MN Spring Wheat

By James Anderson and Jochum Wiersma

Results of the state yield trials are summarized in Tables 1 through 5. For the yield trials, the average yield of southern testing locations (St. Paul, Waseca, Lamberton and Morris) was 43 bu/ac in 2004. This compares to an average of 68 bu/ac in 2003 and a three-year average of 62 bu/ac.  The northern locations (Crookston, Stephen and Roseau) averaged 73 bu/ac in 2005 compared to 83 bu/ac last year and a three-year average of 76 bu/ac.

Tables 1, 2, and 3 present the relative grain yield of tested varieties in 1, 2, and 3-year comparisons. Across all locations, Mercury and Granger were the highest yielding cultivars this past year. In the two and the three-year comparisons, both varieties also were among the top yielding cultivars in both the northern as well as southern locations. Knudson continues to do well in both single year as well as multiple year comparisons across the southern locations as did Walworth.

Table 1.  Relative grain yield of Hard Red Spring Wheat varieties in southern MN locations in single year (2005) and multiple year comparisons (2003-2005).

Lamberton   Morris   St. Paul   Waseca Variety 1 yr. 2 yr. 3 yr.   1 yr. 2 yr. 3 yr.   1 yr. 2 yr. 3 yr.   1 yr. 2 yr. 3 yr.   ----------------------------------------------------------------%---------------------------------------------------------------------- Oklee 117 106 103   99 103 97   95 99 94   126 114 110 Glenn 91 89 -   87 95 -   123 113 -   119 104 - Ulen 115 109 104   101 102 101   114 121 112   131 127 120 Trooper 71 81 -   112 98     102 116 -   79 83   Briggs 118 108 104   118 113 105   105 101 99   109 105 102 Walworth 110 106 102   116 98 102   111 107 108   119 113 108 Banton 112 100 -   107 106 -   102 105 -   102 93 - Granger 122 115 110   105 107 102   95 96 97   155 123 118 Dapps 127 117 107   93 99 94   109 104 101   104 106 102 Oxen 76 81 91   78 86 96   70 89 97   103 100 103 Express 117 - -   104 - -   119 - -   74 - - Steele-ND 126 113 109   98 99 99   131 126 115   126 119 112 Reeder 59 75 85   78 92 98   108 111 110   84 91 93 Mercury 152 133 123   152 132 126   126 131 123   128 126 119 Parshall 84 74 75   90 87 88   95 105 106   97 86 90 Alsen 84 89 91   104 101 97   100 93 94   92 91 89 Knudson 89 102 106   113 115 111   127 116 114   101 111 111 Freyr 122 115 -   109 108 -   89 96 -   101 101 - Hanna 103 107 98   96 92 93   62 70 79   86 80 84 Norpro 82 95 101   100 97 98   66 70 82   92 98 99 Granite 120 116 118   101 99 103   93 95 96   90 94 97 Marshall 36 57 69   48 59 73   46 45 60   30 47 61 Saturn 112 102 -   101 101 -   121 125 -   9 102 - Polaris 59 78 -   85 97 -   99 102 -   70 81 - Mean (bu/A) 35.8 45.4 47.2   43.6 63.3 68.2   51.0 58.9 67.8   39.8 52.9 65.0 LSD (0.05) 31.0       23.7       18.7       23.9

Table 2. Relative grain yield of Hard Red Spring Wheat varieties in northern MN locations in single year (2005) and multiple year comparisons (2003-2005).

Crookston Roseau Stephen On-Farm Variety 1yr. 2 yr. 3 yr. 2 yr.1 1 yr. 2 yr. 3 yr. 1 yr. 2 yr. 3 yr.   -----------------------------------%--------------------------------------------------------- Oklee 109 103 101 99 99 101 99 108 99 103 Glenn 103 101 - 104 109 102 - 109 - - Ulen 98 93 99 108 87 91 92 109 102 105 Trooper 95 100   - 101 106 - 105 103 - Brigg 97 97 95 110 92 97 100 104 100 - Walworth 98 100 98 101 115 108 103 112 101 103 Banton 95 100 - - 100 101 - 94 - - Granger 117 99 95 97 116 110 106 110 108 - Dapps 96 95 96 100 93 90 93 97 91 - Oxen 100 92 92 103 106 100 99 98 98 104 Express 82 - - - 84 - - 98 - - Steele-ND 100 95 97 99 95 99 103 106 99 - Reeder 82 85 87 102 87 93 97 94 96 99 Mercury 96 97 99 109 111 110 105 111 104 105 Parshall 86 84 89 98 86 88 87 89 88 92 Alsen 98 101 98 96 91 92 94 99 97 98 Knudson 115 115 111 98 111 105 105 114 106 107 Frey 111 106 - 94 119 101 - 114 102 - Hanna 104 102 101 94 95 97 99 97 95 97 Norpro 101 101 98 96 96 98 101 93 97 100 Granite 109 110 105 98 101 96 98 83 93 96 Marshall 91 89 92 88 75 85 92 - - - Saturn 112 104 - - 94 100 - 106 - - Polaris 123 115 - - 138 121 - 109 107 - Mean (bu/A) 62.3 74.5 77.3 74.6 83.3 77.4 76.5 60.3 78.1 79.0 LSD (0.05) 11.7       17.7     15.5 7.3 6.0

