The Western Crop Genetics Alliance (WCGA) will continue for another decade to further support the growth and development of the State’s thriving grain industry.

Western Australia is the nation’s top barley producing and exporting State, with annual production of around five million tonnes earning more than $1 billion in export income.

Today’s announcement was made by Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis at an event celebrating the 10th anniversary of the WCGA – a partnership between the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Murdoch University.

Since its inception as the Western Barley Genetics Alliance (WBGA) in 2015, the Alliance has grown into a nationally and internationally recognised leader in crop genomics, pre-breeding research, and genetic improvement, undertaking 40 research projects and establishing partnerships with over 30 universities and institutes across 12 countries.

Over 10 years, the Alliance has delivered genetic solutions that are reshaping Australian agriculture.

Key milestones include:

• Development of barley varieties which can boost yields by up to 30% in acid soils, which affect more than two-thirds of WA's grain belt. 
• National and international barley genome and pan genome projects, deciphering a genetic code more complex than the human genome, and developing cutting-edge genomics breeding tools that are used by Australian commercial plant breeding companies.
• Development of heat-tolerant barley varieties to help crops withstand the compounding effects of heat and drought stress, which can significantly reduce grower profits. This work has been recognised with a new national Grains Research and Development Corporation-funded project on the same topic, awarded for a further five years in 2025.
• The publication of more than150 peer-reviewed scientific papers, including four in the journal Nature, with more than 20 Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) to transfer technologies and germplasm to leading Australian breeding companies.
• Establishment of a seed identity and purity testing system adopted by breeding companies to safeguard Australia's barley export markets.
  

Speaking at today’s announcement, Murdoch University Vice Chancellor and President Professor Andrew Deeks said the Western Crop Genetics Alliance has repeatedly demonstrated what is possible when universities, government, and industry work together with trust, ambition and a shared vision. 

“Over the past decade, the Alliance has delivered what few could have imagined at its inception,” Professor Deeks said.

“It has grown into a national and international leader in crop genomics and pan-genome research, collaborating with more than 30 universities and institutes across the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia, and achieved scientific excellence in cracking the genetic code and understanding the molecular mechanism for climate adaptation.

“It has been a remarkable decade of innovation and achievement – and the future of the Alliance is exceptionally bright.”

WCGA Director Professor Chengdao Li said Murdoch’s advanced molecular science capabilities and rich student resources were well complemented by DPIRD’s extensive industry network, world-class agronomy team and State-wide research footprint.

“This synergy and our close collaboration with key Australian breeding companies have made a tangible impact on the Australian grain sector, and we’re immensely proud to have played a role in last year’s record harvests in wheat and barley,” he said.

“We thankful for the ongoing support of the WA Government and look forward to delivering solutions that future-proof our world-leading grain industry.”

Beyond scientific output, the Alliance is a rich training ground for Australia's next generation of agricultural scientists. Thirty postgraduate students have studied under its banner, with 12 completing their degrees and 18 ongoing. Students have won nine industry-funded projects and earned prestigious recognition, including two Paul Johnson Memoir Awards, the highest national honour in the Australian barley industry, as well as the WA Young Farming Champions award.

Among the new frontiers being pursued by the Alliance is the development of acid-tolerant chickpea varieties, targeting a high-value, high-protein crop increasingly important to WA growers. The Alliance will continue to deepen its national collaborations with universities, government agencies and industry partners, while maintaining its position at the forefront of global crop genomics research.