The fit between a crop variety and its local environment has a critical impact on productivity. To develop a range of varieties that provide optimal adaption to local conditions across current production regions and potential expansion zones requires a better understanding of how environment and crop genetics interact to determine this optimal adaptation.

This project will develop a national strategy to address these needs, generating new information and leveraging insights from world-leading research and breeding programs internationally. It will systematically characterize genetic and physiological variation in the phenology (timing of the growth cycle) of Australia's two major high-value pulse crops - chickpea and lentil. Work will combine intensive research in controlled conditions with extensive field trials across Australian production environments, to identify existing and novel variation for phenology. It will document the contribution of this variation to yield in diverse locations, generating detailed performance data and developing genetic markers and models that will guide the development and deployment of new varieties.