Australia Works on Steam Bread Wheat
DONALD - May 6/02 - STAT -- The Australian wheat production industry is trying to create a new class of wheat it hopes will fit into the steamed bread market in China and other Asian countries.
The state agriculture department for Western Australia is now evaluating the commercial potential of two lines of wheat it believes will work in this niche market.
Department wheat development officer Steve Penny said the commercial evaluation of the breeding line WAWHT2193 by industry over the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons was critical to test market requirements for a potential new wheat quality type.
Penny said the department was working in collaboration with GRDC, the AWB and CBH to examine market suitability for steamed bread. "WAWHT2193 was initially identified in 1999, during collaborative work between the department and AWB," he said.
"It was further examined through the National Wheat Quality Evaluation Program and found to have very good quality for the steamed bread market."
Dr Iain Barclay, who bred the prototype steamed bread wheat and Richard Williams, Grain Development Manager with AWB Ltd, recognized the need for a commercial evaluation of WAWHT2193 to establish clear quality requirements for breeding and production objectives.
"Important properties for steamed bread include low to moderate protein wheat and very white flour. The industry needs market direction to allow future development of a potential new niche market for the WA wheat industry," Williams said.
Dr Barclay said that interested growers would find WAWHT2193 was a high yielding line with maturity similar to Arrino. In trials over the last three years, it out-yielded Westonia by 7% in the target production zone and was also resistant to leaf rust.
"However, this prototype is susceptible to some strains of stem rust (less than Westonia), is prone to sprouting (similar to Brookton) and black point (similar to Eradu)" Dr Barclay said. As a result, WAWHT2193 would only be grown under controlled conditions in areas where these risks were more manageable.
Based on market evaluation through the Fremantle port zone, the most suitable area was east of a line from Calingiri to Pingelly, and bounded on the eastern perimeter by the approximate vicinity of Wongan Hills, Wyalkatchem, Doodlakine and Corrigin.
Growers interested in participating in the WAWHT2193 contract grain production should contact Penny at the Department of Agriculture in Merredin on 9081 3111 or the AWB offices at Wongan Hills 9671 1755 or Merredin 9041 1462.
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