The WAARC Web
Welcome to The WAARC Web, the official podcast channel of the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration. Enabling open, honest, inclusive and impactful collaboration - this is your gateway to the conversations shaping the future of the agrifood sector in Western Australia.
The WAARC Web
Cultivating the Future: Rakshith Gowda
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Guest: Rakshith Gowda
Host: Mahnaz Afsar
In the final episode of Season 2 of Cultivating the Future, Mahnaz Afsar speaks with Rakshith Gowda, a PhD researcher in crop genetics and pre-breeding, about the race to develop heat-tolerant barley for a changing climate.
Originally from India, Rakshith completed his Bachelor of Agricultural Science and Master’s in Genetics and Plant Breeding before moving to Perth to pursue doctoral research focused on strengthening crop resilience. His work addresses one of the most pressing challenges facing grain production: rising temperatures and the increasing frequency of heat stress events that can significantly reduce yield and downgrade barley grain from malting to feed quality.
The conversation explores how advances in physiology, pangenomics and haplotype stacking are being used to identify valuable genetic modules and accelerate the development of superior barley lines. By delivering improved haplotypes and pre-breeding materials to industry, this research aims to support the creation of more heat-tolerant, high-quality barley cultivars suited to Western Australian growing conditions.
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