Plant Breeding Institute
Established in 1973 to ensure a continuing University commitment to crop breeding and research
The grains and horticultural industries require a continuum of new cultivars that maximise profitability and sustainability in a dynamic production and market environment. This requires a continuous flow of new genetic materials, knowledge, technologies and trained people; the core business of the Plant Breeding Institute (PBI).
The PBI is committed to improving crop and horticultural species, contributing to both our food supply and the beauty of the world around us. The PBI aims to develop new genetic materials required by industry and the technologies that allow these materials and genes to be easily adopted. It also generates knowledge that furthers our understanding of plant biology and farming systems. Finally, the PBI trains the next generation of plant breeders, geneticists, and scientists in related disciplines.
Our plant breeding research themes
The Cereal Rust Laboratory hosts the Australian Cereal Rust Control Program (ACRCP), which continues one of the longest-running research efforts at the University of Sydney. Cereal rust diseases are the most important biotic constraints to cereal production globally.
The ACRCP conducts research on all rust pathogens of wheat (common and durum), barley, oat, triticale and cereal rye, with a strong emphasis on tracking changes in pathogen virulence (pathogen surveillance) across the Australian continent and disease control by resistance breeding.
Cereal breeding largely focuses on wheat, Australia’s most important grain crop, but also includes barley, triticale and durum wheat. Since wheat breeding commercialisation, the PBI has focussed on wheat ‘pre-breeding’ and research.
Our research is well supported by the University of Sydney node of the Australian Plant Phenomics Network (APPN) based in Narrabri. Grassland-based food ecosystems and their potential genetic improvement have become a recent research focus in response to our changing climate.
Transforming wheat breeding with doubled haploid technology (January, 2025)
The PBI hosts the northern arm of Australia’s faba bean breeding program and provides new, high-yielding and disease resistant cultivars to farmers. The program targets the improvement of key constraints such as yield potential, rust, ascochyta and virus resistance and tolerance to drought, heat and frost.
Indian mustard research and breeding focuses on improving biomass, grain yield, oil content and quality and chemical constituents of the seed and meal with marketable value.
The dominant crops in northwestern NSW are wheat and chickpea. Optimising the integration of mustard into this farming system as a break crop with bio-fumigation benefits is a primary research focus.
Horticultural breeding encompasses cytology, embryology, pathology, propagation, and sustainable production. Our breeding programs prioritise 'minimum input' varieties, focusing on resource efficiency, environmental protection, and climate change resilience.
Breeding focuses on efficiency with reduced water, fertiliser, pesticide needs and simpler cultural requirements. Biodiversity protection is also important and new lines are carefully assessed before release to ensure they do not have weed-like tendencies.
Aboriginal people sustainably produced food from native ecosystems for thousands of years, including the world’s oldest bread. We work with Aboriginal people, farmers and industry to bring this system to modern agroecosystems and foods.
The Indigenous Grasslands for Grain projects work with Aboriginal people to bring this system to modern agroecosystems and foods.
Phone
+61 2 9114 2199
Email
sonam.tashi@sydney.edu.au
Address
107 Cobbitty Road Cobbitty NSW 2570
X/Twitter
@PbiCobbitty
Phone
+61 2 6799 2205
Email
kristy.faris@sydney.edu.au
Address
I A Watson Grains Research Centre 12656, Newell Highway Narrabri, NSW 2390
X/Twitter
@pbinarrabri
