Res/Assoc/Prof Sarita Bennett
Research Associate Professor
Contact details
| Address | School of Plant Biology The University of Western Australia (M081) 35 Stirling Highway CRAWLEY WA 6009 Australia |
|---|---|
| Phone | 6488 4841 |
| Fax | 6488 2856 |
| sarita@cyllene.uwa.edu.au |
Major research interests
- Agronomy of industrial fibre crops
- Ecogeography of mediterranean environments
- Ecology and genetics of pasture species
- Ecology of saltland pastures and saltland capability assessment
Funding received
Bennett, S.J. and Snowball, R. (2002). Improving the utilisation of pasture germplasm by the development of a core collection using ecogeographical and molecular techniques. Grains Research and Development Corporation.
Snowball, R. and Bennett, S.J. (2002). Germplasm collection of Trifolium and other pasture legume species from short season, low latitude regions in the Mediterranean. Grains Research and Development Corportation.
Slattery, J., Bennett, S.J. and Mitchell, M. (2002). Using native perennial species in agriculture. CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity.
Dear, B., Craig, A., Moore, G., Reed, K., Li, G., Mitchell, M., Snowball, R., Hughes, S. and Bennett, S.J. (2002). National field evaluation and selection of new pasture plants from the salinity CRC to improve hydrologic stability of farming systems. CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity and Grains Research and Development Corportation.
Bennett, S.J. and Ewing, M. (1998). Problems in PBR legislation – natural vs breeder’s selection from a wild population, and the advantages of outcrossing clover species in a pasture. Grains Research and Development Corporation.
Snowball, R. and Bennett, S.J. (2002). Germplasm collection of Trifolium and other pasture legume species from short season, low latitude regions in the Mediterranean. Grains Research and Development Corportation.
Slattery, J., Bennett, S.J. and Mitchell, M. (2002). Using native perennial species in agriculture. CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity.
Dear, B., Craig, A., Moore, G., Reed, K., Li, G., Mitchell, M., Snowball, R., Hughes, S. and Bennett, S.J. (2002). National field evaluation and selection of new pasture plants from the salinity CRC to improve hydrologic stability of farming systems. CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity and Grains Research and Development Corportation.
Bennett, S.J. and Ewing, M. (1998). Problems in PBR legislation – natural vs breeder’s selection from a wild population, and the advantages of outcrossing clover species in a pasture. Grains Research and Development Corporation.
Current projects
Current opportunities for postgrads and Honours students.
1. Using indicator species to predict salinity and waterlogging and the best saltland pasture species.
Which species are true indicators and at which times of the year (perennials and annuals). A project to run in conjunction with the SGSL Producer Network Sites with detailed characterization of sites where different species occur. What are the most important site variables that need to be accounted for and how should they be measured. Multi-site trials of different species across a range of different saltland pastures are required to determine which species grow where and under which conditions. Certain species also thought to be ‘false indicators’ appearing when bare ground is present at a site, but they are not true indicators. These species need to be identified and highlighted.
2. Growth rates of old man saltbush and river saltbush under varying conditions of salinity, waterlogging and mean annual temperature.
Saltbush is widely suggested as the best option for saltland pastures over much of the low to medium rainfall agricultural zone of Western Australia. Its growth is known to be affected by depth to the watertable, groundwater salinity and mean annual temperature, yet the optimum conditions and the limit of growth is still poorly understood. Saltbush has been widely planted on the SGSL Producer Network Sites and this provides an opportunity to study the growth of established plants at a range of sites across the 300 to 450 mm rainfall zone of Western Australia.
3. Adaptation of annual ryegrass to increasing salinity.
Annual ryegrass is reported to have limited tolerance to both saline conditions and winter waterlogging, yet it occurs widely across the wheatbelt of Western Australia in both saline and non-saline conditions. As a species it has been shown to have high variability and to show rapid adaptation to new environmental conditions. Are populations persisting under saline conditions developing a tolerance to salinity through genetic adaptation? This study would involve collecting populations of annual ryegrass from a range of sites experiencing different levels of salinity. Tolerance of these populations to soil salinity can be determined, along with levels of adaptation over two to three seasons under different levels of soil salinity.
4. Ecotypic variation in woolly clover (Trifolium tomentosum) across a saline gradient. Comparisons with accessions from mediterranean collections.
Woolly clover is widely naturalized across the wheatbelt of Western Australia and is found growing in both waterlogged and saline conditions where it is often highly productive. Trials undertaken under the CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity found that it often had better production than other legume species under consideration as annual pasture understorey species with saltbush. What are the mechanisms in place that are determining the success of this species in saline and waterlogged conditions?
