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RELEVANT
ARC-SGI researchers were
Sydneysiders for a week
ANNELIE BARNARD
and
ROBBIE LINDEQUE
, ARC-Small Grain Institute
S
omeone who lives in Sydney and its suburbs is colloqui-
ally known as a ´Sydneysider´. Eight researchers from
the ARC-Small Grain Institute (ARC-SGI) in Bethlehem
became instant Sydneysiders when they recently attended
the 9th International Wheat Conference (IWC) that was held in
Sydney, Australia.
The IWC is one of the most important events on the calendar of any-
one involved in the wheat industry. It has become the premier inter-
national scientific meeting for wheat.
Over 500 wheat researchers/scientists from more than 60 countries
all over the world came together to present new research findings
and developments of all aspects of wheat research. The opening ad-
dress of the congress was delivered by Dr Sanjaya Rajaram, winner
of the 2014 World Food Prize award in recognition of his outstand-
ing scientific research that led to a dramatic increase in world wheat
production in the years following the Green Revolution.
Multiple aspects of wheat research were discussed in detail at the
conference with an increasing focus on drought tolerance and cli-
mate change. As a result of climate change, the wheat types planted
over the world have changed, planting dates have been delayed by
ten days over the past 20 years, but maturity has remained basically
unchanged. Over the last 50 years, temperatures have increased by
0,05°C to 0,2°C per decade. In the same time, flowering of wheat has
advanced by 0,5 to one day per decade.
A special focus has been placed worldwide on increasing wheat yields
in all the production regions around the world. The current wheat
production of 3,2 t/ha globally has to increase to 4,3 t/ha by 2030
to meet the growing demand. This means that at least a 1,6% yield
increase per annum is needed from the current level of below 1%.
In total 50 oral presentations were delivered by a selected array of
speakers, covering a broad range of topics. Well-known names in
the international wheat arena, such as Drs Hans-Joachim Braun,
Judi Adams, Ron DePauw, Richard Trethowan, Alexey Morgounov,
Matthew Reynolds and Julie King, to name a few, contributed to the
excellent manner in which the conference was presented.
The presentations were all international in scope and included the
latest research topics on technological interventions for increased
yields and stability, focus on specific molecular markers and as-
sociation mapping, bio-economic assessments of the production
of wheat diseases such as rusts and Fusarium head blight, physio-
logical breeding strategies and novel phenotyping systems, as well
as quality engineering with an emphasis on protein, alpha amylase
levels and lutein. The conference was characterised by very well-
prepared and -presented lectures.
Each of the sessions has provided many important insights and was
designed to cover all the different aspects of wheat research, from
agronomical constraints throughout the globe, how the world should
address food security, various abiotic and biotic stresses of wheat
to wheat genetics and the use of modern molecular mechanisms to
improve wheat production. All these aspects were well represented
in this symposium and there was good participation from attendees.
A large number of abstract submissions were received by the local
organising committee. Over 200 abstracts were offered as oral pres-
entations, but the organizers could only allow 50. In view of this, all
the abstracts submitted by ARC-SGI as oral presentations were ac-
cepted as poster presentations. In total 350 posters were presented
during the conference.
Drs Annelie Barnard, André Malan, Eben von Well, Ian Heyns,
Scott Sydenham and Messrs Robbie Lindeque and Learnmore
Mwadzingeni presented posters at this conference.
This conference has provided an excellent opportunity for research-
ers from around the world to take notice of the current advances in
1
2b
2c
1: Eight researchers from the ARC-SGI became instant Sydney-
siders when they recently attended the IWC that was held in
Sydney, Australia. Front: Robbie Lindeque, Dr Annelie Barnard
and Learnmore Mwadzingeni. Back: Drs Scott Sydenham,
André Malan, Ian Heyns, Eben von Well and Toi Tsilo.
2a to 2c: Drs Annelie Barnard, Scott Sydenham and André Malan
with their posters at the IWC.
3 and 4: The hotel in which researchers stayed, has a stunning
view of Sydney Harbour with the Sydney Opera House and
Sydney Bridge in close proximity.
2a
Desember 2015
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