Securing the future of food
Helping plants feed the world
Lazy plants are using too much phosphate to grow, so we’re training them to use less.
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Phosphate is a primary ingredient of chemical fertilisers used in growing food crops. Just like water, it’s essential to all forms of life.
But deposits of phosphate are limited and projections suggest this precious resource might only last another 100 years. And like many other non-renewable resources, the global supply of phosphate is increasingly controlled by fewer and fewer interests.
To address the phosphate crisis, Professor Jim Whelan and his team at La Trobe's Centre for AgriBioscience are re-engineering the DNA of plants to make them hardier and use less of the substance that every single living thing depends on.
Food security for the world
La Trobe's Professor Jim Whelan leads a team tasked with securing our food supplies.
School of Life Sciences
Our courses produce work-ready graduates, reflecting the dedication and expertise of staff
La Trobe's Centre for AgriBioscience
AgriBio is a world-class facility for agricultural biosciences research and development.
