Australia to field test GM wheat
Colleen Scherer, Managing Editor, Ag Professional | August 16, 2013

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Australia’s Department of Environment and Primary Industries announced plans to test 40 genetically modified wheat lines at its Horsham field site.

DEPI requested to run the trial from November to December 2015. A spokesperson for the Office of Gene Technology Regulator said 14 previous licenses had been applied for GM wheat trials, with 11 being still current.

The field trials proposed recently will be testing GM wheat with delayed leaf senescence and enhanced fuctan biosynthesis with an aim to boost biomass production and seed yield and improve drought tolerance.

Work on GM wheat has been progressing at the Centre for AgriBioscience in Bundoora for three years.

The wheat being tested would not be grown on more than 2 hectares and will not be used in human food or animal feed.