5. Adaptation of root-nodule rhizobia to increasing levels of salinity and waterlogging stress in association with woolly clover (Trifolium tomentosum). Comparison with burr medic (Medicago polymorpha) and Melilotus siculus
Woolly clover is widely naturalized across the wheatbelt of Western Australia and is found growing in both waterlogged and saline conditions. Have the associated rhizobia of this species also adapted to these conditions. A better understanding of the mechanisms of salinity and waterlogging tolerance in the rhizobia associated with this species may help in the search for saline tolerant rhizobia for other potential saline tolerant legume pasture species.
Supervisors: Dr Sarita Bennett (UWA), Dr Hayley Norman (CSIRO) and Dr Phil Nichols (DAFWA)
6. Pre-incubation of Rhizobium in saline soils over summer on the subsequent re-nodulation and growth of burr medic and Melilotus siculus the following winter
In saline soils there is often a poor regeneration of the annual pasture the following winter. Is this due to a high rate of mortality of the effective Rhizobia over summer following incubation in saline soils? And is this is the case, then methods are required to ameliorate the mortality of the effective Rhizobia for successful regeneration of burr medic and Melilotus siculus pastures in saline soils.
1. Using indicator species to predict salinity and waterlogging and the best saltland pasture species.
Which species are true indicators and at which times of the year (perennials and annuals). A project to run in conjunction with the SGSL Producer Network Sites with detailed characterization of sites where different species occur. What are the most important site variables that need to be accounted for and how should they be measured. Multi-site trials of different species across a range of different saltland pastures are required to determine which species grow where and under which conditions. Certain species also thought to be ‘false indicators’ appearing when bare ground is present at a site, but they are not true indicators. These species need to be identified and highlighted.
2. Growth rates of old man saltbush and river saltbush under varying conditions of salinity, waterlogging and mean annual temperature.
Saltbush is widely suggested as the best option for saltland pastures over much of the low to medium rainfall agricultural zone of Western Australia. Its growth is known to be affected by depth to the watertable, groundwater salinity and mean annual temperature, yet the optimum conditions and the limit of growth is still poorly understood. Saltbush has been widely planted on the SGSL Producer Network Sites and this provides an opportunity to study the growth of established plants at a range of sites across the 300 to 450 mm rainfall zone of Western Australia.
3. Adaptation of annual ryegrass to increasing salinity.
Annual ryegrass is reported to have limited tolerance to both saline conditions and winter waterlogging, yet it occurs widely across the wheatbelt of Western Australia in both saline and non-saline conditions. As a species it has been shown to have high variability and to show rapid adaptation to new environmental conditions. Are populations persisting under saline conditions developing a tolerance to salinity through genetic adaptation? This study would involve collecting populations of annual ryegrass from a range of sites experiencing different levels of salinity. Tolerance of these populations to soil salinity can be determined, along with levels of adaptation over two to three seasons under different levels of soil salinity.
4. Ecotypic variation in woolly clover (Trifolium tomentosum) across a saline gradient. Comparisons with accessions from mediterranean collections.
Woolly clover is widely naturalized across the wheatbelt of Western Australia and is found growing in both waterlogged and saline conditions where it is often highly productive. Trials undertaken under the CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity found that it often had better production than other legume species under consideration as annual pasture understorey species with saltbush. What are the mechanisms in place that are determining the success of this species in saline and waterlogged conditions?
5. Adaptation of root-nodule rhizobia to increasing levels of salinity and waterlogging stress in association with woolly clover (Trifolium tomentosum). Comparison with burr medic (Medicago polymorpha) and Melilotus siculus
Woolly clover is widely naturalized across the wheatbelt of Western Australia and is found growing in both waterlogged and saline conditions. Have the associated rhizobia of this species also adapted to these conditions. A better understanding of the mechanisms of salinity and waterlogging tolerance in the rhizobia associated with this species may help in the search for saline tolerant rhizobia for other potential saline tolerant legume pasture species.
Supervisors: Dr Sarita Bennett (UWA), Dr Hayley Norman (CSIRO) and Dr Phil Nichols (DAFWA)
6. Pre-incubation of Rhizobium in saline soils over summer on the subsequent re-nodulation and growth of burr medic and Melilotus siculus the following winter
In saline soils there is often a poor regeneration of the annual pasture the following winter. Is this due to a high rate of mortality of the effective Rhizobia over summer following incubation in saline soils? And is this is the case, then methods are required to ameliorate the mortality of the effective Rhizobia for successful regeneration of burr medic and Melilotus siculus pastures in saline soils.
Research profile
