SDSU 2005 Small Grain Variety Performance Results, Variety Recommendations for 2006

South Dakota State University has released its small grain variety trial performance results for 2005, top performers over the past three years, and  recommended varieties for planting in 2006.

Agronomic performance of all the small crops in 2005 was lower than for 2004, note the authors of this year’s report. Yield averages were generally the results of either low rainfall/poorly distributed rainfall or the result of the many small grain diseases that were present this year.

Wheat in South Dakota was affected by Fusarium head blight (scab), stripe rust, leaf rust, and bacterial leaf blight. Oats had no major disease problems, and yield reductions were likely the result of either seasonal moisture distribution or high temperatures during grain fill. Barley was affected to some degree by bacterial blight, and field peas were affected to some degree by either inadequate seasonal moisture or powdery mildew.

SDSU’s varietal recommendations vary from one crop adaptation area to another, based on soil type, elevation, temperature, and rainfall. Varieties are also recommended on the basis of growing season, average rainfall, disease frequency, and farming practices common to a crop adaptation area.

Varieties exhibiting a high level of agronomic performance are listed as “Recommended.”  Varieties listed as “Acceptable/Promising” have performed well, but do not merit the “Recommended” list or are new varieties with high performance potential but have not yet achieved three-years of performance data for evaluation. A variety needs two years and six location-years in the SDSU crop performance test trials and/or regional nurseries before it is eligible for the “Acceptable/Promising” list.

The SDSU performance results rate varieties with a high top yield percentage: these are varieties evaluated which have the ability to adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions across many locations in the state. In contrast, varieties with a low top yield percentage typically adapt to a narrow range of environments.  S.D. producers should look for varieties with a relatively high top-yield percentage of 50% or higher if possible.

Hard Red Spring Wheat
The top performing entries for yield for the past 3 years (2003-05) by variety and top yield frequency were Briggs, Granger, Steele-ND, and Knudson at 100%; Norpro at 88%;Walworth, Forge, Ulen, Oxen, and Alsen at 75%, Oklee at 63%, and Dapps at 50% of all test locations.

Top-performing entries for yield in 2005 were the varieties or experimental lines SD 3868 at 88%; SD 3687 at 75%; SD 3851 and SD3860 at 50%; Briggs, Granger, Steele-ND, SD 3854, SD 3870, Freyr, and MN 00261-4 at 38% of the test locations.

The top bushel weight entries (based on statewide averages) included SD 3851 at 61 lb; and Banton, MN 00261-4, Oklee, and Ingot at 60 lb for year 2005.

The check variety Chris (37 inches) tended to be the tallest variety across all locations in 2005 followed by the entries Ingot, SD 3870, Granger, SD 3875, SD 3897, and Dapps at 35 inches tall in 2005.

The top protein entries on a statewide average included Granite and Dapps at 16.3% protein content.

Recommended in 2006: Briggs, Forge, Granger, Knudson, Russ, and Steele-ND statewide.

Acceptable/Promising: Alsen and Norpro in the northern one-third of the state (roughly north of Hwy 212); Oxen statewide; Reeder in the western half of the state.

Barley
Top performing entries for yield for the past 3 years (2003-05) by variety and top-yield frequency were Eslick at 100%; Haxby at 86%; Excel and Valier at 71%; Lacey at 57%; and Conlon at 43%. This means these varieties exhibited very good yield stability or the ability to adapt to a wide range of production environments by being in the top-performance group for yield at more than 43% of the test locations during the past 3-year period.

The top-performing entries for yield in 2005 were Eslick, Haxby, and Tradition at 71%; and Lacey at 57% of the test locations. The two-row varieties Haxby, Valier, and Conlon tested 1 to 3 lb higher in bushel weight than the other varieties across locations. In contrast, the varieties Excel, Stellar-ND, and Legacy exhibited the lowest bushel weight averages across the state.

Robust, Tradition, Drummond, and Legacy tended to be the tallest varieties across all locations statewide. The lodging scores for Haxby and Conlon were higher than for the other entries tested in 2005.

Grain protein content ranged from only about 14 to 15% on a statewide basis. However, at the East River locations, protein ranged 1% from about 12.7 to 13.7%; while at the West River locations protein levels were higher and ranged from about 16.6 to 18.2%.

Recommended in 2006: Eslick and Haxby as feed varieties in the western half of S.D.  Lacey, statewide. Excel statewide except in the south and southeast.

Acceptable/Promising: Drummond statewide; Conlon statewide except east and south; Robust except south and southeast; Tradition statewide; Valier west for feed.

Oats
Recommended in 2006: Jerry and Reeves, statewide.  Don is recommended statewide, except in the east. Loyal is recommended statewide, except in southeast and southern S.D.

Acceptable/Promising:

Buff (hull-less) statewide; Morton and HiFi north of Hwy 212.

SDSU varietal trial results compiled by Robert G. Hall, extension agronomist; John Rickertsen, research associate; Kevin K. Kirby, agricultural research manager; Bruce Swan, senior agricultural research technician; Glenda Piechowski, agricultural research specialist.

