Investment

Pulse crops are inherently poor competitors and can suffer 15 - 44% yield loss at even small population densities of broadleaf weeds. Herbicides are the main method of weed control used in modern day farming systems, however there are currently limited safe or suitable herbicide options available in pulses. Modern farming systems, coupled with the need to dry sow in many production regions, have resulted in an increasing demand for effective residual and in-crop herbicide control options. This investment aims to has successfully develop a number of herbicide tolerance (HT) traits in key pulse crops faba bean, lentil, chickpea and field pea for Australian grain growers, develop high throughput phenotyping methods and genotyping selection assays to support rapid and effective incorporation of new HT traits into elite germplasm and the development of lines with HT traits to multiple modes of action.