Irrigated crops

In areas such as the Ord River Irrigation Area in northern Western Australia, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is working with industry in trialling new varieties and agronomic systems for both existing and potentially valuable new crops.

The main crops of current interest include the health food quinoa, rice which is showing considerable potential if disease and variety problems can be overcome, sugar cane which will be the basis of new developments on Ord Stage 2, and cotton which is based on genetically-modified varieties.