Australian researchers have discovered a new method that could allow the growth of more wheat in harsher climates, according to a new report. Published in the Nature Climate Change journal, the research found a potential strategy revolving around sowing wheat earlier and deeper, by taking advantage of stored soil water. However, modern varieties of semi-dwarf wheat that farmers typically harvest find it harder to sprout when planted more deeply. Semi-dwarf wheat was developed in the 1940s-50s by Norman Borlaug, an American agricultural scientist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, to increase yields. This genetically modified wheat variety is shorter and stronger than normal wheat, making it less vulnerable to breakage from weight or wind. The team of four researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisations (CSIRO) identified new genes that have longer coleoptiles, the protective sheath that covers the emerging shoot, suitable for deep sowing. “We predict that these …