The University of Queensland

The University of Queensland QAAFI Institute

Student project opportunities 2015
Identification of genotypic variability in stomatal conductance in wheat

The Use of In-Situ Proximal Sensing Technologies to Determine Crop Characteristics to

Support Sorghum Breeding

Integration of cultural practices with herbicide use to improve weed control in winter crops
Integration of cultural practices with herbicide use to manage weeds in summer crops
Germination ecology of key summer weeds of the northern region of Australia
Germination ecology of key winter weeds of the northern region of Australia

Weed biology of key summer and winter weeds of the northern region of Australia
Weeds' response to crop interference
Weeds' response to water stress

Effect of weed emergence time and crop competition on weed maturity and weed seed
retention in relation to crop maturity

Determine characteristics for germination and growth of key weeds in cotton farming
systems

The use of UAVs in the monitoring of large agronomic trials

Computational Modelling Research Topics and Scholarships
The role of maize prolificity in rainfed cropping systems
Managing risks in Queensland's cropping systems

Identification of genotypic variability in stomatal conductance in wheat

Drought is highly limiting wheat productivity in Australia. Existing conditions and future predictions for increased
temperature, evaporative demand and water scarcity enhance the need for higher transpiration-efficiency crops
(more crop per drop). To breed for new wheat varieties with increased transpiration efficiency, the
physiological and genetic responses of traits related to transpiration need to be better understood. This project
aims to identify genotypic variation in whole-plant transpiration rate and stomatal conductance. The Honours
student will (1) be involved in the development of a new screening methodology, (2) conducted an experiment
with the new state-of-the-art lysimeter facility, and (3) identify how wheat genotypes differ in their transpiration
pattern. The experiment will be conducted at Gatton, and a few meetings may take place in Toowoomba. The
student will develop hands-on experience in crop physiology and data analysis.
This project comes with a 1000$ allowance.

Suitable for Honours student

Location: Gatton

Principal supervisor: Dr Karine Chenu (k.chenu@uq.edu.au)

The Use of In-Situ Proximal Sensing Technologies to Determine Crop Characteristics to Support Sorghum Breeding

This project is aligned to the Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis (Australian Research Council
funded) in collaboration with Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF), which aim at develop
and harness pioneering advances in photosynthesis research, crop bioengineering, plant phenomics and
computational tools to realize the goal of increased and sustainable crop yields.
Suitable for PhD

Location: Toowoomba/Gatton/Warwick

Principal supervisor: Andries Potgieter (a.potgieter@uq.edu.au)

Full Use of In-Situ Proximal Sensing Technologies to Determine Crop Characteristics to Support
Sorghum Breeding details

Integration of cultural practices with herbicide use to improve weed control in winter crops

Cultural practices: Row spacing, plant density, competitive varieties

Crop choice: Wheat, barley, chickpea, fababean, canola

Weeds continue to remain a major issue for many growers and advisors in winter crops grown in
the northern region of Australia. Herbicides have been heavily relied upon for in-crop weed

management. This heavy reliance has resulted in the evolution of resistance in several weeds.

Therefore, non-chemical weed management tactics are required. The main outcome of the research
will lead to improved knowledge of the impact of integrated weed management practices on weeds,
thus enabling growers to better manage weeds.
Suitable for PhD/MPhil
Location: Gatton

Principal supervisor: Dr Bhagirath Chauhan (b.chauhan@uq.edu.au)

Integration of cultural practices with herbicide use to manage weeds in summer crops

Cultural practices: Row spacing, plant density, competitive varieties

Crop choice: Soybean, mungbean, sorghum, maize, cotton

Weeds continue to remain a major issue for many growers and advisors in summer crops.

Herbicides have been heavily relied upon for in-crop weed management. This heavy reliance has
resulted in the evolution of resistance in several weeds. Therefore, non-chemical weed

management tactics are required. The main outcome of the research will lead to improved

knowledge of the impact of integrated weed management practices on weeds, thus enabling
growers to better manage weeds.
Suitable for PhD/MPhil
Location: Gatton

Principal supervisor: Dr Bhagirath Chauhan (b.chauhan@uq.edu.au)

Germination ecology of key summer weeds of the northern region of Australia

Very limited information is available on the germination ecology of key summer weeds, which

makes it difficult to predict the environmental conditions that favour germination and seedling

emergence. Better understanding of the germination ecology and emergence will help growers

schedule control measures and improve the management of these weeds in croplands. The aims of
this research project are to determine the effects of environmental factors (temperature, light, salt
stress, heat stress, water stress, burial depth) on germination and emergence of these weed
species.

