Precision Breeding Accelerates Pasture Development

Sulfonyl urea herbicides (SU) are commonly used across millions of hectares during the cropping phase in Southern Australia. However, minute traces of the herbicide can be fatal when the same field is planted to sensitive legume varieties and pasture crops. Scientists at the South Australia Research and Development Institute (SARDI) and University of Adelaide developed and released last year the medic pasture variety Angel which is resistant to SU residues. This development increased livestock feed by as much as 50% after cropping and improved soil organic matter content because of their nitrogen fixing abilities.

Dr Klaus Oldach, SARDI’s Gene Function scientist and head of the team continued the research further and identified the gene that is responsible for SU tolerance through a combination of techniques of gene discovery. The research team has identified the gene that rendered the pasture crop resistant to SU, its location within the genome and the associated molecular markers to identify its presence or absence in the breeding material, as well as its functional activity.

For details, see article at: http://www.sardi.sa.gov.au/pages/organisation/media_products/media_releases/2008/gene_function.htm:sectID=1232&tempID=1