Australia
July 10, 2026
The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has announced Australian Grain Technologies (AGT) will lead the national lentil breeding program following a competitive process.
The announcement follows AGT securing the national chickpea breeding program and further expands the company’s pulse breeding portfolio.
Lentils are a cornerstone pulse crop in southern Australian farming systems and have experienced strong growth in recent years, driven by export demand and the agronomic benefits they bring to crop rotations. Continued genetic improvement is critical to supporting productivity, resilience and adaptation across both established and emerging growing regions.
The National Lentil Breeding Program has been built through more than two decades of co-investment and collaboration between GRDC, Agriculture Victoria and industry partners.
Based at Horsham SmartFarm, the program has delivered lentil varieties and breeding innovations that have helped establish Australia as a globally competitive lentil producer and exporter.
Recent investment has expanded the program’s breeding infrastructure, phenotyping and genotyping capability, and accelerated breeding technologies that enable faster development and selection of improved germplasm.
Dr Adam Norman, AGT Pulse Co-ordinator and Kendall Berrett, AGT Glasshouse Pulse Technician in the laboratory. Photo: AGT
GRDC Managing Director Nigel Hart said partnering with a commercial breeder in lentils was expected to accelerate breeding, introducing new technologies, providing specialised expertise and improving cost efficiency through economies of scale.
“GRDC are confident that having a commercial partner will also support the expansion of high-value pulses, such as lentils into non-traditional production regions that have historically had limited options.” Mr Hart said
AGT Chief Executive Officer and Head of Breeding Dr Haydn Kuchel said the company was well positioned to build on this strong foundation.
“AGT exists to improve the livelihoods of farming families and the regional communities they live in,” Dr Kuchel said.
“Following the recent integration of chickpea breeding, securing the lentil program reflects both the strength of the existing platforms and our capacity to deliver across multiple pulse crops.
“We recognise the significant contribution Agriculture Victoria and GRDC have made to developing the germplasm, breeding capability, infrastructure and scientific expertise that underpin the program today. Our focus is to build on that foundation and continue delivering improved varieties for Australian growers."
AGT is Australia’s largest wheat breeder and has well established breeding programs in durum, lupin, barley and canola. The company will leverage its national breeding network and systems to support the continued development and commercialisation of improved lentil varieties.
The lentil program will focus on traits including yield, herbicide tolerance, disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance and grain quality, while also supporting expansion into new production regions such as Western Australia and northern environments.
Head of Agriculture Victoria Science and Technology Professor Simone Warner said the program builds on decades of co-investment by Agriculture Victoria and Australian grain growers through GRDC.
Agriculture Victoria has led delivery of the National Lentil Breeding Program from the Horsham SmartFarm for more than 20 years, and we are proud that our long-term investment has helped create germplasm, breeding capability, partnerships and commercial pathways that enabled the industry to grow,” Professor Warner said
“Awarding the lentil breeding program to AGT is an important milestone and we are looking forward to seeing this program continue to go from strength-to-strength and deliver ongoing benefits to growers.”
AGT Pulse Coordinator Dr Adam Norman said the program reinforced AGT’s long term commitment to pulse breeding.
“Together with chickpeas, lentils represent a significant part of Australian pulse production,” Dr Norman said.
“Lentils are a major focus given their scale and continued growth. We’re committed to delivering ongoing genetic improvement to support growers across a range of environments.”
GRDC Senior Manager, Genetic Technologies – Pulses and Oilcrops, Dr Francis Ogbonnaya, said the partnership would also speed up the delivery of new lentil varieties to Australian growers, offering higher and more stable yields, better tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses, and grain quality traits suited to current and emerging production regions.
AGT will work closely with Agriculture Victoria, GRDC and industry partners to ensure breeding activities continue seamlessly as the program transitions with a focus on delivering tangible outcomes for Australian growers.
"The success of the Australian lentil industry is the result of long-term commitment from researchers, breeders, growers and funding partners. We look forward to continuing the great work undertaken by Agriculture Victoria and GRDC and to deliver innovation and value for growers,” Dr Kuchel said.
GRDC
GRDC is one of 15 Rural Research and Development Corporations (RDCs) responsible for planning, investing in and overseeing research, development and extension (RD&E) for 27 leviable grain crops. Our purpose is to invest in RD&E to create enduring profitability for Australian grain growers. We work with researchers, universities, industry groups and growers to develop new crop varieties, farming practices, technologies and innovations that improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Australian grain businesses. Our focus is on delivering practical solutions that help growers manage challenges such as climate variability, pests, diseases, soil health and farm profitability, while strengthening the long-term competitiveness of Australia’s grains industry.
AGT
Australian Grain Technologies (AGT) is Australia's largest plant breeding company, breeding improved wheat, barley, durum, lupin and canola varieties for Australian farmers. At AGT, we consider ourselves privileged to be able to serve Australian farmers and the world’s population by developing new field crop varieties that are more productive, better quality and cost less to grow. This is what drives our people. We want to see Australian farmers more prosperous, and the global population to be well nourished. A world-class breeding & research company, AGT are excited by new technology, innovation and scientific breakthroughs. Seeing scientific concepts transformed into real solutions that deliver to Australian grain growers is the inspiration behind AGT’s success.
Agriculture Victoria
Agriculture Victoria has played a pivotal role in advancing Australia’s lentil industry through its leadership of the Agriculture Victoria and GRDC co-funded National Lentil Breeding Program, which has been based at the Horsham SmartFarm for more than 15 years. The program represents a major national investment in pulse crop improvement and has undergone significant expansion in recent years, increasing its scale, capability and efficiency. Through the introduction of advanced breeding infrastructure, high-throughput genotyping and phenotyping systems, and accelerated breeding technologies, Agriculture Victoria has helped fast-track the development of improved lentil varieties and germplasm suited to a wider range of growing environments.
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