GRDC Awards National Chickpea Breeding Program to AGT

Why It Matters

The shift to a private‑sector breeder promises sustained investment and faster delivery of high‑yield, climate‑resilient chickpea varieties, boosting profitability for growers and supporting Australia’s expanding pulse market.

Key Takeaways

• AGT wins national chickpea breeding program from GRDC
• Program shifts from NSW DPIRD to private sector under AGT
• AGT will operate breeding hubs in Narrabri and Northam
• Chickpea genetics to benefit 30% of Australian field‑crop hectares
• Goal: expand chickpea adaptation across NSW, QLD, WA

Pulse Analysis

Chickpeas have become a cornerstone of Australia’s pulse sector, especially in northern New South Wales and Queensland, where they complement wheat rotations and deliver biological nitrogen fixation that reduces fertilizer reliance. Rising global demand for plant‑based protein and the crop’s drought‑tolerant traits have spurred rapid acreage growth across southern and western states. As a high‑value legume, chickpeas contribute both to farm profitability and to the country’s sustainability goals, making continued genetic improvement a strategic priority for growers and policymakers alike.

The Grains Research and Development Corporation’s decision to award the national breeding program to Australian Grain Technologies marks a move toward private‑sector stewardship of pulse genetics. AGT, already responsible for more than 30 % of Australia’s field‑crop varieties in wheat, durum and lupin, brings a world‑class breeding platform, trial networks and commercialisation expertise to chickpeas. By consolidating research at its Northern Crop Breeding Centre in Narrabri and a site in Northam, the company can accelerate germplasm development, shorten the time from gene discovery to grower‑ready seed, and attract sustained investment that public funding alone could not guarantee.

Growers can expect new chickpea varieties that mature earlier, tolerate heat and deliver higher protein, helping them capture premium market prices both domestically and for export to the Middle East and South Asia. The dual‑location model also addresses regional differences, with the Northam hub focusing on Western Australian soils and climate. As AGT integrates five decades of germplasm from the former NSW DPIRD program, the partnership is poised to widen chickpea acreage, reinforce Australia’s reputation as a pulse exporter, and support the broader transition to more sustainable, low‑input cropping systems.