Selecting Winter Wheat for More than Just Yield

This BIOAg-funded project investigated how winter wheat genotypes influence soil health, microbial diversity, and grain micronutrient density across Washington State. By leveraging the full WSU variety trials, researchers studied plant–microbe–environment interactions and their connections to yield and nutrition. Findings provide new tools for breeders to select cultivars that enhance soil biodiversity, nutrient cycling, and disease suppression while producing more nutritious, high-yielding wheat. This work supports WSU’s grand challenges of sustaining natural resources and improving human health, ultimately benefiting growers and society.

Learn more about the BIOAg grant program.