100g (~3/4 cup) of legumes per day improves

cognitive function in older adults at risk of obesity and age-related cognitive decline, and also whether any improvement in cognitive function is associated with improvements in arterial function and/or cardiovascular disease risk factors. This important research will help our

understanding of the health benefits of legumes for this growing segment of our population. It will also provide insights into the mechanism by which legumes are having an effect, which

may help our understanding of which traits give legumes their health benefits.

International Collaboration

GLNC collaborates with international organisations such as the US Dry Pea and Lentil Council, US Dry Bean Group, Pulse Canada, HEALTHGRAIN in Europe, Whole Grains Council and AACCI in the USA and CICILS IPTIC to develop the evidence base on grains and legumes. By

working together to review emerging science and identify the gaps in knowledge to facilitate future research, GLNC is ensuring Australia is at the forefront of global nutrition and health in

relation to grains and legumes. GLNC is working actively on an international level and domestically to develop a plan for the

proposed United Nations International Year of the Pulse in 2016. GLNC also works with international organisations to share information on current research such as the pulse milling

project being supported by Pulse Canada investigating the effects of milling pulses and incorporating them in foods on sensory and nutritional attributes.


Larn McMuarry, Eric Armstrong and Kristy Hobson talking chickpeas at the PBA

Conference Field Day photo by Rohan Kimber

Who we are

GLNC is the independent authority on the nutrition and health benefits of grains and legumes, promoting the inclusion of grains and legumes as part of a balanced diet through the

communication of evidence-based information.

GLNC is supported by Contributors from the entire grains and legumes value chain including growers, research organisations, food manufacturers and industry associations. Representing the Australian and New Zealand industry, GLNC Contributors are a part of a powerful,

collective voice advocating the nutrition and health benefits of grain and legumes in Australian and New Zealand diets.

GLNC has a wide range of factsheets that can be ordered free of charge as well as online information. To keep up to date with the work of GLNC sign up for our bi-monthly newsletter

at www.glnc.org.au.

To find out more, visit: www.glnc.org.au; www.facebook.com/GrainsLegumesNC; twitter.com/GrainsLegumesNC

PBA PROGRAM

UPDATES

Chickpea

Kristy Hobson (NSW DPI)

This season the PBA Chickpea program released two new varieties. PBA Maiden , is a large seeded desi

adapted to southern Australia and suited to the whole seed desi markets. The other release PBA

Monarch , is the first kabuli release from the PBA program. PBA Monarch has good adaptation to shorter

season kabuli growing environments and larger seed size that Genesis™ 090. Both varieties were

featured at the PBA Conference Field Day in South

Australia and also at numerous other regional field days in their targeted growing regions. Variety brochures for both varieties can be found

in the variety brochure section of the PBA webpage – www.grdc.com.au/pba.

The 2013 northern region season finished early, with most trial sites harvested earlier than normal. In north-west NSW, the Moree site was harvested 3 weeks earlier than previous

seasons. Many sites in northern NSW and southern QLD encountered frosts and a dry finish reduced yields.

Although the northern region experienced minimal disease pressure this year, the same was not the case with Ascochyta blight in Victoria. Excellent disease data has been collected from

the nursery and yield loss trials at Horsham which will provide important information for

http://www.glnc.org.au/

http://www.glnc.org.au/

http://www.facebook.com/GrainsLegumesNC

http://www.grdc.com.au/pba


Jeff Paull (far right) discussing pulse issues with David Bowran (DAFWA) and Michael

Baum (ICARDA) at the PBA Conference Field Day photo by Rohan Kimber

selections. A reasonable level of disease was also observed in commercial crops of Genesis™090 and PBA SlasherA. The PBA chickpea program continues to work closely with a GRDC funded project, led by the University of Melbourne that monitors the variability of the

causal pathogen of Ascochyta blight. This project provides important information to understand the risk to our resistance sources in the major chickpea growing regions.

