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Australia develops canola lines with improved frost tolerance
A DPIRD and GRDC-backed genetic program aims to identify canola germplasm that can set pods under frost and reduce yield loss risk at flowering and pod stages.
Australia is working on new canola varieties with improved frost resistance to give producers more confidence in frost-prone growing areas, according to World Grain.
The national genetic research project is being led by Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) with co-investment from the Grains Research and Development Corp. (GRDC), and includes the South Australian Research and Development Institute and New South Wales DPIRD.
Under the “Reducing the frost sensitivity of Canola in Australia” project, researchers are screening existing and novel Australian and international canola lines to find genetic material capable of setting viable pods under frost conditions. The program includes two years of field trials, using a spatial grid of temperature sensors to measure air temperature throughout the crop canopy and to examine how frost damage and plant height interact with yield loss.
World Grain reports that canola is especially sensitive to frost damage at flowering, pod development, and pod filling stages, increasing financial risk for growers who invest in planting and crop management. Australia’s canola production for marketing year 2026-27 is projected at 6.2 million tonnes, with exports forecast at 4.7 million tonnes for the same period, according to the Foreign Agricultural Service of the US Department of Agriculture.