GRDC is looking to invest in the development of an accurate pod shatter measurement and a rating system, which will enhance grower confidence and aid in the selection of appropriate cultivars, ultimately minimising the risk of yield loss during the post-grain filling stage in canola. Additionally, the investment will refine national estimates on the frequency and severity of pod shatter in canola. This will enhance the value proposition for Australian canola breeders targeting pod-shatter resistance and provide advice for growers concerning cultivar choice and management decisions.

Shattering in canola is a significant constraint to grain grower profitability in Australia. Losses due to pod shatter can vary from 1% to 5% annually depending on the cultivar, season, and timing of harvest. Lack of a widely accepted canola pod-shatter resistance testing and rating system is a significant barrier to grower varietal decisions, thereby hindering effective risk management related to canola pod shatter. Currently, several commercial canola cultivars have been successfully developed and released that exhibit enhanced resistance to pod shatter. Various measurement and rating systems for pod shatter are utilised to evaluate and assess these cultivars; however, a universally accepted system has yet to be established within the Australian canola industry. Refinement, validation, and implementation of methodologies and workflows that will improve the ability to characterise germplasm for pod shatter trait in a more accurate, objective, cost-effective, and high-throughput manner will be a key focus for this investment.

Further, there is notable absence of national estimates concerning pod shatter in canola. The task of gathering extensive data on pod shatter and assessing its national impact presents significant challenges, primarily due to its variability, which is heavily influenced by genotype, management practices, and environmental conditions. This initiative aims to consolidate existing datasets to derive national estimates regarding the frequency and severity of pod shatter, similar to the efforts currently utilised for synthesizing datasets and estimating post-maturity yield losses in other cereal crops. GRDC is seeking to invest in a small-scale, three-year project aimed at:

• Fostering early engagement and collaboration with the Australian canola industry to co-develop and implement a consensus-driven system for measuring and rating pod shatter.
• Leveraging global expertise by drawing on knowledge acquired from comparable standards established and utilised by the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) to develop pod shatter measurement and rating system.
• Leveraging publicly available datasets to enhance data discovery, collection, and aggregation to obtain refined national estimates on the frequency, severity, and prevalence of pod shatter.
• Leveraging additional relevant datasets from agronomists, breeders, and growers to enhance the accuracy of national estimates.
• Leveraging National Variety Trials (NVT) collaboration for potential access to national network trials and methodology development.
• Matching GRDC co-investment that will be provided for this project.

Please note:

• Applicants are encouraged to discuss potential support and collaborations with Analytics for the Australian Grains Industry (AAGI). To access AAGI support in the first instance, applicants must make enquiries to the AAGI Director, Dr Nathan O’Callaghan nathan.ocallaghan@curtin.edu.au.
• For more information about access to NVT resources, please visit  the NVT website.
• Queries submitted in relation to this RFT will not be monitored during the shutdown period from December 24 to January 6. Any queries submitted during this time will receive responses only after this period.