BASF plans to launch its first new wheat seed varieties onto the Australian market in 2021, working with Seednet as its commercial partner.
The varieties are main season spring wheats, targeting the high-quality class, and will be suitable for New South Wales and Victorian growers.
“These are the first wheat varieties to be commercialised by BASF globally and are selected for their yield, quality and agronomic adaptability. They are a culmination of around nine years of research at BASF’s Wheat and Oilseed Breeding Centre in Longerenong, Victoria,” BASF Australia and New Zealand head of agricultural solutions, Gavin Jackson, said.
BASF started investing in the breeding program at Longerenong in 2010 and opened a facility there in 2014.
In addition to wheat, the breeding centre is also heavily involved in the breeding and development of novel new canola Invigor hybrid varieties.
BASF Australia and New Zealand head of seeds, Rob Hall, said BASF in 2020 would also launch Invigor 4022 to the Australian market, a new TruFlex variety of canola which features the unique yield benefits of PodGuard pod shatter tolerance to give added flexibility on weeds and also harvest timing.
“What better place than the Wimmera for us to invest in our wheat and canola research. Cropping is so important to this region and the soil is some of the best in Australia,” he said.
BASF has around 25 new crop protection products to launch in Australia over the next five years, with 13 of these targeted for launch by the end of 2020.
“BASF has an exciting pipeline of crop protection innovations launching in Australia. We expect to receive registration of the pre-emergent herbicide Luximax in 2019, a new mode of action that offers residual control of ryegrass. This product will be a significant tool for Australian growers,” Mr Jackson said.
