Investment

GRDC Code: UMU2303-003RTX

Developing genetic tools to facilitate breeder use and deployment of high value acid soils tolerant chickpea germplasm

Acid soil with aluminium toxicity is the single biggest limitation towards improving chickpea productivity in Australia, since chickpea is the most sensitive amongst pulse crops. Current chickpea varieties do not possess genetic variation for acid soil tolerance. While liming is the most effective management practice for reversing soil acidification, it is difficult to ameliorate subsoil acidity. Tolerant crops would provide an economic efficient approach to enhance chickpea productivity and growers' profit. Built on identification of acid soil tolerant materials from the wild chickpea species, this project combines molecular markers, genomic prediction and rapid cycling germplasm enhancement to transfer both major and minor genes into Australian elite varieties and evaluate their economic value in diverse Australian environments (western, southern, and northern Australia). The project outputs will facilitate expanding chickpea production on soils where acid soils currently preclude chickpea cultivation and give Australian growers pulse crop options.

Project start date:

01/03/2023

Project end date:

30/09/2027

Crop type: