Seed-placed phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S) fertilizers can reduce canola plant stands. Field studies were conducted to determine the effect of various sources and rates of seed-placed P and S fertilizers on canola plant stand, early season biomass accumulation and seed yield. Conventional granular P and S blends increased the risk of seedling damage, but increased the frequency of yield response. Liquid fertilizers were similar in seedling damage but generally less effective in increasing seed yield compared to granular fertilizers. Novel fertilizers were more seed-safe but less reliable than conventional sources in increasing seed yield. A growth room experiment was conducted to determine the effect of soils from different landscape positions on the toxicity of seed-placed ammonium sulphate (AS) and monoammonium phosphate (MAP). Canola emergence was reduced and delayed by seed-placed MAP and AS. Ammonium sulphate in particular has a high risk of NH3 toxicity on calcareous hilltop soils

Brassica napus is grown as an edible oil (canola) and an industrial oil (HEAR). Its fatty acid profile and chlorophyll concentration affect the quality. It is important to develop accurate and efficient methods to evaluate these traits. The first objective of this study was to improve the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) molecular markers for erucic acid genotypes in the Bn-FAE1.1 and Bn-FAE1.2 genes in the A and C genomes in Brassica napus originally developed by Rahman et al. (2008). When put into practice, the error rate was unacceptably high. With the modifications that were made to the protocols, the overall accuracy remained relatively consistent indicating that further improvements are still required. The second objective was to develop a near infrared reflectance (NIR) based calibration equation for chlorophyll concentration in whole Brassica napus seeds. In this case, an equation was successfully created.

Consistency of yield and quality of seed are traits not yet optimised by the brassica seed industry in New Zealand. As of 2008, seed producers in Canterbury, New Zealand, exported approximately $18m of brassica seed. However, there is a need to increase both seed quantity and/or quality. The plant hormone group, the cytokinins, regulates many stages of plant growth and development, including cell division and enhancement of sink strength, both of which are important processes in seed development and embryonic growth. The two gene families targeted in this project play a key role in maintaining cytokinin homeostasis. Isopentenyl transferase (IPT) catalyzes the rate limiting step in the formation of cytokinins, and cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) irreversibly inactivates cytokinins. The aim of this project was to identify those cytokinin gene family members expressing specifically during the early phases of pod and seed development. Initially this study used a rapid-cycling Brassica rapa (RCBr) because of its rapid life cycle, then, as the project developed, a commercial crop of forage brassica (B. napus) was studied. Reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) and BLAST analysis was used to identify putative IPT and CKX genes from RCBr and B. napus. Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of individual gene family members during leaf, flower, pod and seed development. BrIPT1, -3, and -5, and BrCKX1, -2, -3, and -5/7 and were shown to express differentially both temporally and spatially within RCBr root, stem, leaf, seed, and pod tissues. BnIPT1, 3 and 7 and BnCKX1, 2, 5 and 7 were also differentially expressed. Particularly strong expression was shown by BrIPT3, BrIPT5 and BrCKX2 in developing seeds. Both Brand BnIPT3 expressed strongly in maturing leaves. In normal plant growth and development, biosynthesis and metabolism of cytokinin is tightly regulated by the plant. Increasing the levels of cytokinins during seed development, either by over expressing IPT3 or IPT5, or decreasing the expression of CKX2, or both, could potentially increase both seed yield and seed vigour.