                    ¹Roseau was abandoned in 2005 due to flooding, 2 year data is 2003 and 2004.

Table 3. Relative grain yield of Hard Red Spring Wheat varieties in MN in single year (2005) and multiple year comparisons (2003-2005).

Variety State North1 South2 1 yr 2 yr 3 yr 1 yr 2 yr 3 yr 1 yr 2 yr 3 yr   --------------------------------- % ------------------------------- # of Env. 6 14 20 2 5 8 4 8 12 Oklee 108 104 101 104 102 100 109 106 101 Glenn 105 101 - 106 102 - 105 100 - Ulen 108 108 105 92 97 99 115 115 110 Trooper 94 96 - 98 98 - 91 95   Briggs 107 104 102 94 100 101 113 107 102 Walworth 111 105 103 107 103 101 114 106 105 Banton 103 100 - 97 99 - 105 101 - Granger 118 108 104 116 103 100 119 111 107 Dapps 103 102 99 94 95 96 108 106 101 Oxen 89 92 97 103 98 98 82 89 96 Express 97 - - 83 - - 104 - - Steele-ND 112 108 105 97 97 100 120 114 109 Reeder 83 92 96 84 92 95 82 92 97 Mercury 127 121 115 10 106 104 139 131 123 Parshall 90 88 90 86 89 90 92 88 90 Alsen 95 95 94 94 97 96 95 93 93 Knudson 109 109 109 113 106 106 107 111 110 Freyr 108 104 - 115 101 - 105 105   Hanna 91 92 92 100 98 98 87 87 88 Norpro 90 93 96 99 99 99 85 90 95 Granite 102 102 102 105 105 101 101 101 103 Marshall 54 65 76 83 85 91 40 52 66 Saturn 106 105 - 103 102 - 108 107 - Polaris 96 99 - 131 114 - 78 89 - Mean (bu/A) 51.9 64.2 67.8 72.8 78.6 76.3 42.5 55.1 62.1

                                                 ¹ Data from Crookson, Roseau, and Stephen, except 2005 Roseau is not included due to flooding.
                         ² Data from Lamberton, Morris, St. Paul and Waseca.

Table 4. Agronomic characteristics of Hard Red Spring Wheat varieties in MN in single year (2005) comparisons and multiple year comparisons (2004-2005).

