A Snapshot of WheatResearch Across the Nation

By Tracy Sayler

Close to 50 wheat research projects are outlined in the proceedings booklet of the 5th annual National Wheat Industry Research Forum, held earlier this year and sponsored by the National Association of Wheat Growers and the Wheat Industry Resource Committee. The proceedings may be obtained through the NAWG office, ph. 202-547-7800, and may also be posted on the Internet at www.wheatworld.org.

Following are summaries of some of the research findings.

Sequencing the Genetic Makeup of the Wheat Plant
The U.S. Wheat Genome Project is a multi-institutional effort to sequence all the genes expressed in a wheat plant, then discover their location on the chromosomes and determine their biological function. This knowledge will greatly improve scientists’ understanding of wheat’s biology, and enhance the discovery of agronomically-important genes.  The Wheat Genome Laboratory is headed by Olin Anderson, at the USDA/ARS Western Regional Research Center in Albany, Calif.

Applying N Midseason Based on Remote Sensing Information
In a field study conducted during the 2000 growing season, crop scientists at Utah State University and the University of Idaho concluded that satellite-based remote sensing was as accurate and cost effective as ground-based methods of nitrogen stress detection. In 2001, they worked with NASA and Idaho producer Duane Grant to test the timeliness of remote sensing at midseason. An image taken at wheat jointing quantified an N deficiency in the field.  N was applied to stressed areas of the field at heading. Post-harvest seed analysis showed that yield in areas of the field that received additional N was similar to other areas of the field, but the protein content in the stressed areas managed by remote sensing was 1.46% higher.

Intensive Wheat Yields Offset by Low Prices in Kentucky
A Wheat Science Group involving agronomists at the University of Kentucky began to educate area growers about intensive wheat production practices in the early 1980s.  Since then, the state’s average winter wheat yield has grown dramatically, from a five-year average (1980-1984) yield of 37.7 bu/acre to a five-year average (1997-2001) of 56.2 bu/acre, an increase of 18.5 bu/acre or 49%. However, the yield gain was offset by a lower price: the average wheat price over the five years from 1980-1984 was $3.42 per bushel, compared to $2.49 from 1997-2000, a decline of 27.4%. However, Kentucky Farm Business Management Program records for 2000 indicate that 18 farms in the Ohio Valley area of Kentucky were still able to generate a positive management return of $50.62 per acre with their wheat enterprise.

IP Grain Increases Logistical Costs
An analysis conducted by Shannon Schlecht, who conducted research at NDSU before becoming assistant director of U.S. Wheat Associates’ West Coast Office in Portland, revealed that logistical costs rise as more segregated wheat quality categories are added to the grain marketing system.  In addition, increasing uncertainty into the system raises logistical costs. Pipeline configuration also affects costs as the number of categories/storage bins present at the origination point may differ from the wheat categories demanded or the number of storage bins present at the export elevator. Adding genetically modified grains to the system will increase costs due to testing requirements and increased segregation demands as the number of wheat categories rises.

Evaluating Spring Wheat and Durum Quality
The USDA/ARS Hard Red Spring and Durum Wheat Quality Laboratory at NDSU in Fargo evaluates breeders’ experimental lines of spring wheat for milling and baking quality, and durum wheat for milling and pasta processing quality.  It also develops new and improved objective test methods to evaluate wheat quality, and investigates physical and biochemical components in wheat that impact end-use quality. According to Gary Hareland of the WQL, over 3,000 samples of wheat are evaluated each year there. These include early generation lines and commercial cultivars that have been grown in diverse environments, which can have a major impact on agronomic and end-use quality. Thus, only a small number of experimental lines are selected and released for commercial production in a given year.  In some cases, there is a trade-off between certain agronomic traits and end-use quality traits.

Positioning PNW Wheat for Greater Market Competitiveness
Unlike other wheat growing areas of the U.S. where only one or two wheat classes are grown, the Pacific Northwest (PNW) states of Washington, Idaho and Oregon produce five major distinct types of wheat (soft white winter, soft white club, soft white spring, hard red winter, hard red spring). In addition, growers in the PNW are experimenting with or producing increasing amounts of other types (hard white winter, hard white spring, soft white club, durum, spelt, waxy and specialty wheats).  The diversity of wheat types is a direct reflection of the great diversity of PNW environments and farming practices.  Precipitation, irrigation, winter temperature extremes, frost-free period, duration of snow cover, depth of soils, and altitude all influence the type of wheat grown by PNW producers.

