Developing wheat mutants with desirable characteristics is a rapid and cost effective method to generate novel genetic diversity unencumbered by regulatory restrictions. In the era of mutational genomics, mutants are useful for establishing causal links between genes and agronomically important traits and may be released directly as new cultivars, if they are generated in elite genetic backgrounds. We have focused on using random mutagenesis coupled with forward genetic screens to generate novel variation for major gene traits including enhanced early growth and reduction in stem growth. Causal mutations at the Rht12 and Rht18 dwarfing gene loci show a range of height phenotypes highlighting a new height reducing mechanism that is independent of mutant DELLA genes. Mutants with long coleoptiles are expected to contribute to improved crop establishment; they will also be used to isolate growth promoting genes and to understand mechanism of early growth. Mutant screens for traits with low heritability such as grain yield are difficult because potentially useful variants may be masked by non-genetic variation. However, targeting yield component traits with moderate to high heritability such as biomass and harvest index (ratio of grain weight to total above-ground biomass) is a promising approach to find mutants which may have the capacity to out-yield parental lines. We used this approach to isolate mutants which produce up to 40% more above-ground biomass than the wild type parent while maintaining harvest index in the field. Other mutant screens for variation in biomass and harvest index are underway in elite backgrounds. Mutagenesis can be used to generate new variation for complex inherited traits which after all are the main drivers of yield potential.