Utilising novel genetic diversity to increase Barley yields nationally

This project aims to utilize an exotic barley population (HEB-25) to enhanced yield potential of future Australian barley varieties by identifying germplasm with improved biomass production under water-limiting environments, and higher grain number per ear or thousand grain weight than current yield-leading varieties. Incorporating beneficial alleles from HEB-25 into elite Australian barley varieties will lead to the development of a significant genetic resource. Field validation of the developed germplasm with the wild beneficial alleles in the background of Australian elite varieties, and across a range of environments in Australia will ensure that ensure that private breeding programs can move forward with confidence in utilising such materials.