The Grains Research and Development Corporation has dedicated $12.7 million for a national research project looking at the development of long coleoptile wheat varieties in Australian cropping systems.
GRDC chair John Woods said long coleoptile wheat could help play a key role in allowing better germination and early vigour in wheat crops.
The coleoptile is the protective cover that encloses the shoot and first leaves in the young wheat plant.
Having a longer coleoptile provides there is a better chance of emergence when deep sown, which in turn allows the plant a better chance of accessing stored soil moisture.
"This project builds on decades of research by CSIRO and previous GRDC investment of approximately $11.5 million to introduce new climate-adaptive traits into commercial wheat varieties," Mr Woods said.
"It could be a potential game changer, especially in low to medium rainfall zones."
The four-year project will be led by Australia's national science agency CSIRO along with research parties including the University of Melbourne, NSW Department of Primary Industries, QLD Department of Agriculture and Forestry (QLD DAF), SLR Agriculture, the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, the University of South Australia and EPAG Research.
Research on long coleoptile wheat lines so far has found that they can be sown at depths of more than 10 centimetres.
Greg Rebetzke, CSIRO, has been working on long coleoptile wheat research and has identified key genetics globally that could be used to bolster Australian wheat lines.
Dr Rebetzke said the new project would work to mitigate sowing risks, such as the 'false break' where wheat is germinated on marginal moisture but does not have enough moisture to continue to grow, for growers and provide greater flexibility around time of sowing.
He is upbeat about the potential of long-coleoptile wheat adding value to the Australian wheat industry, which the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences announced this week would generate record returns of over $15 billion for the 2022-23 season.
"Climatic modelling work using on-farm field and usage trials suggests a 20 per cent increase in yields from long coleoptile varieties," he said.