The grains used in the trial were harvested from Wulna-Limilngan country on the Adelaide River, and then cultivated in nurseries at the university's Casuarina campus.

This year's crop, which is typically harvested between the end of the wet season and the end of May, was grown at the Northern Territory Government's Coastal Plains Research Farm.

Doctor Penny Wurm, from the university's Research Institute for Environment and Livelihoods (RIEL) said although the harvest was a success, there was still a lot for the researchers to learn.

"This is why it's so important to develop agronomic knowledge to cultivate it successfully, and why this harvest is such a major milestone," Dr Wurm said.

"It's just not viable to rely on collecting native rice for commercial purposes from the field."

Dr Wurm also said despite weather conditions and equipment projects making the harvest difficult, it had been a bumper harvest.

"It was the same as last year. The right amount and timing of rain to keep the ground flooded or moist while having plenty of sunlight," she said.

Dr Sean Bellairs, also from RIEL, said the harvest was a strong platform to build on during future research projects.

"We have developed solutions to germinating the seeds, but are continuing to develop threshing equipment, determining biological control practices for pests, and investigating it's basic agronomy, such as planting density, fertiliser application rates and harvesting techniques," Dr Bellairs said.

Minister for Agribusiness and Fisheries, Paul Kirby, said the research would help boost the Territory's burgeoning agricultural industries.

"Our Plant Industries are valued at over $445 million to the economy each year and we know the Territory is one of the best places in the world for the production of agricultural commodities, with Native Rice now showing some real potential," Mr Kirby said.

"We will continue to back in our research and programs that aim to adopt new technologies to grow our agriculture sector."

Research commissioned by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation has shown Australian native rice has a nutritional profile similar to or better than existing commercial varieties.

The same research, a pilot study from 2012, also recommended collaboration with Indigenous stakeholders to further develop the commercial viability of native rices.

The Charles Darwin University project is supported by the NT Department of Industry Tourism, Queensland University of Technology, and Trade and the Future Food Systems Corporative Research Centre, and commercial entities.