Investment

This GRDC investment supports PhD candidate Caitlin Dudley who is completing her PhD at the University of Queensland in mungbean supported by a GRDC Research Scholarship (GRS). Through her research project Caitlin aims to enhance understanding of the flowering pathway in mungbean, an economically important crop in the northern grains regions.

Mungbean can have a long, asynchronous flowering window which makes it vulnerable to abiotic stress and can complicate harvest. This project will generate new knowledge through the study of a diverse subset of mungbean germplasm under varying photo-thermal environments to explore the effects of photoperiod and temperature on flowering. The aim is to leverage insights from model species and conduct genome-wide association studies to identify key flowering genes. Expected outcomes include improved understanding of environmental factors influencing flowering time and of genes and signaling pathways involved in flowering. More will also be learnt about the characterisation of flowering behaviour in diverse germplasm. Overall, the knowledge gained through this project will support the development of improved mungbean cultivars and agronomic practices including optimising sowing dates to avoid stress during this crucial reproductive phase.

A GRS supports PhD candidates in delivering innovative research that addresses constraints or builds opportunities for Australian grain growers to help improve their farm business sustainability and profitability. The three-year scholarship, worth over $35,000 per year, provides high-achieving students with the financial and industry support to complete their PhD in an area aligned with GRDC's RD&E Plan 2023-28.