Craig Morris, a crop scientist at the USDA/ARS Western Wheat Quality Lab in Pullman, Wash., says that in the last decade, several significant issues have emerged that are facing the PNW wheat region, and he has some suggestions for dealing with them.

What are the major wheat use requirements around the world, and how can breeding efforts be directed to meet them?
Morris: Clearly, the three biggest end-uses outside of the traditional western-style bread, cakes and cookies are flat breads, Asian steamed breads and Asian noodles.  Currently the U.S. is excluded from the two largest flat bread markets in the world, Iran and Iraq.  Consider this: these two countries alone represent approximately one-third of all Australian wheat exports. Steamed breads have their own unique quality requirements.  However, stronger gluten soft white wheats, soft white wheats blended with hard red wheats, and (probably) lower protein hard white wheats will perform best.  The vast majority of steamed breads are consumed in China, and obviously current trade restrictions will have to be eased further before the PNW can make serious inroads in this market.

When we think of Asian noodles, we should consider the similarities and differences of a cake doughnut and a bagel.  They may look the same, but to the consumer they are WAY different!  So it is with noodles.  One major category of noodles is Japanese Udon.  This noodle has a very unique texture and requires a very special type of wheat with a gene for increased starch swelling. Currently, this noodle is prepared preferentially from western Australia wheat. The U.S. has no market class to supply this end-use, which is on the order of 30 to 40 million bushels annually. This end-use could well be served through directed, coordinated breeding and marketing efforts.

Why are PNW hard red wheats perceived as inferior to those of the Great Plains? 
Morris: Analysis of this problem provides a dual explanation. One, production of hard red wheats, especially winter varieties, often is lower protein and two, the overall gluten strength and quality of PNW hard red wheats needs improving.

How can the industry maintain a robust research program and ensure long-term global competiveness?
Morris: Clearly, Australia is the model we are chasing.  The Aussies must be complimented for putting tremendous effort into understanding the technical needs of their customers, translating those needs into end-use quality breeding objectives, developing the tools for evaluating those quality traits, educating growers, and managing production and segregations. Lastly and most importantly, they deliver a consistent, high-quality product to their customers.  (Meanwhile,) all four (U.S.) federal wheat quality labs are currently facing dramatic fiscal challenges to their historic mission of leading the U.S. focus of breeding, producing, and understanding quality wheats.

Pre-harvest Grain Sampling for Early DON Detection
Deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination of grain because of Fusarium head blight (scab, FHB) is uneven from field to field and within a field. Widespread epidemics of FHB occurred in Michigan in 1996, 2000 and 2001.  The 1996 epidemic was severe, and no Michigan wheat (soft white) was used to process into products for human consumption. Although the 2000 FHB epidemic appeared to be mild, wheat processors (General Mills, Kelloggs, Jiffy Mix) indicated that 50% of the wheat they normally use from Michigan had to be imported because of high DON levels.  The high levels of DON were not consistent with scouting which indicated a low incidence and severity of FHB. In 2001, DON levels were lower than predicted from the incidence and severity of the FHB in the field, but still presented problems to processors because of the variability of DON in the delivered grain. Therefore, an important aspect of DON management is early detection and quantification. 

The poor correlation between FHB incidence and DON levels in Michigan wheat in 2000 and 2001 suggested a need to develop in-field sampling protocols to reliably estimate DON prior to harvest. Previous studies analyzing wheat collected immediately after harvest by using commercial probes to sample grain in trucks showed that increasing the number of probe samples increased the accuracy of the estimate of DON. A minimum of four individual probe samples per truck was recommended to accurately estimate truck levels of DON.  However, estimating DON levels pre-harvest has several advantages in light of: 1) most processors of white winter wheat have lowered the levels of DON they will accept in fresh grain from 3 ppm to 1.5 ppm and below, and 2) the length of time required to collect probe samples from trucks and analyze the grain after harvest. In-field sampling of wheat prior to harvest to determine levels of DON could gain wide acceptance.  Based on our preliminary studies, in-field sampling and testing of grain from pre-harvest wheat could provide information on DON levels that is useful to growers, elevators and millers.

– Patrick Hart, Department of Plant Pathology and the Center for Integrated Plant Systems, Michigan State University; Oliver Schabenberger, Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech University.