By Sweta
Exclusive to Tractorexport
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) is one of the most diverse and largest research agencies in the world. It is Australia’s national science agency and conducts several wheat breeding programs targeting areas like high vigor, water use efficiency, drought resistance, salt tolerance, for zones prone to high rainfall and for health improvement.
Breeding for hybrid vigor

CSIRO is involved in breeding new wheats with hybrid vigor that can out-compete weeds while giving high yields. Their future research aims at understanding how early vigor is controlled genetically and introducing new dwarfing genes in the existing Australian varieties.
Water use efficiency

A new technology, known as Delta Carbon technology has been developed by CSIRO to improve water use efficiency in breeding wheat crop. Through this technology plant breeders can breed those wheat varieties that can exchange carbon dioxide efficiently for water during the process of photosynthesis. It increases the water use efficiency of the plant. Two commercial wheat varieties released using this technology are:
1. Drysdale- It is the first commercial wheat variety developed through Delta Carbon Technology.
2. Rees
Both these varieties also show resistance for many wheat diseases.
Drought resistance

With the use of molecular markers, CSIRO is identifying genes which control the features that are useful for high wheat yield under drought conditions. The selection of improved germplasm can help in effective and quicker breeding for drought resistance.
Salt tolerance

Salinity imposes significant constraints on yield of wheat. CSIRO is working in collaboration with wheat breeding companies of Australia to produce salt tolerant varieties. Researchers at CSIRO have developed durum wheat which is salt tolerant. They have already identified two salt tolerant genes Nax1 and Nax2, derived from Triticum monococcum.
For the high rainfall zones

CSIRO has released number of wheat varieties which are suitable for zones prone to high rainfall. These varieties are dual purpose that is they can be used for fodder as well as grain production. Some of the released varieties are Tennant, Mackellar, Rudd and Brennan. These varieties are resistant to various serious diseases of wheat crop.
For human health improvement

The future projects of CSIRO aim to develop durum and bread wheat varieties with the potential to improve health of humans. The targeted areas are wheats with low glycaemic index, high fiber content and high levels of resistant starch.