Unlocking Nitrogen Efficiency? BNI Research Continues with Gusto in 2026

By Christopher Watts

Christopher Watts, Research Officer with Intergrain, is tackling a question many WA growers are already thinking about: How do we get more out of every unit of nitrogen we apply?

Christopher is supported by the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration (WAARC)-Grower Group Alliance (GGA) Honours Scholarship Program, and is collaborating with Living Farm, Curtin University and InterGrain. Christopher will investigate wheat lines with the potential to improve nitrogen efficiency under WA growing conditions. The work will run across the 2026 season using WA wide plot-trials and modern sensing tools.

What’s different about these wheat lines?

The focus is on biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) wheat lines from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico and Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. These lines may slow the conversion of ammonium to nitrate through compounds released by the plant roots.

Why does that matter? Nitrate is the form most prone to leaching and loss, especially in sandy WA soils or during in-season rainfall. Nitrates are also rapidly lost to the atmosphere following nitrification to nitrogen oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas. Slowing this process could help keep nitrogen in the root zone longer—giving crops a better chance to use it.

Why should growers care?

Nitrogen is one of the largest and most difficult inputs to manage efficiently. Losses through leaching and volatilisation mean not all applied nitrogen contributes to yield.

The potential upsides of BNI include:

  • Reduced nitrogen losses
  • Better alignment between nitrogen supply and crop demand
  • Improved fertiliser efficiency
  • Potential to reduce inputs or get more value from existing spend

This project aims to test whether these benefits hold up under real WA field conditions.

How the trials will run

Trials will span a broad range of environments—from Carnamah in the north, Merredin in the east, and Kendenup in the south. The project will compare BNI wheat lines from CIMMYT and their near-isogenic lines (genetically similar, without the BNI trait). All lines will receive a standard base fertiliser application, followed by low, medium, and high nitrogen strategies. The key question is simple: Do BNI lines perform differently when nitrogen is limited—or when more is applied?

Using drones to track crop performance

Crop performance will be monitored using a DJI Matrice drone fitted with a MicaSense Altum camera. This allows the tracking of crop vigour and biomass, canopy ‘greenness’ (linked to nitrogen status), and variation across plots and environments. Rather than relying solely on harvest results, this builds a season-long picture of how each line responds to nitrogen.

At harvest: the traits that matter

All lines will be assessed for grain yield, grain protein content, screenings, and test weight. Linking drone data with these traits will potentially show how in-season signals translate into final performance and value.

What success could look like

As an early-stage project, promising outcomes would include identifying lines that maintain yield under lower nitrogen rates or use applied nitrogen more efficiently. Even small gains in nitrogen efficiency can deliver real value at the farm level—especially in variable seasons.

Looking ahead

This work is a proof-of-concept at breeding program scale, testing whether the BNI trait can deliver under WA conditions. If successful, it could support future breeding efforts and contribute to more efficient and resilient farming systems.

Acknowledgements

This project would not be possible without the support of several people and organisations.

Christopher would like to sincerely thank Kathryn Fleay (Living Farm), Professor Sarita Bennett (Curtin University), Dr David Tabah (InterGrain), and Dr Jayfred Godoy (InterGrain) and the wheat team at InterGrain for their guidance, mentorship, and patience. Thanks also to Jenny Crisp and the WAARC and GGA teams for funding this work through the scholarship program.