Investment

Chickpea production has expanded dramatically over the last 14 years to become Australia's most valuable pulse export. However, the Mediterranean production environments of southern and western Australia pose specific adaptive challenges such as terminal drought, low temperatures during flower and pod-set, salinity and low pH (particularly in WA). Genetic solutions to these constraints will accelerate the spread of chickpea and provide for more diverse and profitable rotations in farming systems. Recognising that chickpea breeding is constrained by limited genetic and adaptive diversity, this project will utilise the world collection of diverse wild relatives to strengthen breeding efforts and act as model for the exploitation of wild genetic resources. It will do this by: (i) targeted collection to widen the habitat range and genetic diversity of existing collections; (ii) extensive phenotyping of traits prioritised as limiting Mediterranean environment adaptation; and (iii) coordinating wild Cicer-based phenotyping and population development projects in Australia and internationally.