Perennial Wheat Feasibility Study (FP10)

This project is assessing the feasibility of developing perennial wheat for Australia. Putative perennial wheat germplasm, bred in three overseas programs from wheats that are not adapted to Australian conditions, are being assessed in the field for perenniality, summer dormancy and disease resistance.
The development of perennial wheat could have many advantages for future farming. A larger root biomass and deeper root systems will enable a greater use of soil water and minimise nutrient leaching while reducing soil erosion, weeds, and the need for agrochemical and energy inputs. In addition, it could take advantage of out-of-season rainfall to provide valuable forage, grain and environmental benefits such as more carbon sequestration to the soil. 

Objectives:

• Evaluate in Australia the agronomic characteristics of imported experimental perennial wheat germplasm with particular emphasis on measuring perenniality
• Measure summer dormancy and disease burden characteristics of germplasm
• Move from proof-of-principle with non-adapted germplasm to the design and initiation of a targeted breeding program for Australia.

Activities

Perennial wheat lines from Washington State University and the Land Institute (Kansas) have been grown in the field in Cowra and Woodstock, New South Wales, along with Argentine lines introduced by AWB Seeds and various stable wheat/wheatgrass amphiploid hybrids from around the world. Preliminary results have shown some of the germplasm under evaluation can perenniate in Australian field conditions. Much of the germplasm is also showing broad disease resistance. An analysis of chromosome composition is indicating that perenniality depends on the presence of many chromosomes from the wheatgrass species and this is greatly influencing the design of new breeding strategies.

For more information about this project, email project leader, Dr Phil Larkin.