Australia's durum wheat growers have extra reason to be worried as the worst drought in two centuries provides a grim foretaste of the Infernal Century. However, a chance discovery of a salt-tolerance gene from decades-old seed lines is looking promising.

Two years after it was established, the NSW Agricultural Genomics Centre is showing its mettle, announcing the discovery of several DNA markers for genes conferring tolerance to aluminium toxicity.

Two years after it was established, the NSW Agricultural Genomics Centre is showing its mettle, announcing the discovery of several DNA markers for genes conferring tolerance to aluminium toxicity.

Proteomics, in which Australians are pioneers, can no longer be described as an emerging discipline, writes Graeme O'Neill.