QAAFI in 2020 Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation QAAFI in 2020 CONTENTS OUR MISSION About QAAFI 4 Horticultural Science 47 Vice-Chancellor’s Message 6 Putting a future avocado apocalypse on ice 48 AND VISION QAAFI: Delivering Impact 7 Banana disease research in Costa Rica Message from the Minister 8 strengthens Australia’s biosecurity 50 QAAFI in Queensland 9 The world’s favourite fruit needs a genetic boost 51 Director’s message 10 Critically endangered macadamia species QAAFI’s mission is to significantly becomes a plant supermodel 52 Research themes 11 Cracking a tough nut for macadamia growers 53 improve the competitiveness QAAFI Advisory Board 12 Research excellence 13 and sustainability of tropical Nutrition and Food Sciences 55 and subtropical agriculture Animal Science 23 Secret of plant dietary fibre structure revealed 56 Waiter, there’s a (black soldier) fly in my soup 57 Blueprint to more productive cattle herds 24 and food sectors through Wagyu beef passes the taste test of science 58 Genetic link between cattle temperament high-impact science. and autism 25 Digital signature technology authenticates food 60 Buffalo fly faces Dengue nemesis 26 Orange capsicums on the menu for long-term eye health 62 Science sweetens native honey health claims 28 Exploring the cultural heritage and nutrition A collaborative culture in animal welfare 29 Our vision is sustainable of wattle seeds 63 Genomics drives discovery of Pectin, another reason to love mangoes 64 agriculture and food achieved low-emission sheep 30 Supporting information 66 through science and innovation. Crop Science 33 QAAFI Research Staff 67 A genetic solution for sorghum lodging 34 QAAFI Honorary and Adjunct Appointments 68 We are a world-class connected Gene editing opens faster, cheaper way to QAAFI Affiliates 69 research institute in crop, introduce new crop traits 36 Hotter, drier, CRISPR 37 QAAFI Operational Staff 69 horticulture, animal, and nutrition De-risking broadacre cropping options for QAAFI Technical Staff 69 northern Queensland 38 QAAFI Higher Degree by Research Candidates 70 and food sciences delivering Northern Australia has potential to become a Publications 74 ‘tropical rice powerhouse’ 38 industry-driven economic, FNQ miller and growers team up to shake up local sugarcane industry 39 environmental, and social impact. Future food and the art of plant mechanics 40 Stacking the odds against awnless barnyard grass 42 Breeding with an eye on genes for paddocks 43 Designer root systems to maintain durum wheat yields in drought 44 Cover photo by Michelle Wignall AGRICULTURE AND FOOD INNOVATION Building Better Bioeconomies Sustainable use of biological resources is key to producing future food, materials and energy. The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) is a research Institute at The University of Queensland that acts as a broker of innovation in agriculture and food. The University of Queensland is Australia’s number one agricultural research institution, and is ranked in the top three globally. We deliver incremental improvement and transformational change for farming communities locally, while addressing key science and technology challenges for tropical agriculture globally. QAAFI: Delivering IMPACT The University of Queensland is a global leader in agriculture and food. Income Message from the $53M $366M $637M Total external Total external income Total projected Vice-Chancellor income in 2020 from 2009 to 2020 income to 2025 Sustainable development requires fundamental changes in the way all societies People produce and consume food. Against a backdrop of resource scarcity, a changing climate, global population growth and shifting consumer expectations, the world’s agriculture and food industries need to affect real change in order to ensure the safe and sustainable production of nutritious food for generations to come. 469 People 15 Higher degrees 130 Higher degrees 2020 awarded 2020 awarded since At The University of Queensland (UQ), we are committed to our protected structures) and predictive-based agriculture, which 2014 mission of knowledge leadership for a better world – including involves integrating vast datasets with genomic information creating and disseminating knowledge that contributes to to optimise the production of crops, pasture, livestock and future food security. aquaculture. As such, I’m immensely proud that UQ was ranked third in the Engagement These are all exciting initiatives made possibly by the passion of world for university-based agricultural research in the National our researchers and students who are committed to sustainable Taiwan University’s 2020 performance rankings of scientific resource use and ethical food production. papers – and we were also ranked as Australia’s leading university