The Waite Research Institute
The Waite Research Institute (WRI) brings together researchers from a range of disciplines including plant biology, genetics, soil sciences, agronomy, clinical nutrition and agricultural economics. They will pool their expertise to find solutions to major problems including meeting the challenge of ensuring global food security and providing Australia's agricultural, wine and food industries with innovative research-led developments.
The WRI continues a long history of excellence in agricultural research on the University of Adelaide's Waite Campus. Following the generous bequest of land and Urrbrae House by Peter Waite to the University of Adelaide, the Waite Agricultural Research Institute was established in 1924. Since then the Waite Campus has developed into a world-renowned agricultural research facility.
The Waite Campus is Australia's leading research, education and commercialisation precinct for agricultural science, with scientific disciplines spanning plant sciences, genetics and crop breeding, plant functional genomics, agronomy, soil science, plant pathology, entomology, viticulture, oenology, food science, nutrition, and agricultural ecomonics, combined with state-of-the-art infrastructure such as the Plant Genomics Centre, the Wine Innovation Central Building, and the Plant Accelerator. Research now encompasses investigations frmo the paddock to the plate and on a scale from molecular to ecosystems.
Research partnerships have been a feature of the Waite Campus for much of its history. The collocated model in which many organisations have made the campus home for their research activities has resulted in a rich network of collaborations locally, nationally and internationally.
2010 ERA Results
On Monday 24 January 2011 the Federal Government released the results of the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) exercise. This was an assessment of the quality of research in all subjects in all Australian universities. The outcome for the Waite Research Institute was outstanding - it scored 5, the maximum possible score, for the overarching area of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences as well as 5s in the following discipline areas:
- Plant Biology
- Crop and Pasture Production
- Horticultural Production (which includes the School's research in viticulture and oenology as well as other horticultural crops)
- Soil Science
- Nutrition and Dietetics (to which the School's food research group contributed)
A score of 5 is defined by ERA as indicating the research is well above world standard.
The outcome for the WRI confirms that its research is at the highest international level and secures its reputation as the foremost place for agricultural research in Australian universities.
Our Goal - To Transform Agriculture
Researchers at the WRI are taking a holistic approach to agriculture investigating soils to crops, value adding to market chains through to human health.
Mission - World Class Research
The Waite Research Institute will foster the Waite Campus as a globally pre-eminent research environment in agriculture, wine and food by investing in research initiatives, people and state-of-the-art infrastructure.
Vision - Continued Excellence
By continuing the vision of Peter Waite the Research Institute will be recognised as a global leader in agricultural, wine and food research. The Institute will contribute solutions to the emerging challenges of global food security and agricultural sustainability. It will be trans-disciplinary and collaborative in nature, and will have national and international connections to major industry sectors, government and high quality research organisations. The Institute's outputs will be world leading in all areas of operation and will embrace soils, crops, wines, food value chains and the relationships between agriculture, food and human health.
Purpose - Food Security in a Rapidly Changing World
Agriculture, wine-making and food manufacturing face major challenges in the 21st Century from climate change, increased costs of energy, labour and capital, limited natural resources (especially water and nutrients), and environmental degradation. The Institute will address these major issues through internationally-competitive research that supports profitable and sustainable production in its target sectors. The outcomes of research will be targeted to achieve benefits for Australian agriculturally-based industries and global food security, and will be supported by state-of-the-art infrastructure.
