Jumbuck trial crops from 2023 season. Photo: InterGrain

INTERGRAIN has launched Jumbuck, a high-yielding mid-slow potential Australian Hard wheat for northern New South Wales and Queensland.

Striking the balance between performance and reliability, Jumbuck offers a 10 percent yield improvement over LRPB Lancer and LRPB Flanker and a 6pc improvement over Coota, based on early season wheat NVT long-term MET results.

InterGrain senior wheat breeder David Tabah said Jumbuck will have a good fit in northern growing regions with its yield stability and hardy disease package.

“Jumbuck is a variety that yields consistently well across seasons. Jumbuck performed exceptionally well in wet, soft seasons in 2021 and 2022, and under more challenging conditions, such as the 2023 winter season,” Dr Tabah said.

“Jumbuck has stood out in our northern wheat breeding program over a number of seasons and provides excellent adaptability for a slightly later planting window and drier conditions.”

Jumbuck, trialled as IGW5485, boasts a robust disease resistance profile including strong stripe rust (MRMSp), stem rust (MRMSp) and leaf rust (MRp) resistance, and moderate yellow leaf spot resistance (MSp).

It is a mid-slow maturing spring variety, similar to LRPB Flanker and LRPB Lancer, and is well suited to late April and early May plantings.

Jumbuck has a solid grain quality package including excellent test weight and grain size, reducing screenings risks.

It has a medium plant height and good lodging tolerance.

Developed by breeders at CIMMYT, Jumbuck was bought to Australia through the CIMMYT-Australia-ICARDA-Germplasm Evaluation (CAIGE) program supported through the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s long-term investment.

“Through the CAIGE project, Australian breeding companies visit the CIMMYT nurseries and collaboratively select genetic material to evaluate and introduce into Australian conditions,” Dr Tabah said.

“Jumbuck first came into Australia in 2018 and stood out within the InterGrain breeding program.

“Through GRDC’s support, the CAIGE program delivers greater genetic diversity for Australian breeders to access.

“A number of successful InterGrain wheat varieties have utilised genetics from CIMMYT through this program, including Wyalkatchem, Vixen, RockStar and Devil.”

It is a currently classified as a FEED variety, although an AH classification for the northern zone is anticipated in 2024.

Jumbuck is available for the 2024 season through local resellers and InterGrain Seedclub members.

Source: Intergrain