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AgriPro spring wheat breeder Joe
Smith believes that it is important for growers to look at variety performance over multiple years and locations. “Differences exist every year and looking only at single-year data might not be the best way to pick
varieties that work under environments with different challenges.” Since most data is available as three year averages, he advises growers to find varieties that are consistent performers. “Each of the past three
seasons have been unique and variety response has differed.” Smith added that growers interested in new varieties can get three year data from the breeding program that released it. Smith said the goal for any
testing program is to provide credible data, adding that each year AgriPro declines to include some sites due to unreliability. “Because a plot is harvestable, doesn’t mean it generates good data.”
Good temperatures, moisture, and a general lack of disease pressure produced high yields in the east. Smith feels that grower
shouldn’t forget about disease tolerance and agronomic qualities when selecting high-yielding varieties from current research data.
In the following tables, Smith compares the three-year performance of leading private and public spring wheat varieties. Due to
drought conditions in western testing sites, no data was used in 2008. Therefore the western data is averaged over 2005-07 seasons.
Individual location data of these sites, including South Dakota testing, is available at www.agriprowheat.com.
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