The Value Added Wheat CRC (VAWCRC) integrates advanced bioscience, food science, agronomic and genetic research to create a more profitable wheat industry.  Principle outputs extend along the market chain and include the development of back of the ute diagnostic kits, the development of germplasm with novel traits, molecular markers to assist breeding selection, improving the processing performance of wheats, and advanced whole-of-genome profiling technologies.  VAWCRC also has a strong educational program ranging from the tertiary and quaternary training of new scientists skilled and experienced in wheat quality science to the provision of industry oriented workshops on specific issues.

Commercial participants are Allied Mills Australia P/L, Arnott’s Biscuits Ltd, C-Qentec Diagnostics P/L, Grains R & D Corporation and Research participants are NSW DPI, the Department of Agriculture WA, and the University of Sydney.

The CRC has its headquarters at North Ryde in NSW and is funded until June 2007.

NSW DPI research in the VAWCRC

NSW DPI has an important role in a number of research areas:

New wheat types

• High Amylose Wheats: The VAWCRC has projects developing high amylose wheats for potential application in films and food products where they can be a source of dietary fibre and resistant starch.  Although high amylose contents exist in other cereals no high amylose wheats have yet been released.  NSW DPI staff are involved in development of high amylose durums.
• Waxy Wheat: VAWCRC is developing waxy wheat under a research contract arrangement.  NSW DPI is leading this development.  It too has considerable nutritional implications.

Disease improvement

Septoria triticii blotch (STB) is a devasting disease of wheat crops and is particularly prevalent in southern NSW.  Control has been by breeding resistance.  There are a number of known resistance genes to STB one of which was identified in the NSW DPI molecular laboratories last year.  Within Australian wheats there is only limited knowledge of which of these resistance genes is actually conferring resistance.  Through the VAWCRC NSW DPI researchers will be filling in these blanks and incorporating alternative gene sources into germplasm to ensure varieties are adequately protected for the future.

Marker assisted breeding

One of the main traits that limits production is pre-harvest sprouting.  This occurs in seasons when rain at harvest time induces germination.  Although the process may halt upon drying, often there has been sufficient increase in enzymes to render the grain unsuitable for baking. 

A related issue is that of late maturity amylase, in which in the absence of rain, some varieties are triggered to produce elevated levels of the enzyme alpha-amylase.  This means that the grain will fail a test upon delivery and result in the grain being downgraded at considerable expense to the farmer.   Within the VAWCRC a NSW DPI molecular biologist has developed molecular markers to these traits that are currently being validated.  These will help breeders select for the traits without having to necessarily induce the problem. 

Blackpoint is an affectation of grain that occurs as a physiological response to particular environmental conditions that are not well understood.  The VAWCRC has identified germplasm with extremes in germplasm and NSW DPI researchers are field screening crosses between a highly susceptible and a highly tolerant durums for developing cultivars less likely to exhibit the affliction.  Molecular mapping will also be conducted focussing on the group 2 chromosomes to identify putative genetic markers.

In addition NSW DPI has been a leader in utilising the VAWCRC DArT markers through provided by Triticarte™.  This is a novel application of marker assisted selection.  NSW DPI has proving several principles of using this technique for identifying the genetic differences between different cultivars, mapping and developing trait associations.  The DArT markers were developed from a number of wheat lines including several from NSW DPI ensuring that the markers are very relevant to our requirements.