Noodle wheat breeding leader InterGrain has launched the next generation of noodle wheats with new high yielding, mid-slow maturing Firefly. The broadly adapted mid-slow maturing Australian Noodle Wheat (ANW) promises to light up the wheat landscape. InterGrain wheat breeder Dan Mullan launched it at the Bolgart wheat NVT site on Tuesday 5 September.
With a strategic focus to build on the popularity of Zen with a line that improves upon it in yield, InterGrain’s Firefly emerges as a shining beacon to captivate noodle growers and udon processors. Named with a nod to its luminescent potential, Firefly will cast its brilliance across WA noodle paddocks in 2024 with its high yield, good disease resistance and ANW end-use quality attributes, balancing the needs of growers and noodle makers.
Firefly offers an effective disease resistance profile including strong stripe and yellow leaf spot resistance, whilst providing good grain size and hectolitre weight. In addition, Firefly received approval from the Japanese market and soon to enter Korea market. InterGrain’s new generation of noodle varieties to benefit Japanese stakeholders.
Dan Mullan said Firefly is set to replace commonly grown noodle varieties Zen and Calingiri with a mid-slow spring maturity which complements its robust yield potential and exceptional quality.
“Trialled as IGW8192, Firefly consistently stood out in the noodle wheat breeding program with outstanding yields. It has an impressive yield advantage, averaging 11-15% higher than Zen and Calingiri and 3% higher than hard wheat Scepter, underscoring its potential as a yield leader. Being a mid-slow maturing variety, Firefly can be sown from late April through to early May, when early planting opportunities arise, similar to Zen and Calingiri” said Dan.
Western Australia has been producing high-quality noodle wheat for udon and similar noodle markets for over four decades and has gained global recognition for its ability to grow grain that perfectly matches the preferences of udon noodle consumers in Japan and South Korea.
