Shiwangni Rao

Geographical impact on bioactive potential and its health benefits of Australian Cereal Crop

The latest trend in product development in the food industry is rapidly driven by consumer demand for healthier foods. The move is towards Functional Food and Food Ingredients that provide added health benefits by reducing risk to diseases, going beyond its basic nutritional function. With a rise in consumption of processed food and decline in human health, this could not have come at a better time. An opportunistic approach to this is developing commonly consumed foods such as cereals with specific properties that will enhance their ability to improve human health. This research is an attempt at investigating the effects climate has on Australian cereal crops such as rice, sorghum and barley. This will be addressed by looking at bioactive compounds in these cereals and how they may differ in cereals grown across the Northern and Southern cultivation regions of Australia.

Professor Chris Blanchard, Dr Kenneth Chinkwo, Dr Thiru Vanniasinkam and Dr Laura Pallas.

Functional Grains Centre Scholarship

Rao S, Taylor M and Jokhan A (2014). In Vivo screening of salinity tolerance in Giant Swamp Taro (Cyrtospermamerkusii). Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences 32, 33-36. ISSN 1838-837X

Rao S, Taylor M and Jokhan A (2014). Giant Swamp Taro (Cyrtospermamerkusii) character descriptor list and cultivars. Telopea - Journal of Plant Systematics 16, 95-119. ISSN 0312-9764

Rao S, Taylor M and Jokhan A (2013). A rapid salt tolerance screening methodology for giant swamp taro (Cyrtospermamerkusii) and its diversity. ISHS series ActaHorticulturae, 979, vol 2. http://www.actahort.org/members/showpdf?booknrarnr=979_33