The SDSU publication (EC 774) Small Grains 2006 Variety Recommendations and 2005 Crop Performance Results has more comprehensive information, including winter wheat and pea data. It is available on the Internet at http://agbiopubs.sdstate.edu/articles/EC774-06.pdf or http://plantsci.sdstate.edu/varietytrials/vartrial.html

Tips on Analyzing Variety Performance Information

• Always compare yields from the same period of time. Compare one-year yields with other one-year yields and three-year yields with other three-year yields. Don’t compare a one-year average with a three-year average.
• Before evaluating any data at a location, determine whether the data are valid. The coefficients of variation (CV) value often listed at the bottom of a table is a measure of experimental error. Yield tests with a CV of 20% or more contain higher amounts of experimental error than tests with a CV of 10% or less.
• Use the test least-significant-difference (LSD) value to evaluate yield differences between varieties. The LSD value indicates whether one variety really out-yields another. If a yield difference between two varieties is greater than the LSD value, the varieties differ in yield. If the yield difference is equal to or less than the LSD value, the varieties do not statistically differ in yield.
• Sometimes a LSD value is not given and a designation such as $$ or N/A is listed. This indicates yield differences were not significant (NS) or yield differences could not be detected.
• When evaluating yields, remember that environmental conditions at a test location seldom repeat themselves from year to year. Therefore, look at as much yield data from as many trial locations and years as possible.
• Look at the performance or yield stability of a variety over several locations. A simple way of evaluating yield stability is to see how often a variety is in the top yield group over all test locations, giving the most credence to performance data in your growing area.

Table 1. Origin, variety traits, and disease reactions for hard red spring wheat entries tested by SDSU in 2005.

		Traits			Disease Reactions
					Rust+
Variety	Origin	Heading*	Lodging Res.#	Stripe	Stem	Leaf	FHB+	PVP Status**
Forge	SD-97	-1	G	MS	MR	MS	MS ~	Yes
Ingot	SD-98	-1	G	MR	R	MS	M ~	Yes
Trooper	WPB-04	-1	G	MS	R	MR	MS ~	Yes
Briggs	SD-02	0	G	MR	R	MR	M ~	Yes
Granger	SD-04	0	G	MR	R	MR	M ~	Yes
Walworth	SD-01	0	G	S	R	MS	M ~	Yes
Banton	SS-04	1	VG	-	-	MR	-	***
Freyr	AW-05	1	G	R	MR	MR	MR ~	Yes
Dapps	ND-03	2	VG	MR	R	MR	MS	Yes
Knudson	AW-01	2	G	MS	R	MR	MS ~	Yes
Oklee	MN-03	2	-	R	R	MR	MR	***
Oxen	SD-96	2	G	MR	R	MS	MS ~	Yes
Russ	SD-95	2	G	MR	R	MS	MS ~	Yes
Ulen	MN-04	2	G	-	R	MR	MS	-
Chris, CK	MN-65	3	P	-	R	MS	S	No
Glenn	ND-05	3	G	MR	R	R	MR ~	***
Norpro	AW-00	3	VG	MR	R	MR	MS	Yes
Reeder	ND-99	3	VG	MR	R	MS	MS ~	Yes
Steele-ND	ND-04	3	G	MR	MR	R	MR ~	Yes
Alsen	ND-00	4	G	R	R	MS	MR ~	Yes
Dandy	NSG-99	5	VG	MR	-	S	MS	Yes
Granite	WPB-02	5	G	MS	MS	S	S ~	Yes
Mercury	NSG-99	5	VG	-	R	MS	S	Yes
Express	WPB-88	-	G	MR	R	MS	-	Yes
* Heading, the relative difference in days to heading, compared to Briggs. # E= excellent, G=good, VG = very good, F = fair, P = poor. + R = resistant, MR = moderately resist., MS = mod. susceptible, S = susc., VS = very susc. ~ Indicates variety exhibits a consistent tolerance to head blight in grain yield and quality. ** Plant variety protection (PVP), title V, certification option – to be sold by variety name only as a class of certified seed. *** PVP application pending or anticipated

Table 2. South Dakota hard red spring yield trials, 2003 - 2005.

Variety (hdg.)* - by 3-Yr then year 2005 state yield averages	East River Yield Averages (Bu/A)2		West River Yield Averages (Bu/A)1		State Yield Averages (Bu/A)		State Top-Yield Frequency**(%)
	2005	3 Yr.	2005	3 Yr.	2005	3 Yr.	2005	3 Yr.
Briggs (0)	52	56	30	36	46	51	38	100
Granger (0)	52	55	33	37	47	50	38	100
Steele-ND (3)	51	55	31	37	46	50	38	100
Knudson (2)	50	54	29	33	44	49	25	100
Walworth (0)	46	52	29	36	42	48	13	75
Forge (-1)	46	51	31	38	42	48	25	75
Russ (2)	47	52	28	36	42	48	13	100
Ulen (2)	45	51	29	33	41	47	13	75
Norpro (3)	47	51	22	34	40	47	13	88
Oxen (2)	43	50	30	36	40	47	25