Research from Charles Sturt University has identified a strategy that could help Australian wheat growers adapt to climate change by supporting the development of short-season wheat varieties that can be sown in winter when soil moisture is more reliable.
The findings come from research by Timothy Green, who completed a doctorate through the Charles Sturt School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences in Wagga Wagga, Australia. His thesis, An ideotype of a short-season, late-sown wheat for a changing Australian climate, examined how late-sown wheat could help growers overcome increasingly hot and dry conditions.
In southern Australia, wheat is typically planted after autumn rainfall. However, changing climate conditions have led to more frequent delayed or poor germination and lower grain yields as autumn rainfall becomes less reliable.
Green's research found that short-season wheat can be sown in midwinter, offering growers greater flexibility by taking advantage of more dependable soil moisture. The research also showed that in favorable seasons with adequate moisture and mild temperatures, even wheat varieties less suited to late sowing can still produce reasonable grain yields.
Australia produces an average wheat harvest of about 25 million metric tons annually and accounts for up to 15% of global wheat trade. During the 2024-25 marketing year, Australian growers sold a record 34.8 million metric tons of wheat valued at $10.1 billion.
The research used Charles Sturt University's Rhizolysimeter to examine shoot and root development in high early vigor wheat under varying watering regimes. The facility enabled in situ analysis of root growth under conditions designed to replicate field environments.
Australia's wheat breeding programs already develop varieties suited to a range of climates, soil types and management systems. According to the research, adding short-season wheat to existing breeding programs would provide growers with more planting options as seasonal conditions become increasingly variable.
The work has already influenced the industry, with several quick-maturing wheat varieties released to growers last year by two of Australia's largest wheat breeding companies.
Green said combining short-season varieties with existing main-season and longer-season cultivars will help improve resilience and productivity across Australia's diverse wheat-growing regions as climate challenges continue to evolve
Source: Charles Sturt University, "Short-season wheat ensures greater resilience for Australian cropping systems"