Suitable for MPhil/Hons

Location: Gatton

Principal supervisor: Dr Bhagirath Chauhan (b.chauhan@uq.edu.au)

Germination ecology of key winter weeds of the northern region of Australia

Very limited information is available on the germination ecology of key winter weeds, which makes

it difficult to predict the environmental conditions that favour germination and seedling emergence.
Better understanding of the germination ecology and emergence will help growers schedule control
measures and improve the management of these weeds in croplands. The aims of this research

project are to determine the effects of environmental factors (temperature, light, salt stress, heat
stress, water stress, burial depth) on germination and emergence of these weed species.
Suitable for MPhil/Hons
Location: Gatton

Principal supervisor: Dr Bhagirath Chauhan (b.chauhan@uq.edu.au)

Weed biology of key summer and winter weeds of the northern region of Australia

Components: Competition with wheat (winter weeds) / mungbean (summer weeds); maternal

environment effect (high or low rainfall; cropped or non-cropped area); seed bank persistence.
Suitable for PhD/MPhil/Hons
Location: Gatton

Principal supervisor: Dr Bhagirath Chauhan (b.chauhan@uq.edu.au)

Weeds' response to crop interference

How weeds respond to crop competition in terms of resource allocation?

How different biotypes respond?

Do we need to increase N with crop plant density?

Suitable for MPhil/Hons
Location: Gatton

Principal supervisor: Dr Bhagirath Chauhan (b.chauhan@uq.edu.au)

Weeds' response to water stress

Water limitation is common in the northern region cropping systems. In these conditions, crops
suffer but several weeds thrive.

How weeds (key winter/summer) respond to water stress and/or nutrients?

Suitable for MPhil/Hons
Location: Gatton

Principal supervisor: Dr Bhagirath Chauhan (b.chauhan@uq.edu.au)

Effect of weed emergence time and crop competition on weed maturity and weed seed retention in relation to crop maturity

A field study will investigate the effect of time of weed emergence and crop plant density on weed
maturity and weed seed retention in relation to the crop maturity. In target-neighbour designed
experiments, crop will be used as the neighbour species with weeds then planted as the target

species. A series of weed planting times will then be used to evaluate the effect of delayed weed
emergence on weed maturity and seed retention through harvest.

There are options of choosing from summer and winter crops and weeds.
Winter weeds (annual ryegrass, turnip weed, African turnip weed) with wheat or chickpea

Summer weeds (barnyard grass, liverseed grass, feathertop Rhodes grass, windmill grass)
with soybean or mungbean

Suitable for MPhil/Hons

Location: Gatton

Principal supervisor: Dr Bhagirath Chauhan (b.chauhan@uq.edu.au)

Determine characteristics for germination and growth of key weeds in cotton farming systems

Understanding the ecology of weeds in crop production systems is critical to determining effective

control measures. Temperature is the most important factor in regulating the germination of weed
seeds when moisture and light are non-limiting. As a result, understanding the combination of
temperature and time (i.e., degree days) is the most appropriate unit of measure of a plants

growth and development. The degree day approach has been implemented successfully in the
prediction of phenological development in both crops and weeds. This approach involves

determining an estimate of the temperature below which phenological development ceases (base
temperature) for each species. This base temperature is often different for germination and
growth. This study will investigate the base temperatures for germination, growth, and

development of a number of key weed species in cotton farming systems in Australia. From this
information, determination of degree-days for key phenological points, such as stem

elongation/tillering, anthesis, and physiological maturity, will be undertaken. This will provide

growers with an increased understanding of how weed germination and growth can be related to
crop development.

Suitable for MPhil/Hons

Location: Gatton

Supervisors: Dr Bhagirath Chauhan (b.chauhan@uq.edu.au)

The use of UAVs in the monitoring of large agronomic trials

Principal supervisor: A/Prof. Daniel Rodriguez

This project is aligned to two Grain Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) projects in
collaboration with seed companies, which aim at closing the gap between farmers yields and
research trial in sorghum and maize.

