Researchers in South Australia have taken a major step towards breeding faba beans with naturally-occurring herbicide tolerance to imazapyr, the group B herbicide which forms part of the Clearfield system.
If the trial leads to a commercial release, it will give farmers access to a post-emergent control of broadleaf weeds in faba bean crops, of which there currently are none.
Researchers are hopeful herbicide-tolerant faba beans will be available for commercial production in about five years, providing growers with a significant advantage in terms of cropping rotations, increased pulse production and weed control options.
They found high levels of imazapyr herbicide tolerance in mutated lines of faba beans in controlled environment growth room and glass house trials.
These lines have been incorporated into the Pulse Breeding Australia faba bean breeding program and will now undergo field trials and validation for the first time this year.
Gregor Heard
National grains writer for Fairfax Agricultural Media.
National grains writer for Fairfax Agricultural Media.
