Investigating the physiological and genetic basis of high temperature tolerance in chickpea

Declining crop yield and quality from heat stress, is likely to increase in frequency with climate change, and threatens the resilience of our farming systems. Chickpea, Australia's leading pulse crop, faces yield and quality challenges due to high temperatures, especially during late sowing.

This PhD project aims to develop the knowledge required to fast-track the development of heat tolerant chickpea varieties for Australian farming systems. This PhD project aligns with a national initiative, uniting experts in agronomy, crop physiology, plant breeding, and genetics. The project will employ advanced techniques in crop modelling, high-throughput phenotyping, genomic prediction, and genetic simulation.

The University of Queensland is one of the highest ranked internationally in the field of Agriculture. With campuses at St Lucia (Brisbane) and Gatton as well as at Hermitage Research Station (Warwick), there are over 250 HDR students researching solutions for agricultural problems.

The successful candidate will join Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation as a PhD student based in a national industry funded project aimed at advancing chickpea production in Australia. This offers access to an outstanding research environment where multidisciplinary collaboration thrives. Here, crop physiologists, crop modellers, plant breeders, and geneticists work together to tackle pressing challenges to improve crop production. You'll have cutting-edge resources at your disposal, including field experimental sites across Australia, controlled environment growth facilities, advanced crop modelling tools, and high-throughput phenotyping platforms. You'll be supported by experts who'll guide your development.

 In our group, we prioritize scientific rigor, innovative thinking, and your growth as a researcher. We encourage a collaborative spirit among team members and are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive research culture that values practical outcomes for agricultural production challenges alongside academic excellence.

This is an Earmarked scholarship project that aligns with a recently awarded Australian Government grant.

The scholarship includes:

• living stipend of $35,000 per annum tax free (2024 rate), indexed annually
• your tuition fees covered

Learn more about the Earmarked scholarship.

You must contact the principal supervisor for this project to discuss your interest. You should only complete the online application after you have reached agreement on supervision.

Always make sure you are approaching your potential supervisor in a professional way. We have provided some guidelines for you on how to contact a supervisor.

Your application will be assessed on a competitive basis.

We take into account your:

• previous academic record
• publication record
• honours and awards
• employment history.

A working knowledge of plant science would be of benefit to someone working on this project.

A background or knowledge of crop physiology and genetics is highly desirable.

This project requires candidates to commence no later than Research Quarter 2, 2025. To allow time for your application to be processed, we recommend applying no later than 31 December, 2024 30 September, 2024.

You can start in an earlier research quarter. See application dates.

Before you apply

1. Check your eligibility for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
2. Prepare your documentation.
3. Contact Dr Millicent Smith (millicent.smith@uq.edu.au) to discuss your interest and suitability.

When you apply

You apply for this scholarship when you submit an application for a PhD. You don’t need to submit a separate scholarship application.

In your application ensure that under the ‘Scholarships and collaborative study’ section you select:

• My higher degree is not collaborative
• I am applying for, or have been awarded a scholarship or sponsorship
• UQ Earmarked Scholarship type.

Apply now