May 9, 2002

A waterlogging and salt-tolerant sea barley grass species is being tested as a parent in crosses with bread wheat, to improve tolerance in the crop.

A mini-snorkel, made up of internal channels, provides sea barley grass with an oxygen supply to its growing root tips, allowing it to tolerate waterlogging.

Although wheat has such channels, the root exterior is more porous, allowing oxygen to escape to the soil rather than moving to the growing root tip.

Research, supported by the Grains Research & Development Corporation and conducted collaboratively by the University of Western Australia, Western Australia Department of Agriculture and University of Adelaide, has crossed sea barley grass with bread wheat.

If successful, this will enable bread wheat roots to tolerate the low oxygen and high salt levels in waterlogged soils.

Further research is required to characterise and refine the progeny, while retaining these tolerances.

Contact: Dr Tim Colmer, Tel 08 9380 1993