High hopes for new salt-tolerant wheat

Australian scientists say a new salt-tolerant wheat variety could help combat food shortages and salinity problems around the globe.

A team of Australian scientists has helped develop a salt-tolerant wheat variety which they believe could help combat food shortages and salinity problems around the globe.

The discovery came after a series of field trials on sites across Australia, including a commercial farm in northern New South Wales.

It found durum wheat with a salt-loving gene, had yields up to 25 per cent greater than those without the gene.

The leader of the research team, Dr Matthew Gilliham from the University of Adelaide has told Michael Kenny, many farmers are already benefiting from the new crop.