A prototype near infra-red (NIR) analyser that records protein and moisture during harvesting is giving promising in-field results mounted on a small trial plot header used by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F)

DPI&F barley research scientist Glen Fox said the analyser recorded grain protein and moisture, important measurements in matching experimental lines and grain quality.

He said the traditional method was to harvest and bag grain from each of the trial plots and then take the grain to a laboratory for analysis.

Some trial sites contained hundreds of plots which made the task arduous.

He said while NIR technology had been a part of wheat breeding programs for more than 20 years, it was probably the first time in Australia it had been used on a small plot header for an in-field application.

Mr Fox said being able to record protein and moisture on the run had enormous benefits for wheat breeding through efficiency gains and contributed to the faster evaluation of potential varieties.

"While traditional NIR technology has been used in the laboratory to assess breeding lines for protein, this separate operation takes additional time and delays the decision-making process in identifying suitable breeding lines," he said.

Recent advances in computing and miniaturisation in electronics had seen significant improvements in reducing the size of NIR instruments to make mobile protein and moisture measurements more feasible.

Mr Fox said trials of the mobile NIR equipment on the small plot header showed the technology survived the rough conditions of harvest and provided reliable data.

"These early results are very encouraging and we're keen to continue this application within our cereal breeding programs."

He said in-field NIR protein measuring technology was also becoming available for use on commercial headers but was still fairly new.

"Precision agriculture is having a significant impact for graingrowers and now the opportunity exists for real-time measurement in plant breeding programs."

Mr Fox said accurate measurement of grain protein was an important part of the DPI&F wheat breeding program responsible for breeding more than 28 premium grade Australian Prime Hard (APH) wheat varieties for Australia since 1963.

"To achieve a maximum classification of APH, the grain protein content must be greater than 13 per cent so having this information available quickly is a great aid to decision-making."

Wheat breeder, John Sheppard, said identifying lines that combined high yield and protein early in the breeding cycle would reduce the time it took to deliver a new improved variety to growers and end-users.

The plot header based in Toowoomba is used throughout the northern grain belt to harvest wheat from experimental plots less than 2 metres wide.