CSIRO Brings Out the MAGIC for Wheat

Scientists at CSIRO developed MAGIC or Multiple Advanced Generation Inter-Cross breeding technique to put together quantitative traits from various parents into one line. In CSIRO, the system was used initially to breed four Australian parent lines to develop new wheat varieties with superior baking quality, higher protein content, disease resistance, and increased milling yield.

Since the approach was successful, scientists experimented on using eight parents, comprised of three Australian lines and five from international sources. Progenies of the said breeding program are now growing in the fields of Western Australia and the eastern states in a five-year partnership breeding program with Murdoch University, the West Australian Department of Agriculture and Food and George Weston Foods with support from the Grains Research and Development Corporation.

According to Dr Bruce Lee, Director of CSIRO's Food Futures Flagship, "MAGIC has the potential to increase the speed and efficiency of breeding and this will have a direct impact on farm production."

See the news at http://www.sciencewa.net.au/topics/agriculture/item/1276-csiro-brings-out-the-magic-for-wheat#