Over the coming weeks the data from the program’s yield trials, biotic and abiotic screening nurseries will be collated with quality data and the PBA Chickpea team will make selections

decisions for the 2014 evaluation program.

Faba Bean

Jeff Paull (University of Adelaide)

Faba bean breeding trials experienced mixed

conditions in 2013 and it is anticipated that overall yields will be around long-term averages in most regions. Conditions ranged from very

dry at the start of the season to above average rainfall during winter followed by below average

rainfall in spring. The very dry conditions in autumn in northern NSW resulted in a significant reduction in area sown as faba bean

is generally established on stored moisture in the region. The above average rainfall during

winter in much of the southern region resulted

in extremely bulky crops and many reports of poor early pod set – an ongoing area of

concern to many growers and something that is likely to require a combination of agronomy,

plant physiology and genetics to better understand the cause and develop a strategy to overcome.

Two areas of interest to potentially improving yield of faba bean were identified this year. In the early stages of the faba bean breeding program the Southern and Northern nodes

developed separate populations while aiming to fast-track the breeding of varieties suited to the specific conditions within each region. In more recent years there has been greater exchange and crossing between elite lines of the two groups of germplasm. Progeny of these

crosses have entered yield trials in the past couple of years and some of the highest yielding lines in each region have originated from these crosses. Another area where potential yield

improvement has been identified is through the development of synthetic populations, a breeding strategy that is suited to cross-pollinated species. A number of elite lines were mixed and allowed to inter-pollinate in 2012. The Syn-1 progeny was included in trials in

2013 and preliminary results from trials harvested to date indicate that the average of the synthetic population was significantly greater than the average of the components, and also

much greater than current varieties. Further investigations on synthetic populations are planned for 2014 as a means of increasing diversity within populations and to determine if the effect observed in 2013 is consistent over seasons.

Several new groups of breeding material were multiplied in 2013 and will be included in yield

trials in 2014. The SARDI herbicide tolerance project has been very successful and herbicide tolerant lines identified in the project have been incorporated in the faba bean breeding program. Imi-tolerant plants were identified in a mutated population of Nura in 2011 and

crosses between these tolerant mutants and elite lines were made in 2011/12. Tolerant F2


Peter Kennedy addressing the PBA Conference Field Day photo by Rohan

Kimber

plants were identified in early 2013 and the F3 progeny multiplied in small plots to produce sufficient seed for yield evaluation at several sites in 2014. Tolerant F2 plants were also included in crosses to varieties and elite lines and BC1F2 plants will be screened for imi-

tolerance in early 2014.

Another type of material that has been generated in recent years is through introduction of the determinate trait to well adapted breeding lines. This has required several cycles of backcrossing, and BC4F2 derived lines were multiplied in 2013 and should produce sufficient

seed for yield plot evaluation in 2014. Determinate lines have been developed elsewhere but often have not performed as well as conventional faba bean types due to their lower biomass.

However they might have a role in situations where conventional plants are extremely bulky and poor pod set in the lower canopy limits yield potential.

The faba bean breeding program faces a new challenge following an apparent change in Ascochyta fabae that resulted in significant infection of some varieties and breeding lines that

were previously regarded as resistant, however some lines maintained their level of resistance. This was identified in trials at Saddleworth, Tarlee and Freeling in the lower and mid-north of SA, but not in breeding trials in SA and Victoria. Activities planned for 2014

onwards include screening current breeding material to identify resistant lines, screening germplasm to identify new sources of resistance to Ascochyta, (breeding program) and

undertaking surveys and pathogen collections to establish the extent of the apparent breakdown in resistance and to get a better idea of the level of variation in the pathogen Ascochyta faba (pulse pathology program).

