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Seminar Series 2008
Breeding perennial grain crops for a more resilient agriculture
| Time: Date: Venue: Presenter: |
9.00am Monday, 29 September 2008 Conference Room, Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute Dr Stan Cox, The Land Institute, Kansas, USA |
In an effort to resolve the tradeoff between no-till methods - which curtail erosion in the top layer of soil but leave the lower soil profile unimproved and require heavier use of chemical inputs - and organic methods --which eliminate toxic pesticides but not soil erosion and water deterioration - plant breeders in the US, Australia, and other countries are now breeding perennial counterparts of annual grain and legume crops, including wheat, wheatgrasses, sorghum, sunflower, and others. With their deeper, more durable roots, longer growing seasons, and the greater opportunity for carbon fixation, diverse systems of such crops can perform the ecological functions of the perennial grasslands that agriculture has replaced around the world.
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For further information about this seminar please contact:
- Prof Len Wade email or tel (02) 6933 2523