$21M Boost to Enhance Canola Production, Profits
The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW DPIRD) and Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is investing over $20 million in research focused on future-proofing canola against upcoming challenges.
Dr Harsh Raman, Senior Principal Research Scientist at NSW DPIRD, said three new research projects will focus on improving yield and developing acid soil tolerant and pod-shatter resistant varieties, all aimed at delivering a stronger, more resilient crop for growers.
“While canola is Australia’s third most valuable crop, after wheat and barley, its introduction to Australian farming is still relatively recent, meaning there is significant potential for improvement and growth in the breeding science,” Dr Raman said.
“One of our projects will focus on identifying key traits and genetic factors that encourage canola plants to redirect their growth into yield, rather than excess biomass in leaves, stems and roots, which will boost overall crop profitability.”
Early research shows that some canola varieties perform better in terms of partitioning biomass into yield, however scientists are still gathering more data to understand which traits are most important for boosting seed production across different climatic zones, especially in water-limited conditions.
“In recent years, breeding and farming practices have resulted in highly vigorous canola plants, but some canola varieties still struggle to convert that growth into seeds effectively, which limits both yield and profitability,” Dr Raman said.
This project is collaborating with the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (WA DPIRD) Australian Plant Phenomics Network (APPN) and nodes at the Australian National University (ANU) as well as Analytics for the Australian Grains Industry (AAGI) and Australian canola breeding companies.
Researchers will use the latest drone, imaging and phenotyping analytic methodologies to investigate the critical drivers and plant traits that could improve the efficiency of converting biomass into seeds and, ultimately, increase the plant’s harvest index and yield.
NSW DPIRD is also leading canola research on the development of genetic tools for improved acid soil tolerance, also a collaboration with WA DPIRD. In Feburary 2025, Dr Raman’s team made a major breakthrough by identifying a key gene that helps canola plants tolerate manganese toxicity in acidic soils, a significant issue for growers in regions across Australia which have high-acid soils.
Project partners are co-investing $8 million in funding, to launch phase two of the work to develop a canola variety that thrives in acid soils.
Alongside their work on canola genetics and physiology, Dr Raman’s team has also secured funding to measure pod shatter resistance trait. This research is focussed on developing a standardised and accurate measurement of pod shatter resistance, led by Dr. Rosy Raman.
“Pod shatter is a major challenge for canola growers, leading to annual yield losses of between 5 and 30 percent. Not only does this reduce crop profitability, but when canola seeds shatter and fall, they can become weeds for subsequent crops.”
“This forces farmers to spend extra time and money on herbicides to control these weeds or risk damaging the quality of their next crop.”
Dr Raman said the three new research projects are focused on future-proofing canola against upcoming challenges.
“Our team is eager to build on our efforts and deliver meaningful, long-term outcomes for the farmers who depend on our work,” Dr Raman said.
APPN is a coordinated network of nine national research infrastructure nodes hosted by renowned plant research organisations across Australia. The APPN is funded through the Australian Government’s NCRIS to support plant phenotyping research infrastructure.
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/about-us/media-centre/releases/2025/general/$21-million-investment-to-improve-production-and-profitability-for-canola-growers