Commercial perennial wheat has long term prospects

The first study of its kind to rate and measure grain yield from perennial wheat crops is positive about future delivery of a hybrid variety to suit local farming systems.

NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) research agronomist Richard Hayes said field trials in Central West NSW at Cowra and Woodstock evaluated 176 varieties of wheat and wheat grass crosses for three consecutive years.

“From a global perspective, there is a lot of interest as it's the first trial outside the former Soviet Union to quantify the grain yield of perennial wheat hybrids,” Mr Hayes said.

“This study has provided conclusive evidence that some of these hybrids can remain productive after sowing and allow the harvesting of multiple grain crops for at least three years.

“We uncovered desirable agronomic, disease resistance and grain quality attributes with potential to boost qualities of existing material and bring perennial wheat closer to a commercial reality.

“We still have a way to go in developing varieties which farmers will be able to use with success, but the initial study has shown that 107 of the selections had the capacity for post-harvest regrowth.

“It is the first study to report the relative regrowth and grain characteristics of recently developed germplasm from The Land Institute and Washington State University in the United States.

“The fact that three varieties out of 71 planted in 2008 persisted and produced grain every year for the last three years is a biologically significant result.

“NSW DPI research trials have now generated evidence which proves that a perennial wheat or wheatgrass hybrid is a feasible outcome.”

Perennial wheat is predicted to have its first commercial application as a dual-use forage and feed grain crop.

Mr Hayes says it is a long-term venture but expects genetic gain will eventually deliver higher quality grain and yields comparable to conventional annual wheat crops.

The Future Farm Industries Cooperative Research Centre funded the trials in collaboration with Charles Sturt University, through the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation at Wagga Wagga, and CSIRO.

Read more, including the potential of perennial crops to help address climate variability by putting extra flexibility into farming systems, in this month’s edition of Agriculture Today.

Photos are available.

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