Research Seed Multiplication Program 2024-2028

A fundamental requirement for achieving successful grains research outcomes is the use of high quality and consistent seed sources. Often, individual projects and nodes of a common project have acted independently, sourcing seed for their individual needs and often from multiple sources or from their own independent seed multiplication programs. While this arrangement may have suited the individual needs of researchers, there are opportunities for collaboration and consolidation of resources resulting in operational efficiencies for GRDC. Standardising seed also improves the accuracy of statistical analyses of GRDC projects by reducing a known source of error.

To help with this, the research seed multiplication and distribution system has been developed to reliably multiply and provide commonly sourced, quality seed for both NVT and other GRDC research investments. The success and return on investment for many high-value research projects will rely on, or be influenced by, the ability to source high quality seed from the research seed multiplication program. The program aims to achieve minimum targets of 85% germination and 98% purity. Independent DNA variety validation testing as well as grain quality testing for seedlot purity, germination and seed size will be conducted on every variety grown, each year, to ensure variety purity and quality goals are met.

The research seed multiplication program has been developed to enable the success and return on investment for many high-value GRDC research investments. These investments rely on the sourcing of high-quality seed to achieve project outcomes. This research seed multiplication program will ensure consistent delivery of seed of commercial varieties of wheat, barley, durum, oat, chickpea, lentil, lupin, faba bean and field pea to various research projects across Australia in a timely manner. Production will occur at two reliable sites, producing approximately 28 tonnes of seed for approximately 230 commercial winter crop varieties. This initiative will co-ordinate the seed multiplication for GRDC research investments, creating larger economies of scale and reducing duplication of resources.