Research. Knowledge. Technology.

Wheat and barley are two of Australia's most important cereal crops.

At the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG) our scientists are improving wheat and barley's tolerance to environmental stresses such as drought, heat, salinity and nutrient toxicities. These stresses known as abiotic stresses, are a major cause of yield and quality loss throughout the world and cause significant problems for cereal growers.

We aim to improve wheat and barley's responses to these stresses using biotechnology. By using new technology and breeding techniques we are providing innovative and environmentally attractive solutions to the problems faced by cereal growers.

We're about research

Our research programs focus on these environmental stresses. Our scientists are investigating the genes that control tolerance mechanisms and developing strategies for applying these results to cereal breeding. This research is improving how these plants function and yield under changing climatic conditions.

We're about generating knowledge

Specifically, we're interested in knowledge about wheat and barley, and the many different ways that we can help these crops to grow in increasingly difficult environmental conditions.

And we're about technology

Our scientists are developing the technologies needed to produce new cereal varieties that allow sustainable farming to generate economic, social and environmental benefits to Australia. ACPFG research is helping to ensure Australia maintains its competitive position in cereal production. 

ACPFG has research nodes at:

ACPFG Approach

The more specific approaches of the ACPFG are to:

• Identify the genetic mechanisms that control tolerance to specific stresses and compare these with those controlling broad range tolerance to abiotic stresses
• Use genome-wide analyses to define key cellular processes that enable adapted plants to withstand abiotic stress, and to apply that understanding to the genetic improvement of crops such as wheat and barley
• Unravel regulatory networks that control plant growth under abiotic stress
• Identify ways of manipulating these networks, through existing genetic diversity or through functional genomics technologies, to deliver tangible industry outcomes, namely cereal varieties better tailored to hostile environments

ACPFG Funding

The Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics was established in December 2002 after it was granted $27 million from the Australian Research Council (ARC), the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and the South Australian Government.

In addition, The University of Adelaide, The University of Melbourne, The University of South Australia and The University of Queensland together provide further funding.