In the second year of this project, five pre-commercial breeding selections were indexed by Crop Hygiene, Agriculture Victoria. Nine selections were supplied in vitro by the breeding program (BS17000) in September 2020. These were deflasked and hardened and then maintained in the high health screenhouse facilities. Five selections were confirmed for indexing in January 2021.
These selections have been tested for viruses using molecular and biological indexing methods and for fungi via culturing. The plants were monitored weekly for disease symptoms and pest incursions. No pathogens of concern were detected.
A further thirteen additional lines have been delivered to Agribio in August 2021 for establishment and possible pathogen testing in the third year of the project.