Farmers throw their support behind $12.7m long coleoptile wheat funding boon

Grower interest in long coleoptile or “moisture seeking” wheat is strong, particularly in WA, where growers have been involved in trials during the past three years to inform agronomic guidelines. Southern Cross farmer Callum Wesley investigated a long coleoptile wheat trial on his farm in 2020 after 150mm of rain in February but no follow-up rain until late May. He worked with CSIRO plant geneticist Greg Rebetzke — who is leading the new project — to investigate what difference long coleoptile wheat could make to his yields. Mr Wesley faced persistent changes in rainfall patterns that drenched his paddocks over summer but left the topsoil dry by sowing time. The new rainfall pattern had made it difficult to get a decent sowing opportunity for the previous three seasons. Mr Rebetzke said despite one of the driest years on record, Mr Wesley’s wheat yielded 1.3t/ha. “Seeding early using these long coleoptile varieties increased Mr Wesley’s water productivity by around 25 per cent, which is remarkable in what was a decile one rainfall year,” he said. “It was one of the driest years on record and yet Callum yielded 1t, whereas the standard wheat varieties germinating later were producing significantly less yield. “And it’s largely because Callum sowed early, and the early emerging crop could make use of that deep moisture and mature ahead of the hot November-December months.” Mr Wesley’s advocacy, and similar interest from other growers across WA, has been credited for kick-starting further investment into agronomic and farming systems guidelines for long coleoptile wheat. In 2021 and 2022, GRDC invested in on-farm trials in the northern and western regions. WA-based SLR Agriculture took the lead in the west and Queensland’s Department of Agriculture and Food took on the challenge in the north. The trials included CSIRO’s breeding lines and long coleoptile wheat lines from commercial breeding companies, which were released for commercial sale for the first time in 2022.