At least 20 PhD projects within the Centre will commence in 2022 and 2023.
There are additional opportunities for students with their own scholarship working with one of our team on an aligned research topic.
There are 4 major research themes aligned to our vision of building a future R&D capability to drive growth, productivity and competitiveness for the benefit of Australian agriculture and global food security.
This will be achieved by the implementation of advanced gene technologies and the integration of socio-economic issues concerning these technologies. Underpinning our four research themes in social science, technology, crop improvement and field evaluation will be our training program.
The Research Projects
Below are a selection of the 20 projects that will be available commence in 2022 and 2023. The scope of each project is broad and therefore there may be multiple opportunities within each section. If you’d like to learn more about a specific project, please contact the supervisor listed. Or for more general information please email office@futurecropscentre.edu.au
Shaping the market for innovative crop technology
This project investigates the phenomenon of market shaping within the context of future crops.
Fast-tracking next generation gene-editing/transgenesis technologies for future Australian crop development This will be part of a series of projects that aim to be transformational for crop biotechnology, enabling simple plant transgenesis/gene-editing en masse.
Improving photosynthesis and energy use efficiency for better wheat yields
This project aims to maximise crop production under the combined impacts of climate change, land degradation and resource scarcity.
Improving canola productivity by engineering photosynthesis and resource partitioning
The major goal of this project is to improve canola productivity by enhancing plant photosynthesis and carbon partitioning.
Improving chickpea productivity by enhancing nodulation under acidic and low N conditions
This project aims to is to increase chickpea nitrogen fixation through genetic engineering of chickpea.
Improved yield and harvestability in Canola through prevention of pod shatter
This project will use cutting edge gene editing approaches to modify candidate developmental genes which are known to influence pod shatter in related species.
Drought tolerance in Wheat This project aims to implement and validate drought tolerance genes in wheat in a commercial cereal breeding context.
Public good and benefit sharing in transformative agriculture
This topic includes considerations of how the public benefits from scientific developments, particularly when a considerable investment has been made from public funds.
Salinity tolerance to increase wheat yields in water-limited environments
This project will seek to establish the role of a key protein controlling Na+ transport to the shoot in driving salt tolerance in well-watered and water-limited environments.
Improving chickpea productivity by enhancing resistance to soil acidity
This project aims to increase chickpea productivity in acid soils by understanding the restricting factors in chickpea production at low pH and enhancing tolerance to acid soils through genetic engineering.
Industry organisations are welcome to get in touch with proposals for additional projects.
Questions? Simply email us and we’ll get back to you.
SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE GENETIC & FIELD TECHNOLOGIES FOR FUTURE CROPS
The ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development is funded by the Australian Research Council under its Industrial Transformation Training Hubs Program to run from 2022 to 2027.
It is a collaboration of universities, government research agencies and the Australian grains sector’s key stakeholders in training, R&D, social engagement, responsible innovation, breeding, marketing and delivery.
It also has international partners in gene-editing, SynBio, crop breeding, and, other partnerships for co-developing deep technologies to transform the agriculture industry and global food security.