A breakthrough for canola farmers has been made by researchers from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), who have identified a gene that helps protect canola plants from manganese toxicity in acidic soils.
Senior principal research scientist at NSW DPIRD, Dr Harsh Raman, has said that the discovery is the result of five years of research by an international team of scientists, with NSW DPIRD leading the effort.
“By understanding how canola plants cope with excessive manganese in acidic soils, researchers and crop breeding companies can now work towards developing new crop varieties that are more resilient to the stresses of manganese toxicity,” said Raman.
The research will aim to help enhance canola production in challenging growing environments.
Canola crops are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of acidic soils which can limit growth and reduce crop yields.
“Soil acidity is a global issue, severely limiting crop production and affecting a huge 13.7 million hectares in NSW alone,” said Raman.
“After conducting a range of experiments in controlled field conditions, NSW DPIRD has successfully cloned the specific gene responsible for manganese tolerance in acidic soils.”
Manganese is an essential nutrient for plant growth, however excessive amounts in acidic soils (pH <5) can lead to severe toxicity which can have negative effects on plant growth.
This is more likely to be evident in waterlogged soils or those with poor drainage in high-temperature conditions.
“We have also uncovered new insights into the genetic networks that influence this trait, which will enable the research team to develop practical methods for selecting canola plants with manganese tolerance based on morphological traits and molecular markers,” he said.
While researchers still recommend a regular application of lime to manage high-acidity soils, manganese tolerance is a valuable enhancement trait for canola varieties.
This will permit less time and money to be spent on applying lime to ameliorate into the soil.
“Thanks to this research, canola farmers will no longer exclusively need to invest significant time and money into lime applications and wait for amelioration to proceed before they can grow high yield crop,” said Raman.