![TIA and Seed Force are teaming up to put waterlogging to;lerant genes into popular barley varieties. TIA and Seed Force are teaming up to put waterlogging to;lerant genes into popular barley varieties.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/5Q2j7ezUfQBfUJsaqK3gfB/80642656-8543-4ccf-aeb8-0813bdda32d2.jpg/r0_376_4032_2643_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
IN OUR PARCHED continent, high rainfall zones are becoming increasingly precious regions for grain production.
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However there has been frustration in not being able to unlock the true potential of these wetter regions due to losses throughout the winter from waterlogging.
This is especially true of water sensitive crops such as barley, which does not like getting its feet wet.
Even this year, one of the driest on record for Australia as a whole, there were widespread losses in areas such as Victoria's Western District after a wet autumn and early winter.
However, a new research partnership is aiming to change that by breeding barley varieties more tolerant of winter waterlogging.
The Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) is partnering with Seed Force to add a waterlogging tolerance gene to the popular variety Planet.
Planet is currently the toast of many growers through southern Australia having yielded extremely well this season.
In adapting the variety to wetter conditions TIA is looking to build on previous pre-breeding research it had undertaken which identified a
major gene controlling the tolerance of waterlogging in barley.
Professor Meixue Zhou, lead TIA researcher, said the HRZ barley sector was excited about the prospect of transferring the trait to a popular commercial variety.
"We have signed an agreement with Seed Force as our commercial partner to develop a new variety of barley that will withstand extreme wet conditions with no negative impacts on its yield and quality," Professor Zhou said.
He said by incorporating a waterlogging tolerant gene, the industry could improve yields in wet years by up to 50 per cent.
"Waterlogging is a huge issue in high rainfall zones around Australia and yield losses in barley crops can be up to 50 per cent," he said.
The gene will be introduced to commercial variety RGT Planet barley through a conventional breeding progress known as introgression that assures that the quality traits of Planet will be retained while the waterlogging gene is added.
The process requires several backcrosses assisted with genomic selection to ensure the background of the commercial variety is preserved while the waterlogging tolerance gene is added.
Seed Force chairman Warwick Green was also excited, saying the project was an exciting opportunity to fine tune the company's already high-performing malt barley variety.
Down the track it will also allow Planet breeder and Seed Force shareholder RAGT Seeds, to integrate this unique gene into their broader global barley breeding program.
Brett Gilbertson, who farms at Millicent in South Australia in roughly a 750mm annual rainfall environment, with a winter dominant rainfall pattern, said the news was good for croppers in his region.
"I am part of the high-rainfall zone Regional Cropping Solutions Network which provides input to GRDC to help give guidance for areas we see as critical for research and development focus.
"Waterlogging is one of those things we and many others contend with on an annual basis.
"It limits what we can grow on certain parts of our farm, and there are areas where we just don't take the risk with barley.