Investment

New technologies are now available to Durum growers that presents an exciting opportunity to expand the yield frontier of durum and close the yield gap to bread wheat. Durum is of particular importance to SA, over the past 5 years' average area sown has been 50,000 hectares, producing 118,700 tonnes (Crop and Pasture report 2020), however this area has been expanding into the non-traditional durum growing regions such as the South East region of SA. The potential to grow and expand durum is heralded by the release of new germplasm with improved yield potential and new management technologies for crown rot, weeds, and foliar disease.