Current partners and partnerships on the Waite Campus
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Australian Genome Research Facility Ltd (AGRF), a not for profit company, is Australia's largest provider of genomics services and solutions. AGRF has laboratories in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, each providing a gateway to a national network of state-of-the-art facilities, technology and expertise. From microbes to plants, animals and humans, AGRF provides a full range of services across the entire biological spectrum. They provide services to academia and industry with clients from bioscience, environmental science, biomedicine and agricultural biotechnology. The Adelaide Node is located at the Waite Campus of the University of Adelaide. The node acts as a portal to the full range of their services for South Australian clients. The AGRF provides high quality and highly efficient contract genomics services to academic, applied research and commercial markets spanning biomedicine, plant and animal science, microbiology, evolutionary biology and biodiversity using cutting edge technology. Services include:
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Australian Grain Technologies (AGT) is Australia’s largest wheat breeding company. AGT and its predecessors have more than a century of experience in plant breeding, plant breeding related research, and commercial variety development. Their team of experienced plant breeders combine the latest developments in plant breeding and genetic technologies with traditional plant breeding principles, resulting in wheat and triticale varieties with superior quality and agronomic performance. AGTs success depends on its ability to meet the current and future needs of the Australian grains industry and the demands of growers and their markets. With comprehensive wheat breeding operations based in each of Australia’s four major wheat production zones, it is a truly national enterprise. The varieties are protected under Plant Breeders Rights (PBR) with royalties directed back to the breeding programs to continue to produce “better varieties faster” for the Australian grains industry. |
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The APPF relieves the 'phenotyping bottleneck' which has, until now, limited our ability to capitalise on substantial government and industry investments already made in plant functional genomics and modern breeding technologies. The APPF will be a national facility, available to all Australian plant scientists, offering access to infrastructure that is not available at this scale or breadth in the public sectors anywhere else in the world. The APPF will be based around automated image analysis of the phenotypic characteristics of extensive germplasm collections and large breeding, mapping and mutant populations. It will exploit recent advances in robotics, imaging and computing to enable sensitive, high throughput analyses to be made of plant growth and function. New technologies will be developed to ensure that the APPF remains at the international forefront of plant science. Research networks and established pathways to market will ensure outcomes are delivered for the long-term benefit for Australian scientists and primary producers. The APPF has two nodes, The Plant Accelerator involving the research institutions at the Waite Campus of the University of Adelaide and The High Resolution Plant Phenomics Centre involving CSIRO Plant Industry and the Australian National University in Canberra. |
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Since 1955, The Australian Wine Research Institute has been supporting Australian grape and wine producers with the development and adoption of innovative practices. Working alongside producers, we aim to develop grape growing and winemaking practices for quality production in constantly changing and challenging environments. Our aim is for a positive outcome for producers economically, socially and environmentally. To achieve our aims we have developed a fully integrated business model that is unique in the world. This model is supported with a team of dedicated and highly skilled professionals who have joined the AWRI from over a dozen different countries. The AWRI model combines and integrates world-class research and development, information and knowledge extension and commercial services. |
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CSIRO, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, is Australia's national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world. CSIRO at the University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, undertakes a range of research in land and water management, sustainable farming systems, precision agriculture, plant science and mathematics and statistics. CSIRO is also part of the Wine Innovation Cluster. There are 3 divisions of CSIRO based all over the Waite Campus. |
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The South Australian Research and Development Institute – SARDI – delivers robust scientific solutions for primary industries. SARDI is the State Government's principal research institute, a research arm of Primary Industries and Resources SA. Our scientists are driven to translate results into opportunities to position food, fibre and bioscience industries as internationally competitive and ecologically sustainable. Our strong, dedicated science platforms offer a depth and breadth of skills and capabilities. We develop new enabling technologies at the forefront of knowledge transformation and relevant technologies to provide a foundation for future growth. |
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The Wine Innovation Cluster sees four leading grape and wine research agencies coming together with a single goal in mind: in collaboration, to achieve results that would not be possible working as standalone agencies. With new research facilities on the Waite Campus in Adelaide South Australia, world-leading personnel and networks right around the globe, the Wine Innovation Cluster will deliver results effectively and efficiently. Between them, the collaboration partners possess the major share of Australian research, development, extension and education capabilities over the whole of the grape and wine value chain. Each of the agencies remains as a standalone, independent enterprise. But the true value of the Cluster will stand out when each enterprise contributes their unique capabilities to address specific issues in any part of the sector's value chain. World-class research laboratories and other facilities exist within the cluster, supporting work across the value chain – from field trials to winemaking and packaging and consumer sensory work. Particular facilities of interest include:
To accommodate the five partners, the Wine Innovation Cluster is located in three main buildings located on the Waite Campus:
Staff are also located at the Plant Research Centre on the Waite Campus and CSIRO's Merbein laboratory near Mildura which will be wound up over the next 2-3 years and all staff working on wine grapes will be relocated to the Waite Campus These facilities enhance collaboration and communication opportunities and facilitate optimal usage of specialist equipment. As well as the facilities within the cluster, the partners have access to other facilities and research organisations on the Waite Research Precinct, such as a new plant accelerator facility for phenomics, to be constructed in the near future. |
University Research Centre Partners
The WRI has close links with other relevant research activities in the University including Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, the FOODplus Research Centre (a joint venture with the Woman's and Children's Health Research Institute), and the Australian Wine 2030 Research Network, as well as the multi-partner Wine Innovation Cluster based on the Waite Campus. There will also be strong interactions with members of the Plant Biosciences Cluster being fostered by the South Australian Government under its Constellation SA initiative.