Brassica carinata is being actively pursued as a new industrial oil crop platform for the Canadian Prairies. A genetic assessment of B. carinata was performed to elucidate its evolutionary origins and create a genetic map to assist in locating genes and traits of interest that would help in marker-assisted breeding. First, genetic analysis using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, previously tested on B. juncea and B. napus, was performed, to examine the genetic diversity of 37 B. carinata lines. SSR analysis revealed world accessions were more diverse than lines conditioned to grow in the prairies. Diversity analysis revealed that the parental lines of a double haploid (DH) population, 179 and 345, obtained from the John Innes Centre (JIC), were among the more genetically diverse lines, supporting the use of this population for linkage mapping. Genetic markers created from 3’ targeted SNP discovery between 179 and 345, were tested on the DH population resulting in the generation of a B. carinata genetic linkage map essentially with no prior sequence data knowledge. This genetic map contained 341 SNP and 86 SSR loci identifying eight linkage groups belonging to the B genome, nine belonging to the C genome and two unidentified groups spanning 2041 cM. Comparative mapping of polymorphic markers identified in the amphidiploid B. carinata indicated the orientation of B and C genomes coincide with that of other Brassica species, and the two genomes have remained essentially unaltered, with no major chromosomal rearrangements since the formation of B. carinata. A lesser number of polymorphic markers were detected in the C genome, which suggested the B genome is more genetically diverse in B. carinata. Limited field trials of the 179 x 345 DH population were performed during the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons. Preliminary quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for agronomic traits including flowering time (FT), plant height (PH), and seed quality were identified.

Durch eine Erhöhung der Diversität in Kandidatengenen für Ölgehalt könnten sich neue Ansätze zur Erhöhung des Ölgehalts ergeben (Osborn et al., 2007; Würschum et al., 2013). Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde die allele Diversität auf der Basis von DNA-Sequenzen in einer großen Anzahl von Kandidatengenloci für Ölgehalt in exotischem Rapsmaterial (Sommerrapssorten, chinesische Rapssorten und Resynthesen) im Vergleich zu Winterraps untersucht. Viele Allele wurden exklusiv in den exotischen Genotypen aufgefunden (neue Allele). Die höchste Anzahl an neuen Allelen wurde in der Resynthese “MOY4“ (Brassica rapa var. trilocularis x Brassica montana) entdeckt. Viele der Allele wiesen SNP, die zu Aminosäureaustauschen führen, sowie InDel im kodierenden Bereich der untersuchten Kandidatengenloci auf. Einige dieser Polymorphismen konnten sogar Bereichen von Proteindomänen zugeordnet werden. Im Großen und Ganzen konnte in der durchgeführten Diversitätsstudie gezeigt werden, dass die untersuchten exotischen Genotypen genutzt werden können, um die allele Diversität in Kandidatengenen für Ölgehalt zu erhöhen. Zudem weist die relativ hohe Anzahl an nicht stillen Polymorphismen in den kodierenden Bereichen der verschiedenen Kandidatengenloci darauf hin, dass einige aufgefundene Allele den Ölgehalt beeinflussen könnten. Um einen möglichen positiven Einfluss von neuen Allelen in Kandidatengenen für Ölgehalt auf den Ölgehalt zu testen, wurden diese in spaltenden F2-Populationen an jeweils drei verschiedenen Standorten untersucht. In diesem Versuch wurden neue Allele, die in der durchgeführten Diversitätsstudie entdeckt wurden, sowie neue Allele, welche bereits in dem vorigen GABI BRIDGE Projekt aufgefunden wurden, mittels Varianzanalyse auf eine Auswirkung auf den Ölgehalt getestet. In einzelnen Populationen konnten signifikante Geneffekte auf den 87 Ölgehalt an drei verschiedenen Kandidatengenloci ermittelt werden: S13 (Kandidatengen KAS III), K48 (Kandidatengen PKP2), L65 (Kandidatengen LEC2). Einzel-Locus-Genotyp x Umweltinteraktionen mit einem signifikanten Effekt auf Ölgehalt wurden an sechs Kandidatengenloci inklusive S13 von KAS III aufgefunden. Diese aufgefundenen signifikanten Effekte auf den Ölgehalt können als deutlicher Hinweis auf die Wichtigkeit der untersuchten Loci beziehungsweise des Alleles auf den Ölgehalt interpretiert werden.

