The Challenges of Australian Climate

Peter Snell Challenges

100 miles

100 km Challenges

• Reliably produce rice for premium markets • Be a competitive cropping option for farmers • Maintain a critical mass of rice production within Australia • Pre-empt changes in cropping practices that may impinge on grain yield stability Grain Quality Types (M/G) • Long Medium Grain (Reiziq, YRM70) – Equivalent international = M206, Fado

• ‘Calrose’ Medium grain (Sherpa, Amaroo) – Equivalent international = M201 Grain Quality Types (L/G)

• Aromatic Thai Jasmine types (Topaz, Kyeema) – Equivalent international = KDML105

• Soft cooking long grain (Langi) – Equivalent international = ? Grain Quality Types (Spec)

• Low GI firm cooking (Doongara, YRL127, YDP44) – Equivalent international= Puntal Grain Quality Types (Spec)

• Low GI firm cooking (Doongara, YRL127, YDP44) – Equivalent international= Puntal

• Short medium grain (Opus, YRK5) – Equivalent international= Koshihikari

• Arborio medium grain (Illabong) – Equivalent international= Baldo, Carnaroli Whole grain % by crop year

Head Rice Yield in the Breeding 80 60 40 Head Rice Yield (%) Yield Rice Head 20 0

C2011 C2012 C2013 C2014 Grain Cracking – by Variety Short 0 Med10 20 30 40 50 Med 2011 2011 2011 Koshi M205 Quest 25 20 15 10 5 0 2012 2012 2012 Koshi M205 Quest 25 20 15 10 5 0

Cracked grain (%) grain Cracked 2013 2013 2013 Koshi M205 Quest 25 20 15 10 5 0 2014 2014 2014 Koshi M205 Quest 25 20 15 10 5 0

0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50 Time (days since first harvest cut) Grain cracking across crop years

Average Stress Crack by Crop Year 14 500

450 10

8 400 6 DegreeDays(C) StressCracking % 4 350

0 300 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Crop Year Average Stress Crack (%)

Accumulated temperatures Cracking with soaking Challenges

• Reliably produce rice for premium markets • Be a competitive cropping option for farmers • Maintain a critical mass of rice production within Australia • Pre-empt changes in cropping practices that may impinge on grain yield stability Water Productivity (tonnes/MegaL) • Shorter Season varieties • More useful in crop rotation • Nov/Dec sown, April Harvest • Aerobic adapted material • Delayed permanent water (Riverina) • Rice on beds (Northern Australia) • Under Pivots/Laterals (Central QLD)

Cold tolerance and high yields

Physiological reason for ‘Blowing up’ a crop • Common in crops with excessive nitrogen application • Extremely high spikelet sterility, despite exception biomass • ‘viable’ pollen number not correlated with sterility levels

Figure 4: Pollen germination (24hrs after anthesis) from Reiziq plants exposed to cold treatment at pollen microspore. A: Very little pollen on stigma. Pollen tube (PT) growth has halted and no PT’s can be seen down the style. B: Exposed embryo sac showing no PT’s in the ovary area or at the micropyle opening. C: Shows germinated pollen with good PT growth down the style toward the ovary area, however, D: Shows PT growth has halted at the top of the ovary area with no PT’s reaching the micropyle opening

A B C D Halted PT growth No PT’s down the style

No PT’s around the embryo sac

PT growth is present down the style Challenges

Challenges

• Stubble Retention (rice-on-rice) – Low soil redox -> ‘Straight-head’ – Potassium deficiency -> Stem rot Abiotic and Biotic stress

• Stubble Retention (rice-on-rice) – Low soil redox -> ‘Straight-head’ – Potassium deficiency -> Stem rot

Sclerotium oryzae Thank You

The Australian Rice Industry • 0.15% of global production (700mt) • 1.5% japonica medium grain production • 2.5% of global trade • 25% medium grain trade • 85% of crop exported • “single desk”

• Grower-owned and controlled processor

(Walmart , Kroger, Safeway) • Target retail, food services, processed rice foods (value added markets) Varieties and Grain Quality

Length Width Chalk Gel Texture CT by Amylose Rice Temp Hot and marker Reiziq & Class Cool Sherpa (mm) (mm) % °C N % Medium 5.9 2.8 <2 69.0 0.56 19 18-21 Koshihikari Short 5.2 2.9 <1 66.8 0.87 17 18-20 & Opus Illabong Arborio 6.3 3.3 >15 69.4 0.88 19 19-21 Long 7.5 2.1 <1 Langi Australian 77.7 0.67 19 20-22 Doongara Long – firmer 7.4 2.2 <1 cooking 74.4 2.12 14 25-28 Fragrant 7.3 2.0 <1 Jasmine 78.5 0.76 18 22-25 Topaz

Physical attributes (appearance specification) of each rice class. Length and width are measured on brown rice while % Chalk, Gel Temp, Texture, Amylose are measured on white rice.