for agricultural research. The QAAFI team, working with their UQ Faculty of Science This university has gained global pre-eminence in agricultural colleagues, were instrumental in establishing the Australian 400 Active projects 251 Industry 11 facilities in research largely because of a decision that we made back Research Council Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in 2020 presentations Queensland and in 2010 to create, in a joint initiative with the Queensland Nature and Agriculture, based at UQ. 2019 1 in China Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Queensland Led by Professor Christine Beveridge from the School of Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI). Biological Sciences, this $35m initiative involves a number From the foundational team of just 34 researchers in 2010, of QAAFI staff working alongside an expert team from four QAAFI has grown to a team of over 400 researchers, Higher Australian universities, CSIRO, the Department of Agriculture Research Degree students, and research affiliates today. And Rankings and Fisheries, as well as partners from around the world. The over the course of its first decade, QAAFI’s total income has Centre is focused on delivering agricultural innovations that grown from $7.6 million to $53 million in 2020. The University of Queensland is a global leader in agriculture and food, as will improve crop resilience, in order to withstand the effects of Importantly, this growth has enabled QAAFI to broaden its measured in different global academic ranking methodologies. climate change and increase food security. impact on agricultural methods and food production systems – here in Queensland, across Australia and around the world. After a decade of leading the growth of QAAFI, Professor Robert Henry stepped down as Director in October 2020. Among the many agricultural innovations led by QAAFI, the Hy-Gain project is an ongoing international collaborative I would like to thank Professor Henry for his remarkable research project that is developing high-yielding crops for contribution – and also welcome Professor Matthew Morell who smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Led by Professor took up the position as Director in February 2021. #1 agricultural #3 agricultural #1 in agriculture #25 in agriculture Anna Koltunow, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates research institution I am confident that Professor Morell will build on Professor research institution science in science in Foundation, the Hy-Gain team is harnessing asexual seed in Australia in the world Australia the world Henry’s legacy and, in doing so, cement QAAFI’s reputation as formation to increase yields in sorghum and cowpea crops that NTU Performance Ranking NTU Performance Ranking QS World University Rankings QS World University Rankings one of the world’s leading research institutes for the study of have been adapted for African conditions. of scientific papers for of scientific papers for by Subject [Agriculture & by Subject [Agriculture & agriculture and food innovation. world Universities 2020. world Universities 2020 Forestry]for 2020 Forestry] for 2020 Other significant innovations emerging from research underway at QAAFI involve high-tech solutions for sustainable crop Professor Deborah Terry AO protection (BioClay), new approaches to protected cropping Vice-Chancellor and President (growing horticultural crops in glasshouses, vertical farms or The University of Queensland 6 7 QAAFI in Queensland Our researchers are co-located with Department of Agriculture and Fisheries’ facilities across Queensland: Mareeba Toowoomba Charters Towers Warwick Rockhampton Brisbane: Bundaberg › St Lucia Nambour › ESP Dutton Park Gatton › HSFP Coopers Plains CAIRNS MAREEBA Visiting the Health and Food Sciences Precinct in 2018: L-R Andrew Cusack, DAF, Yasmina Sultanbawa, QAAFI, Hon Mark Furner, and PhD student Maral Seidi Damye Message from the Minister TOWNSVILLE CHARTERS Strengthening Queensland’s TOWERS bioeconomy MACKAY The past year has been one of unparalleled events QAAFI’s success is also demonstrated by its and challenges; the year 2020 was a difficult time for excellent reputation with grower and producer many, with global market instability, natural disasters, groups, and its high standing nationally and including the devastating bushfires, ongoing internationally. EMERALD ROCKHAMPTON drought, and the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. During the past five years, QAAFI has increased its The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) agriculture and food science capability and capacity manages community resources, applying science to by 36 per cent with an increase in research staff and improve production and products, leading the fight 85 postgraduate