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In recognition of the importance of linking agricultural sciences with health sciences, Women's and Children's Health Research Institute (WCHRI) and the University of Adelaide signed a 5 year joint venture agreement called FOODplus Research Centre that involves staff from the Child Nutrition Research Centre at WCHRI and the Functional Food Group of the University. Directly connecting agriculture to health is one of the most logical of concepts and yet has rarely been attempted in research terms. There is good evidence that if people consume nutrient-rich foods they will have better health outcomes than those consuming energy-rich but nutrient-poor foods. Today, the connection between agriculture and health is often bridged by the use of vitamin and mineral supplements. Foodplus will link health researchers with plant and animal scientists, growers and food producers for better outcomes for all. The FOODplus Research Centre conducts research across a broad range of areas that link food, nutrition and sustainable agriculture to improve human health. We are committed to the conduct of high quality intervention studies to provide the best evidence to inform policy makers and health professionals. FOODplus Research Centre is conducting excellent research linking food, nutrition and sustainable agriculture to improve human health across several sites.
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The Australian Wine 2030 Initiative is a coalition of University of Adelaide research groups pursuing a linked series of research projects on wine, alongside a series of education innovations. The Australian Wine2030 Initiative is led by a Management Committee, and will be counselled by an external Advisory Board, to be jointly chaired by Brian Croser and Terry Lee. The program is managed by a group of Heads of Schools in relevant areas. The management group will also develop related education initiatives (including Professional Certificate modules, linked to research areas). The University has committed significant funding over the next 5 years to support the program Key research activities of the Australian Wine2030 Initiative can be divided into three Research Fields, Knowing our Wine, Knowing our Markets and Sustainability to 2030. These are then divided into further Research Categories (see table below for links into each category).
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The Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics was established in December 2002 after it was granted $27 million from the Australian Research Council (ARC), the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and the South Australian Government. In addition, the University of Adelaide, The University of Melbourne, The University of South Australia and The University of Queensland together provide further funding. ACPFG headquarters are at the University of Adelaide's Waite Campus, Australia’s largest crop research centre, with extensive teaching, research and plant breeding activities. Links to plant breeding programs provide access to germplasm and delivery pathways for research outcomes. Activities in Adelaide include the transformation of cereals and model plants, germplasm screening and evaluation, genetic analysis, positional cloning, protein expression and structural analysis, antibody production and the construction and screening of large insert libraries. The Plant Accelerator is located on the Waite Campus. ACPFG is a world class organisation recognised internationally for its role in cereal genomics and its application leading to crop improvement. The intellectual and emotional commitment of the key researchers is outstanding ACPFG has developed many collaborative relationships with public and private sector entities both in Australia and overseas. Until last year, most of the interest in ACPFG’s wheat work came from the research and public sector wheat breeding communities, in particular from areas where technologies could be delievered to assist conventional breeding. However, during 2009 there was renewed interest around the world in transgenic wheat. For ACPFG this was a very encouraging change indeed. Australia is seen internationally as strategically important for wheat. Whilst Australia only accounts for a small proportion of the worldwide wheat production, it accounts for a significant proportion of the world’s wheat export trade. In addition, Australia has invested continuously in wheat research for decades and this has contributed to a long history of yield improvements in growing conditions that are largely far from ideal. The issue of technology delivery in Australia has been high on ACPFG’s strategic agenda for some time; a core component of the strategy is to ensure that Australian growers are able to access technologies at least as quickly as their counterparts overseas. The long term relationships that ACPFG has built over the last seven years means that it is now well placed to be involved in the latest international wheat developments as they unfold. The Plant Accelerator The Plant Accelerator is a world-leading plant phenomics facility offering state-of-the-art plant growth environments and the latest technology in high throughput plant imaging for the repeated measurements of the physical attributes (phenotype) of plants automatically and non-destructively. Digital imaging technologies, high capacity computing and robotics, supplied by LemnaTec, are combined to allow the automated, high throughput, non-destructive measurement of plant growth and function (“phenomics”). This allows the dissection of traits that contribute to, for example, drought and salinity tolerance and this can be carried out for large populations of plants. The aim is to increase the speed and scale of physiological measurements, to enable genetic studies to be undertaken to elucidate the molecular basis of complex physiological traits. This facility provides increased opportunity to bring a genetic component into physiological studies. The services provided by our team of experts enable national and international academic and commercial plant scientists to understand and to relate the performance of particular plants to the genetic make-up of those plants, so facilitating an acceleration of crops improvement - generating crops that are more productive, disease tolerant and viable on marginal soils. Strategically located at the University of Adelaide’s Waite Campus, The Plant Accelerator provides users with access to a critical mass of expertise in plant and soil science including plant biotechnology, cereal breeding, sustainable agriculture, wine and horticulture, and land management. The Plant Accelerator® was established under the Commonwealth Government's National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) and serves as the national headquarters of the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility, which includes the High Resolution Plant Phenomics Centre in Canberra. The services provided by our team of experts enable national and international academic and commercial plant scientists to understand and to relate the performance of particular plants to the genetic make-up of those plants, so facilitating an acceleration of crops improvement - generating crops that are more productive, disease tolerant and viable on marginal soils. |
