Breeding & varieties

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has formal links to national breeding programs for lupins, pulses and oats. The department also has significant research inputs in pre-breeding for wheat and barley, supporting the development of new varieties for Western Australia and national grain growers, with particular emphasis on frost, drought and salinity.

The National Apple Breeding Program based at DPIRD, has produced the Cripps Pink (known as Pink Lady) and Cripps Red (Sundowner) with research into more great varieties being undertaken.

DPIRD is working to select better strawberries for the WA industry.

Articles

  • Saperavi wines have outstanding colour and performed well with both judges and consumers in evaluations in Western Australia.

  • Barbera is an old Italian wine variety that has consistently performed well in trials in Manjimup, Western Australia with wines viewed favourably by wine judges and consumers.

  • The Furmint and Kadarka varieties of wine grapes were identified by the wine industry as having potential for future development of premium Western Australian wine and were planted for evaluation i

  • Arneis is an emerging variety in the Australian wine industry, with commercial plantings established in eastern states.

  • Since 1998 the Department of Agriculture and Food in conjunction with the Western Australian Vine Improvement Association has imported more than 60 new varieties and clones of wine grape material.