CSIRO, Australia’s national science research agency, have achieved a major breakthrough for wheat farmers in salt-affected areas through developing a salt-tolerant durum wheat that yields 25 per cent more grain than other varieties in saline soils.

High soil salinity is a major environmental issue whose effects can cause difficulties for farmers growing crops in salt-affected areas. Most crops do not grow well on soils that contain salts and subsequently farmers lose large amounts of yield.

The CSIRO research team used traditional breeding techniques, involving molecular markers, to introduce salt tolerant genes into durum wheat lines. The salt tolerant genes work by limiting the passage of sodium from the roots to the shoots of the plant, preventing its passage to the leaves where it can be toxic to the plant.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, 17 million hectares of durum wheat are cultivated worldwide, with 60 per cent of cultivation taking place in developing counties in regions including the Middle East, North Africa, Latin America and central India.

This new variety will allow wheat farmers to cope with high salinity levels in the soil and achieve higher yields of their crop. The scientists have said they will make the enhanced durum wheat freely available to the developing world.