An important need for these projects is to develop capabilities to rapidly and inexpensively monitor
large on farm and on research station trials. In this project we propose to develop this capability
using UAVs (drones) and sensing techniques i.e. multispectral and infra-red, to derive key crop
parameters e.g. plant densities, and planting uniformity, crop biomass, canopy size (leaf area
index), and crop water and nitrogen stresses.

This will be achieved by (i) quantifying the capacity of a range of reflectance indices in the blue,

near infrared, and red edge sections of the light spectra to predict these key crop properties; (ii)
validate the developed relationships using independent data sets; (iii) develop protocols for the

application of these techniques on sorghum and maize crops; exploring the potential integration of
sensed crop characteristics and crop models i.e. APSIM.
Required experience:
MSc / Honours experience in remote sensing or crop eco-physiology is required. Skills in
programming (R, MatLab, or other) will be a plus.
Relevant publications:
Potgieter A, Rodriguez D, Davis P, Power B (2014). Spatial estimation of wheat yields from
Landsats visible, near infrared and thermal reflectance bands International Journal of
Remote Sensing Applications (in press)

 Rodriguez D, Fitzgerald GJ, Belford R, Christensen L (2006) Detection of nitrogen deficiency

in wheat from spectral reflectance indices and basic crop eco-physiological concepts.
Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 57, 781789

Rodriguez D, Sadras VO, Christensen LK, Belford R (2005) Spatial assessment of the

physiological status of wheat crops as affected by water and nitrogen supply using infrared
thermal imagery Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 56, 983-993.

Rodriguez D, Robson A, Belford R (2009) Dynamic and functional monitoring technologies for
applications in crop management In 'Crop physiology: applications for genetic improvement
and agronomy'. Eds VO Sadras and DF Calderini, pp. 489-510. Academic Press: San Diego
Contact details:

Dr Daniel Rodriguez

Tel: +61 7 4688 1437

Mob: 0434 075 094

Email: d.rodriguez@uq.edu.au
Computational Modelling Research Topics and Scholarships

Are you interested in:

Functional-Structural Plant Modelling approach to understanding the role of sugar demand in
apical dominance?

Using computational modelling to help Transform the productivity and profitability of

subtropical/tropical tree crops?

Developing computational models to build our understanding of human digestion?

Integrating biological experimentation with computational analysis to extend our basic

knowledge in plant science?

Using mathematical analysis and modelling to help understand how genes control plant
development?

Scientific visualisation of simulations of how plants grow, compete, and interact with insects
in their environment?

Applying computational science and artificial intelligence algorithms to biological research?

Applying virtual reality techniques for visualising biological science problems?

Developing pedagogies using computational models for teaching and learning of dynamic
concepts in the life sciences?

Research in our lab integrates cutting edge work on computational modelling in collaboration with
researchers from the University of Queensland Schools of Information Technology and Electrical

Engineering; Agriculture and Food Sciences; Mathematics and Physics; and Biological Sciences as
well as QAAFI's Centre for Nutrition and Food Science and Centre for Plant Science. If you have a
desire to contribute to multi-disciplinary research in a rapidly expanding field and expect to

graduate this year with a good honours degree in science, IT, engineering or a related area or have
equivalent qualifications, then we would like to hear from you.

PROJECTS
Our group is always interested to hear from prospective post-graduates wishing to pursue research
with us.

Functional-Structural Plant Modelling approach to understanding the role of sugar demand in

apical dominance

Understanding avocado, mango or macadamia growth and development through field studies
and functional-structural modelling

Understanding genetic regulatory networks in plants

Exploring plant-plant and plant-environment interactions

Virtual insect modelling system

Development of graphical user interface and visualisation tools for L-system models

The application of computational models in teaching and learning for the Life Sciences
Modelling the role of fibre in human digestion

Scholarship available: Functional-Structural Plant Modelling approach to understanding the role of sugar
demand in apical dominance

This is your opportunity to undertake PhD research in computational plant science as a part of a

multi-disciplinary team with Dr Jim Hanan in QAAFI's Centre for Plant Science and Prof Christine
Beveridge in the Plant Development Lab at the University of Queensland. Members of our team

recently revealed that the 90 year-old dogma of apical dominance mediated by auxin is inadequate
(Mason MG et al. PNAS 2014 111 (16) 6092-6097); instead, sucrose levels are better correlated

with bud release than are auxin levels. This ARC funded project seeks to understand how sugar and
hormonal signals interact with genetic regulatory mechanisms within a growing plant to control bud
outgrowth.

