We research the requirements of our arable farmers and potential end users. 

These key factors drive our methodology in selecting varieties and making crosses.  Working from our breeding centre in Irwell, near Leeston, Central Canterbury, we have a choice of our best current material in nurseries and trials, as well as imported new material, to combine with our extensive parent archive in formulating new crosses. From hand harvested crosses of 20-30 seeds we grow rows of F1s the following season. If agronomic weaknesses are identified or we have not achieved a good ‘nick’ such crosses will not progress past this stage.

The best crosses are selected as single plants or rows for 4-5 years until breeding true.  From our 4-5000 rows at Irwell we select up to 100 lines per annum to enter our yield trial programme where lines are tested for 3-5 years to identify consistent performers grown to maximum potential. During this period, trial lines are evaluated for straw strength, stress tolerance, resistance to key diseases as well as potential end uses.

Up to 10 lines per annum enter our multiplication programme at Irwell which in the following year generates enough seed for small scale strip trials on farm and /or a small nucleus seed production. Limited commercial release is then possible after the second year of multiplication. It generally takes from 7-10 years from first crossing to release of commercial seed.

As we have a robust and rigorous screening programme in place, we believe farmers can be confident that a new variety from Cereals NZ has excellent straw strength, disease resistances and exceptional yield potential. In the 2020/21 season we had over 200 potential new winter wheat varieties, 70 alternative types and 48 barley varieties in trial.

Varieties may be discontinued at any stage in the breeding process for any number of reasons, most common being mutation in pathogenicity of fungal diseases leading to changes in susceptibility to key diseases, susceptibility to various stresses which are only sporadically observed and failure to fit with the requirements of the end user. Whilst this can be very disappointing it is vital that only the best makes it to commercial release.