Preliminary 2005 North Dakota Hard Red Spring Wheat Variety Selection Guide

[ND Spring Wheat]  [ ND Durum]  [ND Barley/Oats]

Compiled by Dr. Joel K. Ransom, Extension Agronomist and Brian Sorenson, Extension Wheat Quality Specialist

Wheat varieties are tested each year at multiple sites throughout North Dakota. The relative performance of these varieties are shown in table form. Variety performance data are used to provide variety recommendations to producers.

Some varieties may not be included in the tables due to insufficient testing, lack of seed availability, or they offer no yield or disease advantage over similar varieties.  Additional data from county sites are available online at www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/aginfo/variety/index.htm and from each research and extension center. Descriptions of the most commonly grown varieties in the region are included for information purposes.  To decrease the potential of making errors when choosing a variety, it is best to use data combined from multiple locations and years.

Importance of  End-use Quality
Hard Red Spring wheat from the Northern Great Plains is known around the world for its excellent end-use quality.  Millers and bakers look at many factors in determining the quality and value of the wheat they purchase. Several key parameters are:  high test weight (for optimum milling yield and flour color), high falling number (>300 seconds indicates minimal sprout damage), high protein content (the majority of HRS export markets want at least 14% protein) and excellent protein quality (for superior bread making quality as indicated by traditional strong gluten proteins, high baking absorption and large bread loaf volume).

Millers and bakers are gaining a better understanding of their individual needs for consistent, high quality wheat and flour to succeed in a very competitive industry. Wheat buyers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their ability to test and source for quality.  The U.S. grain trade is receiving requests for adding functional performance specifications to purchase contracts, in an effort to obtain more consistent end-use performance.  The majority of HRS wheat buyers are looking for traditional strong gluten properties (Farinogram rating of 6-7); however, there are instances where processors are looking for specific quality parameters, providing marketing alternatives for the wheat you produce.

Instead of placing an overall quality factor on varieties, we ask that you take the time to look at the milling and baking performance data on tables 3 and 4, in addition to the agronomic data when you select your varieties.  Also, check with grain elevators in your area to see if there is a demand for specific HRS varieties or performance properties that would bring additional value to your crop.

2004 U.S. Grain Production Stats
All wheat production is estimated at 2.16 billion bushels in 2004, down 8% from 2003.

Total grain area is estimated at 50.2 million acres, down 5% from last year. The U.S. yield is estimated at 43.1 bushels per acre, down 1.1 bushels from a year ago. U.S. winter wheat production was estimated down 13% from last year, spring wheat up 8%, and durum down 6%.

U.S. oat production was estimated at 117 million bushels, down 19% from 2003, though record high yields are estimated in South Dakota and Washington. Harvested area was 1.81 million acres, the smallest acreage harvested for grain on record, continuing a steady downward trend.

U.S. barley production was estimated at 280 million bushels, up 1% from last year. Nationally, harvested area at 4.03 million acres is down 15% from 2003 and is the smallest since 1894. However, yield at 69.5 bushels/acre is a new record high, 7 bushels above the previous record of 62.5 bushels set in 1992.

USDA 2004 Small Grains Summary

Alsen Leads ND Wheat Acreage in ’04
For the third consecutive year, Alsen was the leading spring wheat variety in North Dakota with 28.9% of the planted acreage, according to the N.D. Ag Statistics Service. Reeder was second, Briggs and Knudson jumped from twelfth and fourteenth in 2003 to third and fifth, respectively. Parshall falls to fourth in 2004 from third last year. These top five varieties accounted for 63.6% of the planted acreage.

Lebsock and Mountrail were ranked first and second, respectively, in North Dakota durum planted acreage. Ben fell to third place after leading for five consecutive years.  These top three varieties made up 69.4% of the planted acreage.

Jerry has 28.3% of the 2004 winter wheat acreage in N.D., followed in order by Wesley, Ransom, Crimson, Elkhorn and Roughrider. These top six varieties were 64.8% of the planted acreage. This year there were more acres in North Dakota planted with winter wheat than in any year since 1990.

