NDSU Releases Dapps, Hard Red Spring Wheat Variety

The North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station has announced the release of Dapps, a conventional-height hard red spring wheat variety. Dapps is available to North Dakota county crop improvement associations and the North Dakota Agricultural Association for increase during the 2003 growing season.

The variety is named after Bert D’Appolonia, professor emeritus of cereal science at North Dakota State University. D’Appolonia was and continues to be a strong proponent of high quality spring wheat. Dapps is best adapted to western North Dakota, where it is expected to replace Grandin and Amidon, according to Al Schneiter, chairman of the Department of Plant Sciences at NDSU.

Dapps resulted from a cross between Kitt, Amidon, Grandin and Stoa, says Mohamed Mergoum, NDSU’s hard red spring wheat breeder The initial crosses began in 1993.

An awned variety, Dapps has a maturity equal to Parshal and Russ, has better lodging resistance than Keene, Gunner and Parshall, Megoum says. Dapps protein content average is 1.2% greater than that of Parshall and 1.6% greater than Amidon. In addition, Dapps has a test weight equal to Amidon but lower than Parshall, and yield potential greater than Amidon but slightly less than Parshall.

Mergoum says Dapps’ milling and baking qualities are excellent. Dapps is susceptible to common root rot, moderately susceptible to Fusarium head blight (scab), but less resistant than Alsen. It is resistant to the Upper Midwest races of leaf rust and stem rust, and has good resistance to tan spot and septoria.