Investment

Acidic soil constraints can limit the production capacity of canola crops when they are grown in these hostile environments. Currently, the application of lime is one of the most effective management practices for rectifying soil acidification. However, liming does not correct subsoil acidity immediately, as it can take several years to ameliorate acidity to a level where it is suitable for improved canola production.
Currently, Australian growers do not have access to the acid soil (soils with toxic levels of aluminium, manganese and proton ions) tolerant varieties of canola that are suitable for cultivation in very acidic soils. The development of improved varieties with resistance to soil acidity would also enable the Australian growers to produce canola on lower pH soils for domestic and international markets.
This project will evaluate 300 diverse canola genotypes of Australian and international origins to describe the variation in acid soil tolerance when evaluated under field conditions at Mangoplah (NSW) and Merredin (WA) and report findings to canola breeding programs.