Wheat growers across Western Australia are no strangers to the challenges of farming in acidic soils, which can limit plant access to water and nutrients. PhD candidate Huyen Pham, from The University of Western Australia, is studying a natural root trait known as rhizosheath – the soil layer that sticks to plant roots, helping wheat access water and nutrients more efficiently, especially under dry conditions.
By studying wheat lines bred from Australian and Brazilian parent plants, Huyen is investigating how larger rhizosheaths improve crop resilience. Experiments using field soil and controlled lab setups show that wheat lines with larger rhizosheaths develop stronger roots, grow better, and yield more grain in acidic soils.
This research will help wheat breeders and ulitimately farmers choose wheat varieties that perform well in WA’s challenging conditions, improving productivity and drought resilience.
Huyen’s research is supported by a SW WA Hub bursary, which is helping fund extension activities to ensure her findings are shared with industry and can be applied on-farm. Huyen’s PhD supervisors are Hackett Professor Kadambot Siddique, Adjunct Prof. Jairo Palta, Dr Jiayin Pang and Dr Sasha Jenkins.
Interested in applying for a bursary? Submit an expression of interest by Wednesday 30 April.