You will develop a functional-structural plant model that will be used to (i) predict effects of
physiological treatments on early bud release and branching, (ii) test and improve our

understanding of the systems regulating shoot branching and (iii) communicate findings in

scientific and broader contexts. A three-dimensional functional-structural plant model incorporating

realistic sizes of leaves and internodes will allow us to examine the transport and concentration

dynamics of the different signals and make realistic predictions regarding the timing of effects of
different treatments.

Applicants should possess a qualification in a relevant discipline of quantitative plant science,

computational science, or equivalent and have a strong interest in developing computational
models in collaboration with biological scientists in the team to understand how branching is

regulated. You should also have a strong desire to develop your personal research skills, while

contributing to this team effort, including publication of results in high-impact journals. Strong

academic performance demonstrated through publication output in peer reviewed international

journals is highly desirable.

You will need to meet the PhD entry requirements of the UQ Graduate School

(http://www.uq.edu.au/grad-school/our-research-degrees), including UQ language criteria

(http://www.uq.edu.au/grad-school/english-language-proficiency-requirements).
Scholarship: Available. For more details please contact Dr Jim Hanan
Contact: Dr Jim Hanan (j.hanan@uq.edu.au)

Understanding avocado, mango or macadamia growth and development through field studies and
functional-structural modelling

Project description
The complexity of the phenology, physiology and canopy development of tropical and sub-tropical

fruit and nut trees make it a challenging area of study. This project will provide the opportunity to

apply the latest in functional structural plant modelling techniques to integrate existing hypotheses,

use the resulting models to discover where our understanding is incomplete, then to investigate the
system in field studies. This research will form the basis for future systems that can be applied to
the broader tropical fruit and nut industry. Areas of particular interest in these studies of
macadamia include:

Physiology, phenology and consistency of flowering

Carbon allocation, including aspects of carbon storage

Responses to planting density and pruning, including impact on the light environment
These studies could involve the student in work with the fruit and nut industry from northern New

South Wales to Far north Queensland, and will be supported by expertise in horticulture and plant

physiology from the Queensland DAFF and the NSW DPI. The research will be undertaken within a
group involved in similar projects on kiwifruit vine, pea, and soybean at The University of
Queensland.

This project will involve the student, as a part of a multi-disciplinary international team of

biologists, mathematicians and computer scientists, in an integrated program of research on plant

development and function. The collaborations will be based on an L-system modelling platform

(http://algorithmicbotany.org/) designed for computer representation of the three-dimensional

dynamics of growth of individual plants in their environment. The focus may be either on the
physiological and genetic mechanisms underlying plant development and function or on the

mathematical and computational methods for modelling them. The challenges are the complexity of
plant structures and incomplete knowledge about plant properties and processes involved.
Suitable for: Honours, Masters or PhD research

Scholarships: Available from University of Queensland sources and Australian Postgraduate

Awards. Further details are available here.

Contact: Dr Jim Hanan (j.hanan@uq.edu.au)

Further information: About the University of Queensland and its research environment

Understanding genetic regulatory networks in plants

Project description
The development of plant structure in response to environment is controlled by complex molecular

systems that can be described as networks. This project will apply mathematical and computational
tools and techniques to help piece together the puzzle of how genetic regulatory networks in

different parts of the plant, connected by long-distance signals, are integrated to control plant
development.

Suitable for: Honours, Masters or PhD research

Scholarships: Available from University of Queensland sources and Australian Postgraduate

Awards. Further details are available here.

Contact: Dr Jim Hanan (j.hanan@uq.edu.au); Prof. Christine Beveridge (c.beveridge@uq.edu.au)

Further information: About the University of Queensland and its research environment

Exploring plant-plant and plant-environment interactions

Project description
Physiological studies and new computational capabilities for describing the dynamics of the growth,
development and phenotypic structure of individual plants can be applied to extend our

fundamental knowledge of plant-plant and plant-environment interactions. This project will look for
insight into how physical conditions, resource availability, and the presence of neighbours,
including weeds, affect plant structure and yield.
Suitable for: Honours, Masters or PhD research

Scholarships: Available from University of Queensland sources and Australian Postgraduate

Awards. Further details are available here.

