Issue 32
November/
December 2000

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 Assocation.

Copyright Prairie
Grains Magazine
November/
December 2000

2000 Small Grain Variety Trial Results in North Dakota

Variety Selection Can Impact Markets

Small grain varieties are tested each year at North Dakota State University Research and Extension Centers. The relative performance of these varieties can be determined from the following tables.

Wheat agronomic and quality ratings are presented in Tables 1 and 2, while yield, protein and test weight data are presented in Tables 3 - 4. Durum agronomic and quality ratings are presented in Tables 5 and 6, with yield, protein and test weight presented in Tables 7-8.  Barley agronomic ratings are presented in Table 9 and yield, protein, test weight and plump data are presented in Table 10.

Successful wheat, durum and barley production depends on multiple factors including selecting the right variety for a particular area. The information included in this publication is meant to aid in selecting that variety or group of varieties. The data is only meant to make relative comparisons of performance among varieties.

Characteristics to evaluate in selecting a variety are: yield potential in your area; protein content when grown with proper fertility; straw strength and plant height; reaction to important diseases; and maturity.

When selecting a top yielding variety, it is best to use data that summarizes several years and locations. The notion that the single data set nearest your farm will indicate which variety will perform the best for you is incorrect. Choose the variety that on average performs the best at multiple locations near you over several years.

Variety selection not only impacts production, but in the long term can impact markets.  The collective variety choices of producers have as great an impact on quality conscience markets, particularly international ones, as any other single factor. Selecting varieties with good processing quality is essential to maintain market recognition.

The information included in the following tables was provided by the following NDSU and USDA researchers: Bliane Schatz, Bob Henson, Pat Carr, Eric Eriksmoen, Mark Halvorson, Bryan Hanson, Neil Riveland, Jim Miller, Robert Stack, Marcia McMullen, Richard Frohberg, Len Francl, Truman Olson, Jack Rasmussen, Rich Horsley, Jerry Franckowiak, Elias Elias, and Frank Manthy.

TABLE 1: 2001 North Dakota hard red spring wheat variety description table, agronomic traits.