Novel wheat varieties facilitate deep sowing to beat the heat of changing climates

Zhigan Zhao, Enli Wang (), John A. Kirkegaard and Greg J. Rebetzke
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Zhigan Zhao: CSIRO Agriculture & Food
Enli Wang: CSIRO Agriculture & Food
John A. Kirkegaard: CSIRO Agriculture & Food
Greg J. Rebetzke: CSIRO Agriculture & Food

Nature Climate Change, 2022, vol. 12, issue 3, 291-296

Abstract: Abstract Wheat yields are threatened by global warming and unreliable rainfall, which increase heat and drought stress. A potential adaptation strategy is to sow earlier and deeper, taking advantage of stored soil water. However, the short coleoptiles of modern semi-dwarf wheat varieties reduce emergence when sown deep. Novel genotypes with alternative dwarfing genes have longer coleoptiles to facilitate deep sowing, but the yield benefit has been uncertain. We validated new crop simulation routines with field data to assess the impact of novel genotypes on Australian wheat production. We predict that these genotypes, coupled with deep sowing, can increase national wheat yields by 18–20% under historical climate (1901–2020), without increased yield variability, with benefits also projected under future warming. These benefits are likely to extend to other dryland wheat production regions globally. Our results highlight the impact of synergy between new genetics and management systems to adapt food production to future climates.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41558-022-01305-9

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