ISSUE 5
January 1997

Complement when selecting varieties

(The author is the northern wheat seed manager for Agripro Seeds, Inc.)
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Prairie Grains is the
official publication of
the Minnesota
Association of
Wheat Growers,
North Dakota Grain
Growers Association,
South Dakota Wheat,
Inc., and the
Minnesota Barley
Growers Association.

 The single most important decision that a grower can make is picking which varieties to plant each year. You may often hear crop experts extol the economic benefits of varietal complementation. This is just a fancy way of saying, "don’t put all your eggs in one basket."

Planting all or even a majority of your acres to a single variety is very risky business. So too is growing varieties that have similar characteristics or genetic backgrounds. Complementation means getting consistent performance by planting multiple varieties which offset each other’s strengths and weaknesses. This should be basic to your crop planning.

One example of complementation might be growing a higher yielding, but slightly lower protein variety along with a slightly lower yielding, but higher protein variety. Or, complementing a high yielder with below-average scab tolerance with a variety that yields a bit less but has good scab tolerance.

Even though we know 2375 has its own set of weak links (tan spot, leaf

rust, lodging, shattering, etc.) it has rightly become the leading variety in the Red River Valley because of its better-than-average response to scab. After five years of head blight’s devastating experiences, Agripro, other private breeders, along with area universities are coming up with good solid alternatives to 2375.

Unfortunately, a little-known global disease, karnal bunt, has set back the farm availability of these tolerant wheat varieties. Still, the good news is that we have managed to select several new sources of scab tolerance, and intensive screening of our global collection of wheat germplasm has given us some new high quality lines that will be available to growers in 1998.

I strongly believe that individually and collectively, under tremendous cooperation between private and public breeders, we will overcome the greatest threat to our industry in recent history.
Copyright Prairie
Grains Magazine

January 1997