CSIRO, New Edge Microbials: Bacteria trial to boost wheat yields

An Albury company has teamed up with CSIRO to find and commercialise microbes that can boost wheat yields in dry soils.

Grain growers could soon have access to a biological inoculant that improves wheat crop performance in dry conditions, offering an alternative to synthetic inputs.

A glasshouse trial examining the growth-promotion effects of different soil bacteria on wheat is expected to deliver preliminary results by March, then progress to field trials later next year.

CSIRO research scientist Dr Anton Wasson and New Edge Microbials head of research and development Dr Simon Speirs are working on a collaborative project examining soil bacteria that could boost wheat crop production in low-moisture soil. Picture: Supplied

The research project is a collaboration between Albury company New Edge Microbials and government agency CSIRO.

NEM head of research and development Dr Simon Speirs said the trial launched in June with an aim to identify microbes that could help wheat, canola and other grain crops cope more efficiently with drought.

“The trial is supporting a launch plan for the 2024 cropping season where NEM will look to take the product to a small number of low-rainfall growers in southeast Australia,” he said.

Dr Speirs said NEM was funding the project, and planned to reinvest some profits from commercialised products back into more joint research with CSIRO.

NEM produces biofertilisers, biostimulants and biocontrol inputs for broadacre agriculture, with the core product being rhizobia inoculants for legumes.

Dr Spiers said global demand for biological inputs was “growing rapidly off the back of industry, market and regulatory pressures for alternatives to synthetic chemicals”.

The company supplies customers across Australia, New Zealand and export markets.