A frost tolerant barley variety could be available to Western Australian growers within three years thanks to research being undertaken by the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia and the University of Adelaide.

Department executive director of plant industries David Bowran said with frost damage becoming more of a significant economic loss to Australian farmers, it was important to progress research to develop frost tolerant varieties of barley and wheat.

“The Department is on a fast-track program to develop a frost tolerant barley variety using molecular marker-assisted breeding and double haploid technology,” he said.

The Department, through the Molecular Plant Breeding Co-operative Research Center (CRC), has access to research undertaken by the University of Adelaide relating to the genes controlling frost tolerance.

Dr Bowran said the University had identified one gene that controlled frost tolerance for both wheat and barley.

“Initially, the University’s research had been focussed on one particular gene showing frost tolerance in the vegetative period, but recent tests, show the same gene also controls reproductive frost tolerance,” he said.

It is the reproductive frost tolerance research that the Department is using to develop a new barley variety for Western Australia.

Dr Bowran said the Department was using marker-assisted technology and backcrossing the high reproduction frost gene with WA’s elite barley varieties including Baudin and Gardiner, to produce a more resistant frost tolerant variety.

“Three rounds of crosses have been completed. One more cross is required over the coming summer months.

“Once this cross has been completed, the gene material will be progressed for double haploid production, and ultimately a new variety of frost tolerant barley developed.”

The Department’s aim is to have a variety suitable for Australian farming conditions within the next three years.

Both the Department and the University of Adelaide are core members of the Molecular Plant Breeding CRC, enabling the sharing of information prior to research being published.