Investment

Legumes fix an estimated 3.5 million tonnes of nitrogen pa in Australian agriculture, equivalent to an annual fertiliser cost of $3.5 billion. Inoculating legumes with highly effective rhizobia is key to the ongoing success of this nitrogen fixation asset. The International Legume Inoculant Genebank (ILIG), housed within Murdoch University's Legume Rhizobium Sciences centre, plays a crucial role in providing rhizobia germplasm for new inoculant selection and holds the world's largest and most diverse collection of rhizobia. This GRDC investment will see the ILIG implement improved strain preservation techniques, boosting QA/QC efficiency and enhancing core ILIG operations. Core ILIG strains will be genome sequenced, providing genotypic data on the 90% of ILIG strains collected prior to the genome sequencing era. Strain passport information updated with genotypic data will be incorporated into an upgraded public online database for stakeholders. The ILIG will continue to grow its collection of rhizobia, acquiring new and genetically diverse germplasm from edaphic and climatic environments relevant to pulses grown in Australia, including strains with potential as superior inoculants for Group N (chickpea) and Group I (mungbean), linking this proposal to GRDC project UOA2312-008RTX. Genomic data will be used to develop rapid techniques to evaluate inoculation success and assess symbiotically stabilised versions of inoculant rhizobia. This investment also supports the National Rhizobium Steering Committee's ongoing work to assess, endorse and monitor rhizobia inoculants and carrier formulations, ensuring Australian growers have access to high quality and effective legume inoculants, and establish an International Rhizobium Genebank network to link the ILIG to other major global rhizobia collections. This investment will ensure that growers continue to have access to high quality rhizobia inoculant germplasm to support growth, profitability, innovation and sustainability of the Australian grains industry.