Japan & Australia: Japanese barley could help Australian crops become more frost tolerant

Scientists from the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics are investigating genes in Japanese barley that can increase frost tolerance, AAP informed June 24.

Adelaide PhD student Andrew Chen is studying where the genes are located in the plant's DNA, knowledge he says could lead to Australian varieties being better able to cope with frost.

"Whether the genes are missing from Australian varieties or whether they're just not working is what we are trying to figure out," Mr Chen said.

The study's supervisor, Dr Nick Collins, who has been studying frost in barley for two years, said frost in South Australia and Victoria alone cost the barley industry more than $30 million a year.

28 June, 2006