Field Pea

Peter Kennedy (DEPI Vic)

The 2013 season has proved eventful for the field pea breeding program. Two new variety releases, PBA

Wharton and PBA Coogee further expanded the adaptability of field pea to Australian conditions and have

attracted strong grower demand. High growing season rainfall has encouraged optimum

yields in many regions but has brought increased incidence of disease. Consequently, 2013 has provided

the program with valuable information that will be employed to further improve resistance in elite material. October frost damage in Victoria has also served as an

important reminder to pulse growers and breeders that frost tolerance will remain an important breeding goal into

the future. With most trials harvested around the country,

thousands of plots will now be analysed to determine the

program’s best performing cultivars.

The PBA conference held in October brought an interesting international perspective to the Australian field pea industry. Tantalising new market opportunities and shared experience from Canadian pulse scientists were particular

highlights.


Matt Rodda explaining the lentil plots at the PBA Conference Field Day photo

by Wayne HAwthorne

Lentil

Matthew Rodda (DEPI Vic)

The lentil breeding program is now certainly in the busy season, with harvest of trials and important

notes and selections being made of lines to carry forward to future years. With advances in the herbicide tolerance work being conducted at DEPI

and SARDI, there is an extra-large amount of early generation material now competing for a spot in the

yield trials that occur across the country. A lot of work to be done before Christmas!

2013 was a real “plant pathologist’s year” with high disease pressure, particularly botrytis grey mould, in

both SA and Vic. It has been a good opportunity to fine-tune the disease ratings of varieties and breeding material, and some changes to ratings has occurred.

Ascochyta blight (AB) has been kept at low levels in

the breeding trials this year due to the long-term effort to incorporate strong resistance in the program. The AB-pressure is still here, as seen in more susceptible lines such as PBA Flash and other imported germplasm, but there is currently a lot of material, both in recent

releases and within the program, that has a high level of resistance to AB.

There has been good Spring rainfall in the Wimmera and Mallee of Victoria this year, and yields are looking well above average. Frost damage is, however, being commonly seen and may be an issue for growers and marketers.

Lupin

Jon Clements (DAFWA)

Favourable conditions in Western Australia, despite large regions showing a dry June period, have meant both breeding program plots and CVT-NVT trials have produced good yields and

datasets that will be highly useful in distinguishing differences among genotypes. The lupin breeding program, with the efforts of the excellent team here this year made 290 new

crosses and progressed material through molecular marker, disease and herbicide tolerance screening procedures to provide lines with mandatory disease and quality traits within a background of increased yield performance.

After the PBA Conference in Adelaide, the lupin program’s pathologist, Geoff Thomas and I

travelled with project collaborators Mark Richards (NSW DPI) and Andrew Ware (SARDI) to look at NVT and Stage 3 trials in SA, NSW and Victoria as well as Stage 2 material at Yanco. This was a very informative trip, seeing first-hand the great potential of lupins as a crop in

these states, plus we were able to get some idea of breeding priorities for these areas in comparison with WA.

In WA, across 15 NVT sites, as the results have rolled in to NVT-Online, some advanced lines (eg. WALAN2385) yielded more than 15% higher than the standard cultivar cv. Mandelup,

while the newly released cv. Barlock was almost 10% higher yielding than Mandelup. In NSW, SA and Victoria, there have been some advanced lines that appeared to yield extremely

well at specific sites, but with often variable performance across sites. We aim to understand


Lupin breeding program collaboration – Mark Richards (NSW DPI), Andrew Ware (SARDI) and Geoff Thomas (DAFWA) heading back from lupin trial site inspections on the Eyre Peninsula to beautiful Port Lincoln, SA during October.

better the characteristics that can provide reliably high lupin yields in a range of environments across Australia.

The program’s molecular geneticist, Dr Huan Yang has received DAFWA funding

to purchase a High Resolution Melting SNP Lightscanner for marker testing at low cost within our program. This will

replace the very successful, but now comparably less efficient gel system that

has been used for the past 12 years in lupin breeding at DAFWA. The combination of the lupin genome

sequence, dense map and SNP array developed by Dr Yang will enable new

markers to be developed for a range of important traits.

