Grain growers in northern New South Wales and in Queensland now have access to a new variety of wheat for early sowing that's high yielding, rust resistant, and highly tolerant to acid soils.

Sunzell* has just been released for the 2007 season, giving another option to growers who have traditionally used Sunbrook* or Strzelecki*.

It is eligible to be received into the Australian Hard AWB grade in northern New South Wales and Queensland, and the Prime Hard grade in southern New South Wales (subject to meeting receival standards).

The variety is available through Australian Grain Technologies (AGT), a grain breeding company supported by the University of Sydney, South Australian Research Development Institute (SARDI), University of Adelaide, Grains Research and Development Corporation, and GrainCorp.

Steve Jefferies, CEO of AGT said Sunzell* was developed specifically as an early sowing variety by the Narrabri Plant Breeding Institute based program led by Dr Meiqin Lu.

"The main aim initially was resistance to three rusts, but it also has good characteristics relating to septoria leaf blotch, smut and Root Lesion Nematode tolerance," Dr Jefferies said.

Sunzell* has been named in honour of Gilgandra grain grower Max Zell.

"Max has been a member of the Wheat Research Foundation, which manages the Narrabri Institute, and involved with many other industry bodies.

"He's also been a long-time supporter of plant breeding through hosting trials over many years on his property, and we're pleased to be able to recognise his valuable contribution to the Australian wheat industry," Dr Jefferies said.

More details about Sunzell* and its agronomic attributes are available on the AGT website at www.agtseeds.com or at www.sunprimeseeds.com/downloads/Sunzell.pdf

*Varieties protected under the Plant Breeders Rights Act 1994.