Role of nitrogen and sulphur nutrition in determining quantity and quality of oil in canola seed

油菜籽是澳大利亚第二大作物，每年出口价值10亿澳元。然而，澳大利亚油菜籽在世界市场上的竞争力受到低油含量和不一致的影响。施氮提高了种子产量和蛋白质含量，但降低了含油量。本研究将探讨氮、硫（油菜生长中的另一重要营养元素）对油菜籽粒蛋白质和油脂生物合成的调控作用。该项目产生的知识将使油菜农艺学和更有效的育种优化，以提高油菜的氮和硫利用效率，种子产量和含油量，从而提高澳大利亚油菜在世界市场上的竞争力。

Canola is the second most important crop in Australia, with exports worth $1 billion a year. However, competitiveness of Australian canola on the world markets is hampered by low and inconsistent oil content. Nitrogen fertilisation increases seed yield and seed protein content, but decreases oil content. This project will elucidate regulation by nitrogen and sulphur (the other important nutrient in canola growth) of protein and oil biosynthesis in developing canola grain. The knowledge generated in this project will allow optimisation of canola agronomy and more effective breeding for increased nitrogen- and sulphur-use efficiency, seed yields and oil content in canola, thus enhancing the competitiveness of Australian canola on the world markets.