At the end of this year’s growing season,

the lupin breeding team at DAFWA wish to acknowledge and thank PBA, GRDC,

NSW DPI, SARDI, Pulse Australia, Seednet, CVT group in WA, the Release Advisory Group (RAG), Grain Industry

Association of Western Australia (GIWA), statistical support group and the various Grower Groups for either funding (GRDC) or the

diverse contributions of effort to help facilitate the development of lupins as an important crop in Australian farming systems.

We also thank Dr Bevan Buirchell for his enormous contribution to lupin breeding over the past 25 years (rough-seeded lupin, albus, yellow and narrow-leafed lupin!) and the high

quality breeding pipeline that he has set up for us to utilise, progress and build upon. We wish him very well as he moves on from DAFWA to new pursuits among his many interests and we hope we can keep in touch with him.

It is with a healthy sense of optimism that the lupin industry heads into 2014 with increasing

publicity of the potential of lupins for human food – the demonstration through different trials by health and medical researchers in various institutions of their benefits relating to weight loss, bowel health, hypocholesterolemic activity, reduced blood glucose and insulin

response and reduced blood pressure, which together set lupins apart as unique and with enormous potential for higher value markets.

Additionally, several grain producers/processor companies are striving to develop products and markets which they are hoping can secure greater demand (and then price) for lupin

grain. An example was the opening of a new lupin processing facility during November by Lupin Foods Australia.

Furthermore, a request for expression of interest in investment in lupin breeding was

advertised in the media by DAFWA and GRDC to seek commercial interest in the program as an exciting agribusiness opportunity.


Pulse Germplasm Enhancement Program

Phil Davies (SARDI)

2013 has been a very eventful and productive year for the pulse germplasm enhancement research projects. Much of this research was presented and discussed at the Inaugural PBA

Conference and Field Day in Adelaide in October. Following is a summary from a selection of projects.

Biotic stress tolerance

Virology

Joop van Leur (NSW DPI)

During 2013 chickpea growers in the northern region experienced high losses caused by viruses with particularly severe incidences on the Liverpool Plains. The main virus causing

severe symptoms appeared to be Beet Western Yellows Virus (BWYV) or a closely related virus. None of the breeding lines tested in screening nurseries at the Liverpool Plains Field

Station (LPFS) near Breeza (northern NSW) showed adequate levels of resistance. There is an urgent need in the PBA chickpea breeding program for parental material with

adequate levels of resistance to the major viruses. A GRDC funded project was started in 2010 to test the germplasm collection of the International Centre for Agricultural Research

(ICARDA) for virus resistance. Selections from screening in Syria and Tunisia have now been imported in Australia and are currently increased in quarantine.

Next to the overseas germplasm screening, germplasm from the Australian Grains Genebank (AGG) in Horsham is being evaluated. In 2013, 208 accessions were tested at the LPFS using

small (single 3.0 m long rows) and two replicates. The variety 'Gully', a mass selection made under severe virus pressure in 1994 from an Iranian germplasm collection was used a check variety. As in the previous year, severe virus developed during September. Only a few

accessions rated similar to 'Gully'. Single plant selections have been made and will be retested in 2014.

Botrytis diseases

Haobing Li (DEPI Vic)

More than 1200 chickpea landraces and wild species have been planted in a shade house in

Horsham, and inoculated with botrytis pathogen. Chickpea plants have been infected by both BGM and ascochyta blight. Selections of germplasm with resistance to both diseases have

been made. A total of 238 lentil lines selected from previous BGM screening trials were planted in a shade

house in Horsham, and inoculated with botrytis pathogen. Evaluation of the disease severity will be conducted in late 2013.

