CSIRO high-performance crops program leader Dr Richard Richards is focusing on breeding higher yielding wheat and gaining a better understanding of the genetic variations in wheat growth, development and yield.

His team has produced unique wheat plants by combining different traits that control vigour, from varieties found in Australia and around the world.

Dr Richards believes these super-vigorous wheat varieties are different to others anywhere in the world and have deeper, more extensive root systems and more extensive branching.

Interestingly the key to unlocking this new vigour in wheat actually came from barley.

Dr Richards observed barley growing side by side with wheat and noted barley was more vigorous with extra tillers and was better yielding than wheat in dry environments.

The team worked out how barley achieved its higher vigour and then set about recreating that in wheat.

Dr Richards says crop vigour is important in making the best use of rainfall.

In many years in southern Australia, only half of the rainfall received in the growing season was used by the crop, meaning the other half was wasted.