South Australian feature: Biotechnology in the field

The South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) is part of South Australia's Department of Primary Industries and Resources.

SARDI has research programs in aquatics, crops, horticulture and livestock spread across a number of different research centres and sites across the state including:

• Plant Research Centre
• South Australian Aquatic Sciences Centre
• Pig and Poultry Production Institute
• Turretfield Research Centre
• Field Crop Improvement Centre
• Diagnostic Centre

One of SARDI's high-profile biotechnology projects is the reproductive technologies project that is headed up by Dr Simon Walker, which resulted in Matilda, Australia's first cloned sheep. The group is not just looking at cloning, but other reproductive technologies such as JIVET and MIVET (Juvenile/Mature In Vitro Embryo Transfer), as well as transgenics to improve wool quality.

Walker said that the projects included R&D as well as some with commercial applications. Dr Kathy Ophel-Keller, who heads up the Field Crops Pathology unit at SARDI, said that SARDI had a strong emphasis on commercialisation.

Her group has developed a root disease testing service in collaboration with CSIRO Entomology that is now marketed by Aventis CropScience division C-Qentec Diagnostics.

The service tests soil for seven fungal and nematode diseases, and Ophel-Keller said that another five to seven diseases are under development.

She said a similar analysis was in the early stages of development, in collaboration with the CRC for Sustainable Aquaculture for Finfish, to look at pollution in sediments from fish farms.

SARDI is also a member of the CRCs for Molecular Plant Breeding and for Viticulture.