Grains Research and Development Corporation announces $1.9m investment in climate-resilient crop research

The Grains Research and Development Corporation will invest $1.9 million over three years in research to speed up the development of heat tolerant wheat varieties. The GRDC — which is funded via grain grower levies — has partnered with the Australian National University to carry out the research, which also aims to determine what makes a wheat crop able to survive, grow and produce yields in high temperatures. ANU Agrifood Innovation Institute director Owen Atkin said rising global temperatures were already impacting crop yields in critical food-producing regions — both in Australia and overseas. “In recent years we have seen an increase in heatwaves induced by global warming, which have impacted wheat production across Australia and the world,” Professor Atkin said. “Every one-degree increase in global mean temperature is predicted to result in a six to 10 per cent decrease in wheat yields. “This is extremely concerning given the pressing need to increase Australia’s crop productivity in line with a growing global population.” GRDC genetic technologies manager Prameela Vanambathina said breeders were doing a good job of producing wheat germplasm that was more heat tolerant, but there remained unanswered questions about leaf carbon exchange that could fast-track outcomes. “Leaf carbon exchange refers to the combination of two key processes: photosynthesis (taking in carbon dioxide from the air and using sunlight to turn it into food for the plant), and respiration (using that food to support plant growth while also releasing carbon dioxide back out into the atmosphere),” Ms Vanambathina said. “We know high temperatures accelerate the development of wheat, inhibit flower development, and reduce the efficiency of photosynthesis, stunting a plant’s growth and reducing yields. “But we don’t yet understand what processes are responsible for the variation in heat tolerance of Australian germplasm — which limits the breeders’ ability to introduce and develop heat tolerance into modern crops.” The research will be led by ANU in partnership with the University of WA, University of Sydney, University of New England, and InterGrain.