DGP to Release Two New Durum Varieties in ’05

Dakota Growers Pasta Co. Inc., Carrington, N.D., has been working in cooperation with WestBred LLC over the past six years on durum variety development for scab-impacted areas of N.D. 

Bozeman, Mont.-based WestBred is a joint venture between Western Plant Breeders Inc. and Goertzen Seed Research Inc., a subsidiary of Cargill.  Greg Fox, Fargo, is WestBred’s wheat breeder for the Minnesota/Dakotas region.

Brad Miller, research agronomist with the Dakota Growers Pasta, says that the company will release two durum varieties in 2005.

Primo D’oro, with the lowest total kernel damage scores over the last 6 years, is a competitive yielding, strong gluten durum with average standability; about like Rugby. Due to it’s height, it is best suited for western North Dakota.

WPB 801-706 (will be formally named by 2005) is a high yielding variety under intensive management in scab-impacted areas. It is a strong gluten type with good standability and scab damage levels similar to Rugby, but much improved under management.

Comparative variety performance trials are summarized in the following tables.  For more detailed variety information over years and locations or for seed inquiries of either of these varieties, contact Miller by email, bmiller@dakotagrowers.com.

Table 1. Yield (bushels per acre) of Durum Varieties at 3 Locations in Eastern North Dakota, 2002-2004

	Carrington		Langdon		Leeds
Variety	2004	3 yr. Avg.	2004	3 yr. Avg.	2004	3 yr. Avg.
Primo Doro	65.4	60.3	54.8	59.6	82.9	66.8
WPB 801-706	89.7	71.4	60.2	67.3	95.5	69.5
Avonlea	70.6	59.6	60.1	60.3	86.9	68.7
Ben	76.9	62.2	55.4	63.0	83.5	64.8
Belzer	75.1	61.6	62.9	63.2	85.2	66.5
Lebsock	98.3	72.1	48.1	60.4	94.2	73.0
Monroe	57.8	52.8	61.5	60.6	82.4	59.1
Mountrail	93.9	66.5	64.6	66.6	95.9	69.4
Rugby	70.9	61.4	54.4	59.1	83.4	67.6
Pierce	78.8	65.4	55.5	62.2	87.5	69.5
Dilse	70.7	62.2	52.6	57.3	92.2	67.1

Table 2. Yield (bushels per acre) of Durum Varieties at 3 Locations in Western North Dakota, 2002-2004.

	Westhope		Garrison		Ross
Variety	2004	3 yr. Avg.	2004	3 yr. Avg.	2003	2 yr. Avg.
Primo Doro	87.7	60.1	42.9	47.6	59.2	50.8
WPB 801-706	87.3	57.6	48.5	44.2	56.2	43.7
Avonlea	88.3	59.7	48.2	50.3	60.2	47.6
Ben	91.5	63.1	51.5	47.7	50.7	42.0
Belzer	80.8	57.7	48.2	47.5	56.3	44.2
Lebsock	86.7	59.7	51.7	50.0	54.8	45.6
Monroe	85.6	58.8	46.8	44.4	56.3	45.5
Mountrail	92.2	62.1	47.9	47.6	63.1	47.9
Rugby	85.6	58.5	46.4	46.6	57.0	47.2
Pierce	89.8	60.6	51.0	51.0	56.7	43.5
Dilse	87.4	59.4	48.4	48.5	54.9	46.1

Table 3. Test Weight (pounds per bushel) of Durum Varieties at 3 Locations in Eastern North Dakota, 2002-2004.

	Carrington		Langdon		Leeds
Variety	2004	3 yr. Avg.	2004	3 yr. Avg.	2004	3 yr. Avg.
Primo Doro	56.1	58.9	60.5	60.4	62.6	59.4
WPB 801-706	58.8	58.3	59.9	60.3	62.9	59.1
Avonlea	55.2	55.0	58.4	58.8	60.2	57.7
Ben	58.0	58.2	60.6	60.1	62.2	59.3
Belzer	54.7	56.2	56.9	57.8	59.7	57.3
Lebsock	59.4	59.0	60.9	60.4	61.9	59.8
Monroe	54.3	56.3	59.6	59.0	61.0	56.7
Mountrail	57.2	56.0	58.9	59.4	60.6	57.5
Rugby	56.6	58.0	60.3	59.8	61.1	59.3
Pierce	58.1	58.6	60.5	60.1	61.9	59.7
Dilse	55.8	57.2	59.9	59.1	60.2	57.9

Table 4. Test Weight (pounds per bushel) of Durum Varieties at 3 Locations in Western North Dakota, 2002-2004.

	Westhope		Garrison		Ross
Variety	2004	3 yr. Avg.	2004	3 yr. Avg.	2003	2 yr. Avg.
Primo Doro	61.4	61.2	60.7	61.2	63.2	62.0
WPB 801-706	61.8	61.0	60.9	60.4	62.8	61.7
Avonlea	60.0	59.9	59.9	60.3	61.0	60.2
Ben	61.3	60.7	61.1	61.3	62.8	61.3
Belzer	58.6	59.1	58.2	58.9	61.1	60.1
Lebsock	61.5	61.1	61.1	61.6	63.1	61.5
Monroe	60.4	59.7	60.4	60.0	61.7	60.3
Mountrail	59.8	59.5	59.6	59.6	61.8	60.5
Rugby	61.4	61.1	60.7	60.8	62.7	61.5