Contact: Dr Jim Hanan (j.hanan@uq.edu.au); Prof. Stephen Adkins (s.adkins@uq.edu.au)

Further information: About the University of Queensland and its research environment

Virtual insect modelling system

Project description
This project will construct a generic system for expressing models of insect behaviour on and

around plants. It will draw on ideas from the areas of virtual reality, artificial life, robotics, and

individual-based modelling to develop simulation techniques for insect behaviour in an environment

expressed using L-system models of plants and microclimate prediction routines being developed

by our collaborators at INRA. Major applications will include analysis of fundamental questions

regarding the movement of insects on plants (rigid behaviour versus flexible responses to plant

defences, predators and micro-climate) and how population level phenomena in insects emerge
from the behaviour of individuals.

Suitable for: Honours, Masters or PhD research

Scholarships: Available from University of Queensland sources and Australian Postgraduate

Awards. Further details are available here.

Contact: Dr Jim Hanan (j.hanan@uq.edu.au); Prof. Meron Zalucki (m.zalucki@uq.edu.au)

Further information: About the University of Queensland and its research environment

Development of graphical user interface and visualisation tools for L-system models

Project description
This project will improve communication between people and computers in the context of biologists
studying the structural development of plants and activities of insects on plants. Software will be
constructed in the platform-independent JAVA language to allow biologists to build L-system
models by selecting options from simple on-screen menus of images of plant parts, plant

processes, and insect behaviours. L-system specifications will be output in a form ready to be

processed in the vlab. An extension of existing collaboration with Prof. Prusinkiewicz will be sought
to investigate ways for biologists to interact with simulations by, for example, using virtual

secateurs to prune virtual plants simulated in the virtual laboratory. Visualisation techniques will be
investigated both for simplification of input parameters and for the display of the results of

computer simulations. [An L-system is a formalism which allows very large quantities of data on

the development of plant architecture to be compressed into very small and precise specifications
of plant morphogenesis (Lindenmayer, 1968)]

Suitable for: Honours, Masters or PhD research

Scholarships: Available from University of Queensland sources and Australian Postgraduate

Awards. Further details are available here.

Contact: Dr Jim Hanan (j.hanan@uq.edu.au)

Further information: About the University of Queensland and its research environment

The application of computational models in teaching and learning for the Life Sciences

Project description

This project will involve the student in development of interactive computational models supporting

teaching and learning in the life sciences. The topic could be approached from either an educational
or a computer engineering viewpoint.

Suitable for: Honours, Masters or PhD research

Scholarships: Available from University of Queensland sources and Australian Postgraduate

Awards. Further details are available here.

Contact: Dr Jim Hanan (j.hanan@uq.edu.au); Dr Kim Nichols (k.nichols@uq.edu.au)

Further information: About the University of Queensland and its research environment
Modelling the role of fibre in human digestion

Project Description
This project is a collaboration with the QAAFI Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences (CNAFS) on a
computational science project exploring how digestive processes are affected by fibre in foods,

resulting in improved human health. The human digestive system is difficult to observe directly, so
in this research, computational models of in vitro experimental data (collected by researchers in

the Centre) will be developed to allow visualisation and analysis of hypothesised relationships that
occur in vivo.

Working with Prof. Mike Gidley and Dr Barbara Williams in CNAFS and advised by Dr Jim Hanan of

QAAFI, this project will produce a user friendly, dynamic model of the digestive systems in pigs and
humans. Characteristics to be modelled may include rheology, nutrient digestion, bile/cholesterol
binding in the small intestine, and fermentation rate, end-products and microbial species in the
large intestine. Models of this complex system will be multi-scale, and may include transport,

compartment, rule- and agent-based approaches. Visualisations will be developed to aid the CNAFS
biological and chemical scientists in understanding how diverse features of food digestion interact
within the digestive tract.

Contact: Dr Jim Hanan (j.hanan@uq.edu.au). Please forward your expression of interest and CV.
Scholarship: Available from University of Queensland sources and Australian Postgraduate
Awards. Further details are available here.

Applications: Expressions of interest should be 1,000 words or less and address the following
criteria:

Academic record, including performance in first degree, or equivalent experience;

Relevant plant science, horticulture or computational science experience (if any);
Research experience and publications (if any);

The names of two academic and/or research referees (with full contact details including email
addresses and telephone numbers).

