Wheat
- The current winter crop outlook for Queensland as a whole indicates a predicted crop yield of 1.34 t/ha, which is 28% below the long-term median yield expectation and within the lowest 5% relative to all years.
- At this early stage in the winter crop season, chances for an above average yielding crop are similar to climatology (50:50) for the 2017 wheat crop across most of Queensland.
- Crop improvement rates are lagging behind expected growth in demand, but a UQ innovation is set to make it easier to close the gap.
- At present, this early in the winter crop growing season, starting soil water conditions and the seasonal rainfall outlook indicate that chances are similar to climatology (50:50) for an above average wheat yield during the 2017 wheat-growing season across most of Queensland.
- Winter cereal cropping in northern Queensland has the potential to lift the total area planted to grain crops in Australia by as much as 50 per cent – from the 22 million hectares currently cropped to as much as 33 million hectares.
- A new photosynthesis discovery at The University of Queensland may help breed faster-growing wheat crops that are better adapted to hotter, drier climates.
- Scientists from The University of Queensland are undertaking world-first research into ancient wheats to ensure the crop’s future.