BGM screening methods in uncontrolled (in field) or semi-controlled (in shade house) environments can be limited by the growing seasons and different agronomic practices and

complex environmental effects which usually results in only one or two runs a year, and big variation among different replicates, trial sites, and years. Therefore, we have developed a

new seedling screening method in controlled environment which can reduce the screening time for a trial to around three weeks and can conduct screening all year round. The primary results of some lentil and chickpea cultivars showed similar disease severity order as they


performed in field trials. Further validation of this method is underway in Horsham by using more cultivars having field screening data.

In order to combine chocolate spot resistance and early maturity in faba bean crosses have been made between four chocolate spot resistant cultivars and two early mature varieties.

The 8 F2 populations have been evaluated for early maturity and chocolate spot resistance. Selection of F2 lines with both traits has been done this year and this selection will be continued in for two or three more generations.

To understand the genetics of chocolate spot resistance in faba bean a half diallel crossing

scheme has been made using 8 varieties to estimate general and specific combining ability, identify heterotic groups, estimate additive, dominant and epistatic genetic effects and genetic correlations.

Stemphylium blight

Pragya Kant (DEPI Vic)

Stemphylium blight disease caused by the fungus Stemphylium botryosum is occurring in

Australia as a saprophyte but could be a potential threat for the Australian lentil industry. Countries such as Bangladesh and Canada, where lentil production is intense, have reported

epidemic or sporadic incidences. There is an urgent need to gain confidence that Australian lentil has resistance to this fungus. We have studied the Australian isolates of stemphylium and developed screening methods to efficiently test resistance of lentil breeding lines.

Evaluation has been conducted in controlled environment conditions and confirmed the presence of resistance in the breeding material. To find new sources of resistance against

stemphylium, screening of lentil landraces was done and found higher levels of resistance in some of the ICARDA germplasm. Futhermore, laboratory tests are being used to analyse the fungal response to different registered fungicides used in pulse crops.

We are also continuing to screen field pea landraces and wild relatives for resistance to the

Pseudomonas syringae pv syringae and pv pisi that causes bacterial blight. Selected landraces and wild relatives will be re-evaluated to identify new sources of resistance for the

PBA field pea program. In collaboration with the pulse molecular marker project, we are aiming to identify genes

linked to downy mildew resistance in field peas and botrytis grey mould resistance in lentil for which the RIL population screening is underway.

Root lesion nematode

Matthew Rodda (DEPI Vic)

We have been conducting trial experiments towards the development of a method to screen chickpea (and Cicer wild species) for resistance to root lesion nematode (RLN). Some

tweaking of the protocol is still going on, but initial experiments with Pratylenchus thornei are progressing. Analysis of the soil from pot trials is being, and will be, performed by SARDI’s PreDicta-B assay. We hope to have full-scale screening experiments with the method

underway in the next six months.


Abiotic stress tolerance

Screening chickpeas for combined effect of drought and high temperature

Victor O. Sadras, Lachlan Lake, Larn McMurray (SARDI)

In a new project supported by GRDC and Australia-India Strategic Fund, we have successfully established a factorial experiment combining 20 chickpea genotypes, and four growing

conditions: early sowing + irrigation (potential yield; Fig. 1, left), early sowing + rainout shelter (drought; Fig. 1, right), late sowing + irrigation (high temperature) and late sowing

rainfed (drought + high temperature). The lines have been selected by consultation with chickpea breeder Dr Kristy Hobson. The objective of this project is to indentify phenotypic traits for adapatation to abiotic stress. In addition, seed samples and detailed environmental

characterisations are available for new project “Eliminating grain defects in chickpeas” lead by Dr Jenny Wood.

Figure 1 View of crops grown under two contrasting water regimes at Roseworthy, 1 November 2013.

How do phosphorus, potassium and sulphur affect plant growth and biological

nitrogen fixation in crop and pasture legumes?