Seed-placed phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S) fertilizers can reduce canola plant stands. Field studies were conducted to determine the effect of various sources and rates of seed-placed P and S fertilizers on canola plant stand, early season biomass accumulation and seed yield. Conventional granular P and S blends increased the risk of seedling damage, but increased the frequency of yield response. Liquid fertilizers were similar in seedling damage but generally less effective in increasing seed yield compared to granular fertilizers. Novel fertilizers were more seed-safe but less reliable than conventional sources in increasing seed yield. A growth room experiment was conducted to determine the effect of soils from different landscape positions on the toxicity of seed-placed ammonium sulphate (AS) and monoammonium phosphate (MAP). Canola emergence was reduced and delayed by seed-placed MAP and AS. Ammonium sulphate in particular has a high risk of NH3 toxicity on calcareous hilltop soils

Brassica napus is grown as an edible oil (canola) and an industrial oil (HEAR). Its fatty acid profile and chlorophyll concentration affect the quality. It is important to develop accurate and efficient methods to evaluate these traits. The first objective of this study was to improve the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) molecular markers for erucic acid genotypes in the Bn-FAE1.1 and Bn-FAE1.2 genes in the A and C genomes in Brassica napus originally developed by Rahman et al. (2008). When put into practice, the error rate was unacceptably high. With the modifications that were made to the protocols, the overall accuracy remained relatively consistent indicating that further improvements are still required. The second objective was to develop a near infrared reflectance (NIR) based calibration equation for chlorophyll concentration in whole Brassica napus seeds. In this case, an equation was successfully created.

Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / Brassica vegetables and oilseeds are economically important crops worldwide. These crops are associated with several destructive and widespread insect pests. In Australia these pests include six species, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), Pieris rapae (Linnaeus), Hellula hydralis Guenée, Helicoverpa punctigera (Wallengren), Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus) and Myzus persicae (Sulzer), which are the focus of this research. Among them P. xylostella (diamondback moth or DBM) is the most serious and destructive insect pest. Little is known about the potential of predators, which may be able to contribute to control diamondback moth, although some field studies have shown the overall importance of predators in controlling this key pest. The aim of this study was to develop a method that allows study of predator-prey trophic interactions in the field. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1294814 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, 2007

Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / Brassica vegetables and oilseeds are economically important crops worldwide. These crops are associated with several destructive and widespread insect pests. In Australia these pests include six species, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), Pieris rapae (Linnaeus), Hellula hydralis Guenée, Helicoverpa punctigera (Wallengren), Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus) and Myzus persicae (Sulzer), which are the focus of this research. Among them P. xylostella (diamondback moth or DBM) is the most serious and destructive insect pest. Little is known about the potential of predators, which may be able to contribute to control diamondback moth, although some field studies have shown the overall importance of predators in controlling this key pest. The aim of this study was to develop a method that allows study of predator-prey trophic interactions in the field. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1294814 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, 2007

