For the 2024 growing season, some Western Australian growers are chasing moisture deeper than ever before, by successfully planting conventional wheat varieties down to around 60 to 80mm.  

This new thinking stems from positive findings from long coleoptile wheat (LCW) research. In this podcast, we hear from Tammin-based grower, Simon York, and SLR agriculture CEO Michael Lamond, on the benefits LCW will have accessing deep moisture and the success growers are having with planting conventional varieties deep this year. 

There's currently a four-year national GRDC investment underway to provide growers with the knowledge and tools to integrate long coleoptile wheat into their farming systems once the genetics become commercially available.  

The $12.7 million investment is being led by CSIRO along with research partners including the University of Melbourne, NSW Department of Primary Industries, QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, SLR Agriculture, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, the University of South Australia and EPAG Research.

Image courtesy of ABC Midwest Wheatbelt/Jo Prendergast

Download the transcript for this episode

Michael Lamond 

SLR Agriculture

[email protected]

GroundCover – GRDC announces $12.7M project for long coleoptile wheat

GRDC Code: CSP2212-007RTX

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