Variety	Days to Heading1	Plant Height	Straw Strength2	Pre-harvest Sprouting	Test Weight 1 yr.            2 yr.		Protein 3 1 yr.          2 yr.		Baking Quality4	Falling Number5
	- days -	- inches -			---- lbs/bu ----		------ % ------
Oklee	64	32	medium	R	59.8	60.4	15.2	15.0	low-med.	6,0,0,1
Glenn	64	35	strong	R	61.5	62.0	15.9	15.5	–	–
Ulen	64	33	medium	MS	58.5	59.3	15.2	15.0	med.	6,1,0,0
Trooper	65	30	v. strong	R	59.9	59.9	14.4	14.1	–	–
Briggs	65	34	medium	R	59.5	60.1	14.9	14.8	med.	5,1,1,0
Walworth	65	34	medium	R	58.1	58.4	14.8	14.6	med.-high	6,1,0,0
Banton	65	34	strong	–	60.9	60.9	14.6	14.6	–	6,0,0,1
Granger	65	36	medium	MR	59.2	59.6	14.8	14.7	–	4,3,0,0
Dapps	66	37	medium	R	57.6	58.8	16.3	16.0	high	4,2,1,0
Oxen	66	28	m. strong	R	55.6	56.7	14.6	14.5	high-med.	5,2,0,0
Express	66	28	v. strong	–	55.4		14.7		–	–
Steele-ND	66	33	medium	R	59.8	60.6	15.4	15.3	–	7,0,0,0
Reeder	66	32	strong	R	56.7	58.3	14.0	14.2	med.-high	7,0,0,0
Mercury	66	29	strong	MS	57.5	58.6	14.7	14.2	med.	4,2,1,0
Parshall	67	36	strong	R	60.2	60.7	14.9	14.7	high-med.	7,0,0,0
Alsen	67	33	strong	R	59.7	60.1	15.4	15.1	high	7,0,0,0
Knudson	67	28	m. strong	R	59.1	59.5	14.5	14.3	med.-high	5,2,0,0
Freyr	67	33	medium	R	58.5	58.8	14.9	14.7	–	–
Hanna	68	37	m. strong	R	58.8	59.5	14.9	14.7	high	5,2,0,0
Norpro	69	30	strong	R	56.8	57.5	14.8	14.5	med.	6,0,1,0
Granite	69	32	v. strong	R	60.4	61.1	15.4	15.4	med.-low	3,3,1,0
Marshall	71	31	strong	R	54.8	55.9	14.1	13.9	low	5,2,0,0
Saturn	72	35	v. strong	R	55.5	56.2	15.4	15.2	–	–
Polaris	73	34	v. strong	R	57.2	58.0	13.9	13.6	–	–
Mean	67				58.7	59.2	14.4	14.7

¹ 2005 data. Days to heading is approximate because not all locations are included.
² 2002-2005 data.
³ 12% moisture basis      
4   2001-2003.
⁵ Falling Number is the number of trials in which the variety had falling numbers greater than 400, 350-400, 300-350, and less than 250.  Based on 7 environments in 2003 and 2004. A variety that had falling numbers of greater than 400 in all 7 environments (i.e. 7,0,0,0) is best.

Varietal characteristics are presented in Tables 4 and 5.  As 2005 demonstrated, genetic resistance to FHB remains an important consideration. Varieties that are rated moderately resistant to the disease include Alsen, Freyr, and Hanna. FHB ratings for Glenn , the 2005 release of NDSU, have not been completed yet. The variety is expected to rate equal to or better than Alsen. 

Changes in leaf rust virulence continue and a number of well known varieties that were previously rated as moderately resistant or resistant have been downgraded to susceptible or moderately susceptible. Carefully consider a variety’s rating to leaf and stripe rust, and plan to use a fungicide if a variety is rated moderately susceptible or susceptible to either leaf rust or stripe rust and disease levels warrant treatment.  Varieties rated moderately resistant or better should not experience economic levels of damage to either of these two fungi in most years. 

The foliar disease rating represents the total complex of leaf diseases other than leaf rust, and includes the Septoria complex 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.

A falling number rating was added to the descriptors of agronomic characteristics (Table 4). The rating describes the number of trials in which the variety had falling numbers greater than 400, 350-400, 300-350, and less than 250. At this time, data from the 7 environments grown in 2003 and 2004 is included and a variety that had falling numbers of greater than 400 in all 7 environments (i.e. 7,0,0,0) is best. Granite has lower falling numbers than the average HRSW. This significantly increases the risk that the variety drops below the market’s lower limit of 300 seconds.

New releases in 2005 were Banton, Glenn, Polaris, and Ulen. Leading varieties in Minnesota, based on acres planted, include Oxen, Knudson, Oklee, Granite, and Briggs. Both the performance and dominance of Oxen declined in 2005.  The variety’s problems with leaf rust are key to this decline.

Variety selection for 2006 continues to be a balance between yield potential, disease responses, and grain quality.  Alsen and Freyr are proven varieties that provide the best available genetic resistance to FHB and should be considered as hedges against this disease.  Mercury maintains its ranking as one of the highest yielding HRSW varieties in the state. However, Mercury’s very poor rating for FHB makes this variety too risky for Minnesota producers. Knudson also continues to impress as a high yielding HRSW across the state. HRSW wheat varieties that balance yield potential, grain protein content and other agronomics considerations such as straw strength include Oklee, Briggs, and Steele-ND.

Granite, Trooper, Polaris, and Saturn continue to impress with their straw strength. However, Polaris and Saturn are very late maturing varieties. This late maturity can create problems with grain fill as the yield data from Lamberton and Waseca illustrates.  Especially Polaris and Saturn should be considered only for the northern part of the state.