Successful applicants must be accepted for Honours, Masters, or PhD candidature at the University

of Queensland (see http://www.uq.edu.au/grad-school/admission) and apply for associated UQ and

APA scholarships.

[TOP]
The role of maize prolificity in rainfed cropping systems

Project Description
In Queensland, the high cost of maize seed relative to alternative cereals such as sorghum and the
higher sensitivity of maize to water stresses limit the inclusion of maize in large-scale high input
commercial rainfed cropping systems.

Technologies that reduce maize establishment costs and the risk of water stress at critical stages in
the crop development include using prolific maize hybrids at low plant populations. The technology
has the potential to reduce risks and provide incentives for crop diversification and the sustainable
intensification of Queensland agriculture.

Prolific maize genotypes can produce high yields at low population densities when sufficient

resources are available, especially during critical stages for grain yield formation (Adriaanse and
Human 1992; Sarquis et al 1998; Varga et al 2004).

Prolificity is defined as the capacity of maize plants to produce multiple cobs. Initial screening of

commercial hybrids planted at low populations (2.2 plants/m2) during 2014 at Gatton Queensland,

revealed that wide ranges in prolificity types are currently available (Eyre et al., 2014 - submitted).
In this trial, the highest grain yields ca. 10 t/ha - were achieved by prolific types compared to
non-prolific ones.

Grain number per unit of area is the primary driver of yield increases in cereals and is especially

important for the management of proliflic maize hybrids (Varga et al 2004). Grain number in maize
is related to the plant growth rate during a critical period beginning approximately 10 days prior to

and ending 20 following anthesis (Andrade et al 1999). The prolificity type is expressed when plant
growth rate is greater than ca. 3.5 to 6 g/plant/day during the critical period around flowering

(Echarte et al 2004). Plant growth rate during the critical period, and therefore prolificity, can be

controlled by changing population density, row spacing and nitrogen supply (Andrade et al 1999;

Ciampitti and Vyn 2001; Maddonni et al 2011; Vega et al 2004). During dry seasons prolificity can

have negative impacts on grain quality (screenings) and yield as tillers may compete with the main
stem for assimilates, nutrients and water. Also lack of pollen and decreased male-female flowering
synchrony between main stem and tillers might be an important factor.

Most of the available information on maize agronomic management originates from environments
where high plant densities are used - so that the prolific characteristic of modern hybrids is not

expressed. In Australias drier rainfed environments maize is primarily cultivated at lower plant

populations that favour the expression of the prolificity phenotype. Improving the management of

maize crops in Australia calls for a better understanding on how to manage prolific and non-prolific
maize materials, and how to supress tillering when maize is grown at low populations across a
range of contrasting environments.

This project will contribute improve our understanding of how different types of hybrids need to be
management across the main Queensland maize growing environments. This project will combine
the use of empirical research and crop simulation modelling. Crop simulations will be used to

identify best management practices for specific genotypes to identify suitable maize types for
particular environments (Hammer et al 2014).

An extensive network of on-station and on-farm trials across northern Australia has been
established to capture empirical data on maize prolificity.
The incumbent will have the opportunity to;
Screen commercial and pre-commercial maize germplasm for prolificity types in collaboration
with private and public maize breeders.

Elucidate yield determinants in prolific compared to non-prolific hybrids in low nitrogen and
water stress environments.

Quantify the benefits and trade-offs of tiller cobs compared to secondary main stem cobs in
terms of competition for water, nitrogen and light.

Develop and validate modelling tools to optimise crop management for prolific hybrids in
environments with frequent terminal drought stress and low nitrogen status.

Evaluate the productivity, profitability, production cost and production risk of prolific
compared to non-prolific hybrids with best management across environment types.

This project is co-funded between GRDC and the SIMLESA program (ACIAR funded), so there are
possibilities for the candidate to develop this project in Australia, or both Australia and Southern
Africa.

