SDSU 2006 Small Grain
Variety Performance Results

Variety Recommendations for 2007

South Dakota State University has released its small grain variety trial performance results for 2006, top performers over the past three years, and  recommended varieties for planting in 2007.

The report is compiled by Robert G. Hall, extension agronomist; John Rickertsen, research associate; Kevin K. Kirby, agricultural research manager; and Bruce Swan, senior agricultural research technician.

They note that agronomic performance of all small grain crops in 2006 was quite variable in S.D., as the result of different moisture levels across the state.  In fact, some small grain test trials were abandoned as the result of drought, poor stands, or other factors; or the data was dropped because too much experimental error was associated with the test trial for the data to be valid.

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.

Spring Wheat
Top entries for yield for the past 3 years (2004–06) by variety or experimental line and top yield frequency were SD 3868 at 100%; Briggs, Granger, and Traverse at 86%; Steele-ND at 71%; Freyr and SD 3860 at 57%; and Forge, Knudson, Oxen, and Reeder at 43%. This means these entries 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 yield frequency entries for yield in 2006 included SD 3868, SD 3942, and Traverse at 71%; SD 3860, SD 3870, and SD 3943 at 57%; and Forge, Howard, Oxen, Reeder, and SD 3879 at 43% of the test locations.

The top bushel weight entries (based on state averages) included 2 entries at 62 lb; 11 entries at 61 lb; 16 entries at 60 lb, and 6 entries at 59 lb for year 2006.  The check variety Chris (36 inches) tended to be the tallest variety across all locations in 2006 followed by entries SD 3879 at 33 inches and CS3100-Q~W, Granger, Russ, SD 3860, SD 3934, SD 3868, and Traverse at 32 inches in 2006. The top protein entries on a state average basis included Chamberlin at 16.6%, Granite at 16.2%, Kelby at 16.1%, and Alsen at 15.8% protein content.

Recommended in 2007:  Freyr and Traverse statewide; Briggs, Granger, and Steele-ND statewide except in southeast S.D.

Acceptable/Promising: Glenn statewide; Forge, Howard, Knudson, Oxen, Russ, and Ulen statewide except in southeast S.D.; Reeder in the western half of the state.

Winter Wheat
Top entries for yield for the past 3 years (2004–06) by variety and state yield average include Wahoo, Millennium, and SD97059-2 at 54 bu/acre. The top entries for yield in 2006 were the entries NuDakota~W at 52 bu/acre; Hatcher at 51 bu/acre; SD01058 and SD98W175-1 at 50 bu/acre; and Alliance, Darrell, Expedition, Harry, Trego~W, Wahoo, and Wesley at 49 bu/acre.

The top bushel weight entries included 4 entries at 62 lb; 9 entries at 61 lb; 12 entries at 60 lb, and 4 entries at 59 lb for year 2006.  The varieties or experimental lines Harding, Jerry, SD02279, and SD01058 at 30 inches tended to be the tallest while NuDakota and Wendy at 24 inches tended to be the shortest entries.

Grain protein content ranged from a low of 12.8% for SD01W064 to a high of 14.9% for Jerry on a state basis. At the West River locations protein levels ranged from a low of 12.0% to a high of 14.9%, while at the East River locations protein levels were slightly lower and ranged from a low of 11.8% to a high of 14.4% for year 2006.

Barley
Recommended in 2007: 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 and Tradition statewide; Conlon statewide except east and south; Robust except south and southeast; Rawson (two-row feed) in the northern tier.

AMBA approved malting varieties for S.D. for 2007 are Conlon, Drummond, Excel, Foster, Lacey, Legacy, Morex, Robust, and Tradition. Variety acceptance further defined by buyer specification.

Oats
Recommended in 2007: Reeves statewide.  Don and Jerry statewide, except in the east.  Loyal and Stallion in the northern half of the state.

Acceptable/Promising: Buff (hull-less) statewide; Morton and HiFi in the northern half, Beach in the western half.

The 36-page SDSU publication (EC 774) ‘Small Grains and Field Peas 2007 Variety Recommendations and 2006 Crop Performance Results’ has more comprehensive information, including full spring and winter wheat, barley, oats and field pea data.  It is available on the Internet at http://agbiopubs.sdstate.edu/articles/EC774-07.pdf or http://plantsci.sdstate.edu/varietytrials/vartrial.html.

Table 1. Origin, variety traits, and disease reactions for HRS wheat entries tested by SDSU in 2006.

				Rust
Variety	Origin	(Hdg.)*	Ldg Res	Stripe	Stem	Leaf	Fusarium Head Blight	PVP Status**
Forge	SD-97	-1	G#	MS+	MR+	MS+	MS+~	Yes
Trooper	WPB-04	-1	G	MS	R	MR	MS~	Yes
Traverse	SD-06	0	G	MR	R	MR	MR~	Yes
Briggs	SD-02	0	G	MR	R	MR	M~	Yes
Chamberlin	WPB-06	0	G	-	R	MS	MS	***
Granger	SD-04	0	G	MR	R	MR	M~	Yes
Walworth	SD-01	0	G	S	R	MS	M~	Yes
Ada	MN-06	0	G	-	R	R	MS~	***
Banton	SS-04	1	VG	-	-	MR	M~	***
Freyr	AW-05	1	G	R	MR	MR	MR~	Yes
Knudson	AW-01	2	G	MS	R	MR	MS~	Yes
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	Yes
Kelby	AW-06	2	VG	-	MR	R	MR	***
Chris,CK	MN-65	3	P	-	R	MS	S	No
CS3100Q~W	MS-	3	G	-	-	-	MR	***
Glenn	ND-05	3	G	MR	R	R	MR~	***
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~	Ye
Howard	ND-06	4	G	-	R	R	MR~	No
Granite	WPB-02	5	G	MS	MS	S	S~	Yes
CS3100L~W	MS-	6	G	-	-	-	MS~	***

* 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. HRS wheat yield results - South Dakota East and West River locations, 2004-2006.

Variety (Hdg.)* - by 3-yr then 2006 state avg.	East Yield Average2 (bu/A)		West Yield Average1 (bu/A)		State Yield Average (bu/A)		State Top- Yield Freq. ** (%)
	2006	3 Yr.	2006	3 Yr.	2006	3 Yr.	2006	3 Yr.
Traverse (0)	59	62	36	36	52	55	71	86
SD 3868	56	60	36	39	50	54	71	100
Granger (0)	55	58	34	37	49	52	14	86
Briggs (0)	54	59	33	36	48	52	29	86
SD 3860	53	55	37	40	49	51	57	57
Steele-ND (3)	54	57	34	37	48	51	29	71
Knudson (2)	50	56	33	35	45	50	14	43
Freyr (1)	53	54	34	37	48	49	29	57
Glenn (3)	50