Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) is the most common cause of downgrading of grain at delivery due to weather damage.

PHS is caused when grain is exposed to prolonged wet conditions at the later stages of ripening or when mature, but still in head in the field.

A decade of Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) supported research has investigated the causes of the defect, developed reliable screening methods and found ways of making future varieties tolerant to PHS.

The GRDC is supporting breeders to produce varieties with appropriate quality and agronomic characteristics and free of underlying genetic defects predisposing them to PHS.