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The $2 million investment is backing South Australian farmers and industries to stay ahead, unlocking higher crop yields, strengthening resilience to drought and disease, and future-proofing agriculture against the impacts of climate change.

The facility will focus on key crops including wheat, barley, canola and rice, while also accelerating innovation in horticulture and plant-based products such as vaccines, pharmaceuticals and next-generation foods.

Importantly, the Government's investment will open the door for greater collaboration between researchers, industry and startups, creating new opportunities for local businesses, driving economic growth, and supporting high value jobs across the state.

The new node builds on South Australia's existing strengths in plant science and reinforces the Waite Research Precinct as one of Australia's premier agricultural research hubs.

Synthetic biology is a major global opportunity, and South Australia has the research excellence, industry base and plant research infrastructure to play a meaningful role in its growth.

This investment will help back the expertise and facilities needed to solve real-world challenges, from climate and disease-resilient crops to new opportunities in sustainable biomanufacturing.

The funding boost includes a $500,000 grant through the 2025 South Australian National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) Step-Change Co-Investment Program. The South Australian Government co-invests into seven national NCRIS projects in South Australia led by host institutions including Adelaide University, Flinders University, the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute and the Australian Wine Research Institute.

Since 2007, the South Australian Government has committed $73.1 million to support 16 South Australian NCRIS facilities, leveraging $146.7 million from the Australian Government and $61.6 million from the host institutions.