Spring Wheat Varieties: Percent of Total Planted - North Dakota, 2004

The Authors and Contributors
Information in these tables is based on research conducted by the following experiment station scientists, plant breeders, cereal chemists, and plant pathologists: B. Schatz – Carrington; S. Zwinger – Carrington; P. Carr – Dickinson; E. Eriksmoen – Hettinger; M. Halvorson – Minot; B. Hanson – Langdon; N. Riveland – Williston; T. Friesen – USDA; R. Stack - Plant Pathology; M. McMullen - Ext. Plant Pathology; M. Mergoum - HRSW Breeder; S. Ali - Plant Pathology; T. Olson - Cereal Science; J. Rasmussen - Plant Pathology

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Table 1. 2003 analytical milling and baking data from field plot variety trials at Carrington, Casselton, Dickinson, Langdon, Minot and Williston. Analyses Conducted at the NDSU Hard Red Spring Wheat Quality Laboratory

	Test	Protein	Vitreous	Falling	Farinogram*	Mixing	Baking	Loaf
Variety	Weight	(12% MB)	Kernels	Number	Classification	Tolerance	Absorption	Volume
	(lb/bu)	(%)	(%)	(seconds)	(1-8)	(minutes)	(%)	(cc)
Alsen	61.6	15.0	88	404	6.9	19.8	65.9	1089
Briggs	61.9	14.8	90	448	5.9	15.3	65.4	994
Dapps	60.7	16.3	93	409	7.1	20.7	66.5	1115
Granger	61.8	14.7	89	424	6.3	20.1	66.8	1031
Granite	63.2	16.0	90	345	7.4	17.3	65.3	1086
Gunner	62.1	15.7	91	454	6.3	16.7	65.4	1021
Hanna	61.6	14.5	89	422	7	22.3	64.0	1068
Ingot	63.1	14.8	83	439	6.3	17.9	64.2	1074
Keystone	61.9	14.1	72	414	6.3	19.4	63.0	1001
Knudson	61.4	14.0	74	428	7.1	22.9	64.0	1019
Norpro	60.4	14.6	89	438	5.6	15.4	66.1	1017
Oxen	60.8	14.5	85	418	7.1	23.2	64.6	1054
Parshall	61.9	14.8	94	400	6.7	22.6	65.8	1092
Reeder	60.7	14.6	91	407	6.1	17.6	65.5	1034
Russ	61.2	14.5	83	412	6.3	17.5	65.9	1032
Steele-ND	61.9	15.2	88	413	6.4	16.3	67.7	1086

* Scale 1 to 8 where 1= weak and 8= very strong dough mixing properties with 6 considered to be optimum for most end users.

Table 2. Analytical milling and baking data from field plot variety trials, average of 2002-2003.  Hard Red Spring Wheat Quality Laboratory, NDSU Department of Cereal and Food Sciences

Variety	Test Weight	Vitreous Kernels	Falling Number	Protein (14% MB)	Mix Tolerance	Farinogram* Classification	Baking Absorption	Loaf Volume
	(lb/bu)	(%)	(seconds)	(%)	(Min.)	(1-8)	(%)	(cc)
Alsen	60.7	83	393	15.6	22.6	7.0	66.6	1128
Briggs	60.4	80	443	15.3	17.6	6.1	65.8	1028
Granite	61.9	84	330	16.4	19.1	7.6	66.1	1104
Gunner	60.6	81	435	16.0	19.1	6.4	66.8	1059
Hanna	60.4	81	424	14.9	25.6	7.2	64.5	1112
Ingot	61.7	71	398	15.1	18.6	6.3	64.6	1123
Keystone	60.5	61	394	14.5	22.1	6.7	63.5	1032
Knudson	60.2	71	400	14.6	26.9	7.2	65.3	1050
Norpro	59.4	82	405	15.1	17.7	5.9	66.8	1065
Oxen	58.8	69	399	14.9	25.8	7.2	64.6	1102
Parshall	60.8	89	394	15.3	23.2	6.8	65.6	1150
Reeder	59.8	84	394	15.1	17.2	6.1	65.2	1079
Russ	59.3	74	399	14.8	19.6	6.6