Broccoli is a vegetable crop of increasing importance in Australia, particularly in south-east Queensland and farmers need to maintain a regular supply of good quality broccoli to meet the expanding market. However, harvest maturity date, head yield and quality are all affected by climatic variations during the production cycle, particularly low temperature episodes. There are also interactions between genotype and climatic variability. A predictive model of ontogeny, incorporating climatic data including frost risk, would enable farmers to predict harvest maturity date and select appropriate cultivar - sowing date combinations. The first stage of this research was to define floral initiation, which is fundamental to predicting ontogeny. Scanning electron micrographs of the apical meristem were made for the transition from the vegetative to advanced reproductive stage. During the early vegetative stage (stage 1), the apical meristem was a small, pointed shoot tip surrounded by leaf primordia. The transitional stage (stage 2) was marked by a widening and flattening to form a dome-shaped apical meristem. In the floral initiation stage (stage 3), the first-order floral primordia were observed in the axils of the developing bracts. Under field conditions, the shoot apex has an average diameter of 500 micro m at floral initiation and floral primordia can be observed under a light microscope. Sub-zero temperatures can result in freezing injury and thereby reduce head yield and quality. In order to predict the effects of frosts, it is desirable to know the stages of development at which plants are most susceptible. Therefore, the effects of sub-zero temperatures on leaf and shoot mortality, head yield and quality were determined after exposure of plants to a range of temperatures for short periods, at different stages of development (vegetative, floral initiation and buttoning). Plants in pots and in the field were subjected to sub-zero temperature regimes from -1 C to -19 C. Extracellular ice formation was achieved by reducing temperatures slowly, at a rate of -2 C per hour. The floral initiation stage was most sensitive to freezing injury, as yields were significantly reduced at -1 C and -3 C, and shoot apices were killed at -5 C. There was no significant yield reduction when the inflorescence buttoning stage was subjected to -1 C and -3 C. Although shoot apices at buttoning survived the -5 C treatment, very poor quality heads of uneven bud size were produced as a result of arrested development. The lethal temperature for pot-grown broccoli was between -3 C and -5 C, whereas the lethal temperature for field-grown broccoli was between -7 C and -9 C. The difference was presumably due to variation in cold acclimation. Freezing injury can reduce broccoli head yield and quality, and retard plant growth. Crop development models based only on simple thermal time without restrictions will not predict yield or maturity if broccoli crops are frost-damaged. Field studies were conducted to develop procedures for predicting ontogeny, yield and quality. Three cultivars, (Fiesta, Greenbelt and Marathon) were sown on eight dates from 11 March to 22 May 1997, and grown under natural and extended (16 h) photoperiods in a sub-tropical environment at Gatton College, south-east Queensland, under non-limiting conditions of water and nutrient supply. Daily climatic data, and dates of emergence, floral initiation, harvest maturity, together with yield and quality were obtained. Yield and quality responses to temperature and photoperiod were quantified. As growing season mean minimum temperatures decreased, fresh weight of tops decreased while fresh weight harvest index increased linearly. There was no definite relationship between fresh weight of tops or fresh weight harvest index and growing season minimum temperatures greater than 10 C. Genotype, rather than the environment, mainly determined head quality attributes. Fiesta had the best head quality, with higher head shape and branching angle ratings than Greenbelt or Marathon. Bud colour and cluster separation of Marathon were only acceptable for export when growing season mean minimum temperatures were less than 8 C. Photoperiod did not influence yield or quality in any of the three cultivars. A better understanding of genotype and environmental interactions will help farmers optimise yield and quality, by matching cultivars with time of sowing. Crop developmental responses to temperature and photoperiod were quantified from emergence to harvest maturity (Model 1), from emergence to floral initiation (Model 2), from floral initiation to harvest maturity (Model 3), and in a combination of Models 2 and 3 (Model 4). These thermal time models were based on optimised base and optimum temperatures of 0 and 20 C, respectively. These optimised temperatures were determined using an iterative optimisation routine (simplex). Cardinal temperatures were consistent across cultivars but thermal time of phenological intervals were cultivar specific. Sensitivity to photoperiod and solar radiation was low in the three cultivars used. Thermal time models tested on independent data for five cultivars (Fiesta, Greenbelt, Marathon, CMS Liberty and Triathlon) grown as commercial crops on the Darling Downs over two years, adequately predicted floral initiation and harvest maturity. Model 4 provided the best prediction for the chronological duration from emergence to harvest maturity. Model 1 was useful when floral initiation data were not available, and it predicted harvest maturity almost as well as Model 4 since the same base and optimum temperatures of 0 C and 20 C, respectively, were used for both phenological intervals. Model 1 was also generated using data from 1979-80 sowings of three cultivars (Premium Crop, Selection 160 and Selection 165A). When Model 1 was tested with independent data from 1983-84, it predicted harvest maturity well. Where floral initiation data were available, predictions of harvest maturity were most precise using Model 3, since the variation, which occurred from emergence to floral initiation, was removed. Prediction of floral initiation using Model 2 can be useful for timing cultural practices, and for avoiding frost and high temperature periods. This research has produced models to assist broccoli farmers in crop scheduling and cultivar selection in south-east Queensland. Using the models as a guide, farmers can optimise yield and quality, by matching cultivars with sowing date. By accurately predicting floral initiation, the risk of frost damage during floral initiation can be reduced by adjusting sowing dates or crop management options. The simple and robust thermal time models will improve production and marketing arrangements, which have to be made in advance. The thermal time models in this study, incorporating frost risk using conditional statements, provide a foundation for a decision support system to manage the sequence of sowings on commercial broccoli farms.