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 Spring Wheat Variety

Trial Results in Minnesota

Ivan, Oxen, Russ among top yielders

By James Anderson, Robert Busch, Jochum Wiersma, Don McVey, R. Dill-Macky

Results of spring wheat yield trials in Minnesota for 2000 are summarized in Tables 1, 2, and 3.  In addition to the state yield trials, the results of the Red River On-Farm Yield Trials are also included.

The yields are reported as a percentage of the mean, with overall mean listed below.  The reason for this is twofold. First, it allows for better comparison over years, especially if the years differ greatly. Secondly, as a producer you pick varieties based on their relative performance, as you are well aware that the yields you will have with a particular variety are generally below the yields reported in the trials.

For the yield trials, the average yield of southern testing locations (St. Paul, Waseca, Lamberton and Morris) was 57 bu/ac in 2000. This compares to an average of 49 bu/ac in 1999 and a three-year average of 51 bu/ac. The northern locations (Crookston, Stephen and Roseau) averaged 59 bu/ac in 2000 compared to 45 bushels last year and a three-year average of 53 bu/ac.

Table 1 presents the average grain yield for the combined locations in the north, south, and the whole state for both 2000 and the three-year averages. The varieties are ranked by maturity, not yield. In this year's yield trials, Oxen, Alsen, and Mercury were among the highest yielding varieties across the southern locations. The three-year average (1998-2000) of the southern locations indicates that Oxen, Russ, and Ivan are high yielding varieties.

Mercury was the highest yielding variety across the northern locations for 2000, with Ivan the top yielder over the three-year average. Results of the Red River On-Farm Yield Trials largely support the results of the northern locations yield trials.

Grain yield is an important economic trait, but return per acre is also a function of the grain quality of the bushels produced. Scab can reduce grain quality and yield dramatically, and thus is an important consideration.

Varietal characteristics are presented in Table 2 and 3. Most values are three-year (1998-2000) averages.

The foliar disease rating is based on data from both North Dakota State University trials and the University of Minnesota trials. The rating represents the total complex of leaf diseases, including Septoria and tan spot. Although varieties may differ for their response to each of those diseases, the rating does not differentiate among them. Therefore, the rating should be used as a general indication and only for varietal selection in areas where these diseases historically have been a problem, or if the previous crop is wheat or barley. Control of leaf diseases with fungicides may be warranted, even for those varieties with an above average rating.

The varietal response to scab is presented as a severity rating similar to the rating for leaf and stem rust. The resistance to spread in the head is presented for this severity rating, and is one of the resistance mechanisms to the disease. In addition, a second rating is provided to characterize the ability of a variety to maintain sound, plump kernels despite visual disease symptoms on the head.  This ability to maintain sound kernels and thus test weight is another component to resistance.

2001 varietal selection
Variety selection for 2001 remains a balance among yield potential, disease responses, and grain quality.  Leading varieties in Minnesota are Oxen, Russ, and Gunner.  P2375 no longer is the predominant spring wheat variety in this region.  New releases for this year include both public and private varieties. Public varieties released include Alsen from NDSU. AgriPro released NorPro. Cropland Genetics became the representative for McKenzie. NorthStar Genetics markets Dandy, Mercury and Aurora in Minnesota.

Of the recent releases, Ivan continues to impress with a high yield potential across the whole region. HJ98, Verde, Russ, and Oxen remain stable, high-yielding varieties. McVey, after a difficult first year in 1999, yielded very well in 2000. Both test weight and grain protein were not high but certainly acceptable.  McVey remains a variety that is best suited for the most northern part of the spring wheat region. Alsen, NDSU's first release with a Chinese source of resistance to scab in its pedigree, did very well in the southern locations but fell behind in yield in both the northern locations of the state yield trials, as well as the Red River On-Farm Yield Trials. 

James Anderson and Robert Busch are wheat breeders at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul. Jochum Wiersma is small grains specialist at the Northwest Research and Outreach Center, Crookston. Don McVey and Ruth Dill-Macky are plant pathologists at the UM, St. Paul. Gary Linkert, Gregg Johnson, Elizabeth Dyck, George Nelson, and John Wiersma supervised fieldwork at the various variety test sites. Special thanks to all the producer cooperators.

The 2000 Minnesota variety trials are supported in part by the Minnesota wheat checkoff, managed by the Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council.

TABLE1: Characteristics of Hard Red Spring Wheat Varieties

TABLE 2: Disease Reactions of Hard Red Spring Wheat Varieties.

  

			Other	Scab	Scab
	Leaf	Stem	Leaf	Disease	Grain
Variety	Rust1	Rust1	Diseases1	Severity1	Soundness2
BacUp	MS	R	S	MR	1.5
Forge	MS	R	MS	MR-MS	2.5
Ingot	MS	R	MS	MR-MS	2.0
Oxen	MR	R	MS	MS	3.0
2375	MS	R	S	MR-MS	2.5
Alsen3	R	R	–	MR	1.5
Argent	MR-MS	R	MS	MS-MR	3.5
Dandy3	MS	R	–	MS	3.0
Ember4	MS	R	MS	MR	2.5
McKenzie3	R	R	–	MS	2.5
Mercury	MR	R	MR	S	5.0
Parshall	MR-MS	R	MR-R	MR-MS	2.0
Reeder4	MR-MS	R	MR-R	MS	3.5
Russ	MR	R	MS	MS	3.0
HJ98	MR	R	MS	MS	3.0
AC Barrie	MS	R	MS	MS-MR	2.5
Aurora4	MR-MS	R	–	S	5.0
Norm	R	R	MR-R	S	5.0
NorPro4	MR	R	MR-R	MS-S	3.5
Verde	MR-MS	R	MR-R	MS	3.5
Ivan	MR	R	MR-R	S-MS	4.0
Marshall	MS	R	MS	MS	3.5
McVey	MS	R	MS	MR	2.5
Gunner	MS	R	MR	MR-MS	2.5

¹R = resistant, MR = moderately resistant, MS = moderately susceptible,
S = susceptible.
²Ability to maintain plump, sound kernels under scab epidemics. 1=good, 5=poor.
³2000 data only

TABLE 3: Grain Yield of Hard Red Spring Wheat Varieties in MN ¹

Variety2 State State North North South South On Farm On Farm   2000 1998- 2000 2000 1998- 2000 2000 1998- 2000 2000 1998- 2000 BacUp 67 73 65 75 69 72 — — Forge 96 95 93 94 98 96 96 101 Ingot 98 103 94 96 101 108 99 105 Oxen 110 113 105 110 114 115 102 113 2375 101 103 103 109 99 98 98 104 Alsen 103 — 94 — 110 — 92 — Argent 94 96 92 90 96 99 89 — Dandy