Plant & Food Research Australia is establishing a base at the University of Adelaide’s Waite campus – a move that will boost research and innovation in South Australia’s horticulture and agri-food sectors.
Already working with the university on agricultural product development, and almond orchard systems and harvest technologies, the co-location will drive research collaborations aimed at enhancing production, sustainability and value-adding in the horticulture, food and agriculture industries.
The university’s Waite campus has been at the heart of development of agriculture and food industries in South Australia right from the start, says the University of Adelaide’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Rathjen.
“Now with more than 250 academic staff at the University directly involved in agrifood and wine education and research, we continue to lead research and innovation in these sectors, which are the key drivers for the South Australian economy,” Professor Rathjen says.
Plant & Food Research Australia is setting up offices and laboratories among university facilities on the Waite campus. The company is a partner in the new University of Adelaide-led Research Consortium – Agricultural Product Development, increasing the value of agricultural waste and turning it into new products; and has formal agreement in place to work with the University’s Adelaide Glycomics on complex carbohydrates and their potential in a range of sectors.
“Bringing Plant & Food Research to South Australia is an example of the University’s research expertise, facilities and connections attracting international industry to Adelaide,” says Professor Vincent Bulone, Research Consortium Lead Investigator and Director of Adelaide Glycomics at the University’s Waite campus.
“The innovation from our research programs will build industry sustainability and value-adding, and produce new, future-facing, high-value jobs in agriculture and food, and other industries.”
Dr Gavin Ross, Plant & Food Research Group General Manager, Marketing and Innovation, says science is a complicated business, requiring large teams with a vast array of skills and infrastructure, and generating large data sets that require new and sophisticated procedures for analysis.
“Location at the Waite gives us ready access to complementary facilities and skills within the University and other partner organisations, along with a well-trained pool of students at the undergraduate and postgraduate level,” he says.
“Waite has a world-wide reputation for excellence and we look forward to building on past collaborations in working closely with industry, our clients and funding bodies.”
Plant & Food Research also has a collaboration with the University’s almond breeding programme, and has major projects in other nut crops and in pollination across a range of crops.
Source: Plant & Food Research
