Grapes and wine overview

CSIRO is contributing to improving the production, processing and marketing of grapes and grape products.  

Dr Tim Fitzgerald: improving crown rot resistance in wheat and barley

Dr Tim Fitzgerald is working to find wheat and barley lines resistant to Fusarium fungus.

Soybean research for a growing industry information sheet

This is a two-page information sheet about CSIRO's efforts to breed better soybean varieties.

Dr TJ Higgins: researching legume gene technology

Dr TJ Higgins is a leading researcher in plant gene technology particularly in improving nutritional value and resistance against pests and diseases.

Renewable industrial chemicals from plants

CSIRO Plant Industry in collaboration with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is researching plants that may be able to replace petrochemicals in the manufacture of polymers and other industrial products.

Sustainable farming

CSIRO is studying management practices such as crop sequence, nitrogen fertiliser application, and tillage and stubble management with the aim of helping farms remain sustainable and profitable into the future.

Food security: improving agriculture to face global challenges

CSIRO Plant Industry scientists are working to improve agriculture to face global challenges such as the need to increase food production as the world population is due to soar to nine billion by 2050.

Lupins: crop improvement

CSIRO researchers are well positioned to capitalise on rapid advances in comparative legume genomics to help accelerate lupin crop improvement. Lupin research is now at an exciting stage with strong foundations established, including the development of genomic resources, molecular marker development, lupin transformation and the initiation of narrow-leaf lupin genome sequencing. 

Legumes: developing better crops

CSIRO is working with legume seed crops such as soybeans, lupins, chickpeas and cowpeas, to develop drought tolerance, improve nutritional value and tackle disease.

CSIRO Plant Industry

CSIRO Plant Industry conducts research to promote profitable and sustainable agrifood, fibre and horticultural industries, develop new plant products and improve natural resource management.

Adapting plants to a changing climate

CSIRO is identifying the likely impacts of climate change on plant growth and production and its effects on farming.

Grains go on an even bigger ‘health kick’

A new generation of grain-based foods could soon play a major role in improving public health, according to one of Australia’s leading biologists, CSIRO’s Dr Matthew Morell.

Plant diversity and conservation

CSIRO studies Australian plant diversity and community ecology and aims to conserve and protect it against threats such as exotic plant invasions.

Breeding better cereal varieties and improving crop management

CSIRO researchers are investigating the sustainable agricultural production of wheat, barley and rice varieties suited to changing national and global conditions.

Omega-3 oils in grains

CSIRO has developed plants that produce DHA, a healthy omega-3 oil component, reducing pressure on declining fish resources worldwide and providing Australian grain growers with new high-value crops.  CSIRO has developed plants that produce DHA, a healthy omega-3 oil component normally only available from fish sources.

Fighting disease, pests and weeds

CSIRO has extensive capabilities in researching, understanding and tackling various insect pests of plants, plant diseases and weeds.

Lupin flour gives pizza power (Podcast 05 Jan 2012)

Dr Rhonda Foley is examining the seed storage protein genes in lupins. The aim of this work is to identify important proteins that play a role in nutrition, including proteins involved in satiety -- the sensation of 'feeling full' -- and lowering blood glucose which may play a role in combating diabetes.

Dr Jairo Palta: adapting lupin and wheat

Dr Jairo Palta studies the physiology and genetics of processes that enhance adaptation of wheat and lupin to the Mediterranean climate region of south-western Australia.

Vigorous wheats beating weeds for water and nutrients

Vigorous new wheat germplasm developed by CSIRO researchers that can beat weeds to precious nutrients and water could save Australian wheat growers millions of dollars per year.

How much diversity can you find in a Yellow Box?

How much diversity can you find in a Yellow Box?

CSIRO Plant Industry newsletter archives

CSIRO Plant Industry produces a newsletter four times a year covering our plant, agricultural, forestry, horticultural and environment research. Read past editions here.

A hands-on history of our nation's floral emblem (Podcast 08 Sep 2009)

In this vodcast, Dr Joe Miller, from the Centre for Plant biodiversity Research explains the Tree of trees display which focuses on the family tree of Australia’s national floral emblem, the golden wattle. (4:08)

Time tunnel tests climate change crops (Podcast 12 Sep 2011)

Scientists at the CSIRO are investigating how different wheat traits perform under projected climate conditions using tunnel houses specially designed to mimic the environment of 2050. (4:34)

Controlling the colour of apples (Podcast 30 Nov 2006)

In this five-minute podcast, Dr Mandy Walker discusses locating the gene that controls the colour of apples – and whether apples could one day even be purple. (4:42)

Breeding bolsters macadamia industry profits (Podcast 29 Oct 2007)

CSIRO’s Dr Craig Hardner and Mr Kim Jones from the Australian Macadamia Society discuss the latest promising results to breed better macadamia varieties. (3:59)