IA Watson Grains Research Centre

The University farms are essential in supporting the teaching and research activities of the School of Veterinary Science, the School of Life and Environmental Sciences (SoLES) and the Sydney Institute of Agriculture.

The IA Watson Grains Research Centre is the northern arm of the Plant Breeding Institute and conducts grains research by invitation of the governing board of trustees of the NSW Wheat Research Foundation. 

This research collaboration has been in place for 60 years. The Centre is a hub for grains research in north western NSW and our partnerships ensure that the knowledge, technology and genetic materials developed nationally and globally are accessed to the benefit of the Australian agriculture sector.

The University, Wheat Research Foundation and GRDC have made significant commitments to the Narrabri site in recent years, including the development of the Managed Environment Facility, state of the art glasshouses, bird and bee proof enclosures, regional phenotyping capacity, archive seed store and improved irrigation infrastructure.

Each year about 40,000 research plots are planted in collaboration with 20 public and private organisations.