Guillermo A. Divito (University of Mar del Plata) & Victor O. Sadras (SARDI)

Crawford Scholar Guillermo Divito, spent three months in Adelaide where he asked the question: how do nutrient deficiency affects growth and N fixation in legumes? To answer this question, we compiled a large data set on the effects of P, K, and S deficiency on shoot

mass, nodule mass and number, nitrogenase activity (estimated by the acetylene reduction activity test, ARA) and the concentration of N, P, K and S in shoots and nodules.

Our aims were (1) to compare the relative sensitivity of these traits to nutrient deficiency and (2) to probe for nutrient-specific patterns in trait responses. Our quantitative analysis

confirms that nodule growth and number are more sensitive than shoot mass in response to deficiency of P, K and S. In addition, nodule activity decreases more than both shoot and

nodule mass, which indicates a reduction in nodule productivity; this is likely related with direct effects of these nutrients on physiological and metabolic processes of nodules. The conserved shoot N concentration, in comparison to concentration of P, K and S indicates a

relatively greater accumulation of N that matches the proposed N-feedback mechanism down–regulating BNF in nutrient-deficient systems. Despite some nutrient-specific

differences, i.e. smaller nodules and higher N/K ratio with shortage of P and K, respectively,


the patterns of growth, nodule activity and nutrient concentration were similar for all three nutrients P, K and S. This indicates that a unique mechanism could be depressing BNF (N-feedback) in conjunction with direct effects of the nutrients on nodule activity.

Scarcity of data related to N, K and S concentration in nodules is a major constrain for deep

analysis of the deficiencies of the nutrients. Critical concentrations of P, K and S in plant and nodule tissues are also a major gap. Models are needed that integrate the direct effect of the nutrients on nodule growth and activity with the N-feedback mechanism. The full story is in

Field Crops Research (in press).

Molecular markers

Sukhjiwan Kaur (DEPI Vic)

The DEPI and GRDC-funded “Pulse Molecular Marker Project” has developed significant

genomic tools for four key pulse species (lentil, chickpea, field pea and faba bean), in order to facilitate the future use of marker-assisted selection in the breeding programs.

Comprehensive DNA sequence information has been made publicly available. Appropriate germplasm has been screened for tolerance to important biotic/abiotic stresses and linked markers have been identified.

The project has delivered genomic resources in the form of optimised genetic marker assays,

high-density genetic maps, and linked markers for key traits in each pulse species. To capitalise on the work, it is critical to validate the markers for their implementation into the breeding programs as well as identifying markers for additional traits of interest. The

identification of marker-trait linkages is the highest priority for the program, therefore, implementation strategies are being assessed and validated in consultation with the pulse

breeders in order to rapidly adopt marker-assisted selection into Australian pulse improvement programs.

PBA Program Leader Contacts

Lentils

Dr Matthew Rodda

DEPI Victoria

03 5362 2316

[email protected]

Field peas

Mr Peter Kennedy

DPI Victoria

03 5362 2332

[email protected]

Chickpeas

Dr Kristy Hobson

NSW DPI

02 6763 1179

[email protected]

Faba Beans

Dr Jeff Paull

University of Adelaide

08 8303 6564

[email protected]

Lupins

Dr Bevan Buirchell

DAFWA

08 9368 3653

[email protected]

Pulse Germplasm Enhancement Program

Dr Phil Davies

SARDI

08 8303 9494

[email protected]


Figure 1. Types of seed markings of desi chickpea

PULSE RESEARCH NEWS

Seed Markings of Desi Chickpea

Jenny Wood (NSW DPI)

Seed markings on desi chickpeas were pronounced in 2012 and were observed widely across several

states of Australia. Seed markings are defined as dark marks on the seed coat which are not due to

diseases such as ascochyta blight, and do not blemish the underlying cotyledons. These seed coat

imperfections are undesirable and levels above 2% are considered unattractive. In some cases prices

may reflect this.

Types of seed markings

Several different types of seed markings

have been observed (Figure 1).

