Biotech Updates

CSIRO Scientists Breed Salt-tolerant Wheat

March 16, 2012

Scientists at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) introduced a salt-tolerant gene in a commercial durum wheat variety using conventional breeding techniques. Results of the field trials showed that the new variety outperforms other commercial varieties by 25 percent.

According to the researchers, the salt-tolerance gene stops sodium from getting to the leaves. The research is the first study that fully describes the development of salt-tolerant agricultural crop that starts from understanding the role of the gene in the lab to demonstrating increased grain yields in the field.

"Farmers now have additional options for maximizing profits by growing a premium wheat in those more saline paddocks which they may typically avoid or reserve for less valuable crops," said CSIRO researcher Dr. Richard James.

Get more information about the study at http://www.csiro.au/en/Portals/Media/Wheat-farmers-salinity.aspx.