Principal supervisor: Dr Joseph Eyre, Email: j.eyre@uq.edu.au

Co-supervisor: A/Prof. Daniel Rodriguez, Email: d.rodriguez@uq.edu.au, Mob: 0434 075 094
0434 075 094
Toowoomba Office

203 Tor Str, Toowoomba Qld 4350 Australia

POBox 102 Toowoomba Qld 4350 Australia
Tel: +61 7 4688 1437
0434 075 094

+61 7 4688 1437 | Fax: +61 7 4688 1193 | Mob: 0434 075 094

UQ Gatton Campus Office

Ofice 127, Animal Industries Building (#8103)

Tel: +61 7 5460 1153

+61 7 5460 1153 (Gatton)

[TOP]
Managing risks in Queensland's cropping systems

Project Description
Many recently released maize, sorghum and wheat hybrids of great yield potential are now

available in the seed market from a range of seed companies. However, that yield potential has

been determined in breeders plots and may overestimate farmers target yields given a number of
normative factors, e.g. limited levels of investment capacity, risk perceptions or risk preferences.
In this project we propose to quantify the benefits e.g. productivity, profits, and trade-offs e.g.

financial risks, environmental impacts, from bridging the gaps between the potentially achievable
yields and present farmers practice. This will be achieved by:

quantifying the difference between the yield that is potentially achievable i.e. determined by
agro-ecological conditions (i.e. climate and soils), and best cereal farmers yields;

quantify under what environments and seasonal conditions the benefits from increasing
investments compensate for the increase in risks and other trade-offs; and

demonstrate that there is a best practice target yield that is smaller than the potentially
achievable yield, as farmers determine their preferred target yield after considering

normative (i.e. price ratios, and climatic risks) and behavioural (i.e. risk preference) factors.
Results from empirical on-farm and on-research station experimentation will be combined with

the use of cropping systems i.e. APSIM (Holzworth et al., 2014); and whole farm (Rodriguez et al.,
2011 and 2014) modelling tools, to quantify benefits and trade-offs from alternative field and

whole farm investment options. On-station trials (UQ Gatton Research Station) will be used to
develop quality datasets to parameterise the APSIM wheat, maize and sorghum models. The

validated model will then be used to simulate benefits and trade-offs from alternative practices,

tactics and strategies on recently released and high yielding varieties and hybrids. Farmers yields
will be collected from surveys and farmers records across the Darling Downs and Central

Queensland. On-farm trials will also be run in collaboration with seed companies i.e. Pacific Seeds,
Nuseed, and DuPont Pioneer to quantify water limited yield experimentally. The comparison of

results from on-farm trials and modelling results will guide the research into identifying best-fit

opportunities for the sustainable intensification of cropping in Australian Northern Grains Region.
This project will contribute to closing the gaps between achievable yields and best farmers yields
in Queensland. Present wheat yield gaps in the Northern Region are on average ca. 1.7t/ha

(Hochman et al., 2015) representing ca. 47% of the yield farmers could realize; for sorghum,
trends in yield increase across the Northern Region show a large spatial variability in farmers

yields (Potgieter et al., 2011; Doherty et al., 2010) that to a great extent are driven by contrasting
levels of farmers investments in their cropping systems and farmers skills across the region

(Stephens et al., 2011). Considering the present area under wheat and sorghum production in

Queensland, closing existing yield gaps would represent just under than one billion dollars per year
to the State economy.

This project is aligned to two Grains and Research Development Corporation (GRDC) funded

projects that aim at developing technical agronomic packages to support Queensland farmers

agronomic decisions for sorghum, wheat and maize. These are Operating funding will be available

for this PhD Studentship between 2014 and 2018. This involves the setting up of on-farm and on-
research station trials, use of laboratories, laptop computer, associated travel costs, as well as
training on APSIM modelling.

Primary contact: Dr Daniel Rodriguez

BSc. MSc. PhD

Associate Professor

Editor of Agricultural Systems (Elsevier)

Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation

Toowoomba Office

203 Tor Str, Toowoomba Qld 4350 Australia

POBox 102 Toowoomba Qld 4350 Australia
Tel: +61 7 4688 1437
075 094

+61 7 4688 1437 | F +61 7 4688 1193 | M 0434 075 094

0434

UQ Gatton Campus Office

Ofice 127, Animal Industries Building (#8103) T (Gatton) +61 7 5460 1153
Email: d.rodriguez@uq.edu.au

www.qaafi.uq.edu.au/daniel-rodriguez
Skype: danielrodriguezzoch
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+61 7 5460 1153