The 2013/2014 GTA Trading

Standards and the Australian Pulse

Standards 2013/14 state that black

seeds and mosaic seeds are considered

“poor colour” while speckled and tiger

striped seeds are not currently

considered to be defects.

Slit and speckled seeds are usually faint

and go unnoticed. However, in years

where markings are prevalent, slit and

speckled seeds may be darker or larger

and more obvious to the eye.

Tiger striped seeds and blotched seeds

are not currently considered “poor

colour” unless over 30% of the seed

surface is marked on greater than 2% of

the seeds (by weight).

Affected crops have been observed

containing up to 25% marked seeds

(tiger striped and blotched). These

markings are visually obvious at such

high levels and potentially pose a trading

risk.

Incidence

Seed markings can be observed in all of

the desi chickpea growing regions of

Australia. Some seed markings, like

black and mosaic seeds, speckled and slit

seeds and tiger striping can occur at very

low levels in many environments and

years.

In contrast, blotching has occurred less

frequently and in localised regions where

the environment was conducive. In 2012,

certain regions were very badly affected and showed the blotched markings as well as increased levels

of other markings such as tiger striped, slits and speckled seeds (Table 1).

Tiger striped Blotched

Slit Speckled

Black Mosaic


What causes seed markings?

Seed markings appear to have a genetic component that can be exacerbated by particular

environmental conditions.

We believe that:

blotching may be a severe case of tiger striping.

blotching occurs when an environmental condition triggers a physiological response in the plant

which exacerbates the severity of markings on the seeds.

the cause of the physiological response may be a quick onset of heat and/or limited water

availability to the plant. Frost is also a possibility.

markings begin to develop some time during the seed filling stage, but the exact timing of the

causative trigger event is not yet known.

Further research is required to improve our understanding of what causes these seed markings and to

work out how we might minimise them in the future.

Varietal susceptibility

All current varieties can produce seed with markings (Table 1).

Variety Number of Trials

Tiger stripe (%)

Blotched (%)

Slit (%)

PBA Pistol 6 7 11 8

PBA HatTrick 2 3 6 10

PBA Boundary 6 1 5 30

Kyabra 6 1 5 24

Moti 6 0 3 21

Table 1. Incidence of seed markings (% of seeds) – averaged over trials in Central Queensland, 2012

However, the incidence of seed markings does appear to have a genetic component, although more

research is required to understand the true susceptibility of varieties to the various patterns of seed

markings.

Effect on dhal quality

Seed markings that occur on the seed coat and that do not penetrate to the cotyledons / kernel have

no direct effect on dhal quality.

However, any physiological response of a plant during seed filling has the potential to change the

biochemical pathways and deposition of components (such as proteins, starch, etc) as seeds develop

and mature. More research is required to determine whether the plants physiological response has

changed the chemical composition of the seeds and hence their processing performance or sensory

attributes.

Marketing

All seed with blotched, tiger striped, slits and speckled markings were delivered successfully in 2012.

The Australian Pulse Standards are subject to review every 3-5 years.

More information

Australian Pulse Standards: www.pulseaus.com.au/receival_and_trading_standards.aspx

Grain Trade Australia Trading Standards:

http://www.graintrade.org.au/commodity_standards

Dr Jenny Wood, ph 02 6763 1157

[email protected]



PBA PULSE CONFERENCE PICTORIAL


With thanks to Rohan Kimber (SARDI), Sharon Watt(Porter Novelli) and Merill Ryan (DAFF Qld)

for photos


Wishing all a Healthy Pulse Filled 2014

Pulse Breeding Australia (PBA) is an unincorporated joint venture between:

Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Victoria (DEPI Vic)

South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI)

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Queensland (DAFF QLD)

New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI)

Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia (DAFWA)

University of Adelaide

Pulse Australia

University of Sydney and

Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC).

Please contact: Fleur Winter, PBA Coordinator [email protected] ph: 0417 926 033 to

contribute or subscribe/unsubscribe to the PBA Newsletter


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