2016 Spring Wheat Off-Station Variety Trials

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North Central Montana Off-Station Spring Wheat Variety Performance Evaluations

Principal Investigator: Peggy F. Lamb, Research Scientist, Northern Ag Research Center, Havre 

Project Personnel: 

Luther E. Talbert, Breeder/Geneticist, Spring Wheat, Bozeman
Hwa Young Heo, Research Associate, Spring Wheat, Bozeman
Angela E. Sebelius, Research Associate, Havre
Jesse Fulbright, Liberty County Extension
Ben Hauptman, Blaine County Extension
Tyler Lane, Chouteau County Extension
Marko Manoukian, Phillips County Extension

Cooperators:

Max Cederberg, Landowner, Turner
Kurt Kammerzell, Landowner, Chester
Pete Lumsden & John Flansaas, Landowners, Loring
Lyle McKeever & Terry McKeever, Landowners, Loma

Objectives

Diverse cropping environments exist within the five-county area most closely served by Northern Agricultural Research Center. Winter wheat, spring wheat, barley, durum and oat production together in the five counties (Blaine, Chouteau, Hill, Liberty and Phillips), represents 27 percent of the 2011-2015 statewide cereal production totals (43 percent for winter wheat and 23 percent for spring wheat). Producers are keenly interested in variety performance data generated under local conditions. It is our objective, within budget and other resource limitations, to evaluate small grain variety performance, over time, under conditions representative of specific areas of northern Montana, yet differing from that of the Research Center. Growers are provided reliable, unbiased, up-to-date information to make comparisons among improved spring wheat varieties. This report provides producers in north central Montana the information necessary to select varieties best suited for their specific area and growing conditions.

Methods

Standard off-station spring wheat variety performance trials were conducted on chemical fallow in 2016 in four northern Montana counties.

Dryland Spring Wheat Trials:

1. Cederberg Farm, Blaine County 13-36N-25E
2. Flansaas/Lumsden Farm, Phillips County 24-35N-29E
3. McKeever Farms, Chouteau County 29-27N-10E
4. Kammerzell Farm, Liberty County 13-31N-05E

All four spring wheat trials consisted of 25 entries and were seeded in replicated, 3-row, 22-foot plots on a 12-inch row spacing, utilizing a self-propelled cone seeder with Atom Jet paired row openers. All rows of each plot were trimmed to a harvest length of 17 feet with a three-point rototiller. Plant height was measured from the soil surface to the top of the head, excluding awns, and percent sawfly cutting was visually estimated for each plot immediately prior to harvest. A ‘Wintersteiger Classic’ plot combine, funded in part by the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee, was used to harvest each 3-row plot. Seed was cleaned prior to measuring plot weight for yield determination. Protein, test weight and moisture content were determined using a Foss Infratec 1241 near infrared analyzer. Falling number was determined using a Perten FN1700 according to the FGIS Directive 9180.38. Other variables specific to each individual trial are listed with the current year data tables.

Results

Please note that research trial yield results recorded under wheat stem sawfly pressure are likely much higher than a producer should expect. Small plot variety trials are managed to assess maximum yield potential and are harvested in such a way that all stems and heads are picked up by the combine, regardless of lodging or cutting due to sawfly. Pickup guards coupled with an extremely slow ground speed and an exceptionally low cutting height help researchers collect all heads in order to assess seed yield potential. If you are a producer in a wheat stem sawfly environment, although hollow stemmed varieties may be high yielding in research trials in your area, we strongly recommend against growing those hollow stemmed varieties. Please be aware that if you seed hollow stemmed varieties with sawfly present, you are only creating a breeding ground for future generations of sawfly in your area and not helping combat the pest population.

Cropping environments in 2016 started out below average to marginal with warmer early spring temperatures and lower than normal precipitation across north central Montana followed by heavy rainfall resulting in delayed spring seeding in many areas. Higher than normal rainfall was experienced at Turner and Loring resulting in good to excellent spring wheat yields for growers who were able to seed their crops in a timely manner. The Loma small plots were seeded into land recently taken out of CRP. The spring wheat was disease ridden and stunted, and with timely precipitation lacking, the yields were very poor. The Chester area went into the fall and started out early spring dryer than normal, however, spring rains were frequent. Timely precipitation encouraged growth for good yield potential, however, stripe rust was prevalent in the cereal trials, limiting yield and quality of the spring wheat and durum.

At Havre, annual growing season precipitation (9/1/15 through 8/31/16) was 18.86 inches, 6.84 inches higher than the average for all years since 1916. April 1 through July 31 precipitation was 12.24 inches or 177 percent of the 101-year average. Heat units expressed as "Growing Degree Days" (GDD, base 50) from May through July totaled 1201, or 93 percent of the average for the last 66 years (1951-2016). The last spring frost was on May 14 and the first fall frost of 2016 was on September 13, resulting in 122 frost-free days. The minimum winter temperature was -15 degrees F on December 26, 2015. Overall, the 2015-2016 average crop year temperatures mirrored the long-term average. The April through July growing season saw an average daily temperature of 57.6 degrees F, similar to historical temperatures. July and August average temperatures were one degree F lower than long-term averages with the high for 2016 recorded on July 23 at 96 degrees F. There were 13 days with temperatures 90 degrees F or above, with no days over 100 degrees F.

Following a summer of timely rainfall, the spring wheat trial yields at Turner averaged just over 35 bu/ac (Table 1). ‘Egan’, a Montana State University release to help combat the orange wheat blossom midge, was the highest yielding entry at nearly 50 bu/ac. No other named or experimental lines produced yields statistically equal to that of Egan. Test weight of all entries averaged just over 56 lb/bu. Sawfly cutting was nonexistent for the second consecutive year in the spring wheat trial at Turner, this following a severe hailstorm in 2014. Stand percent, plant height, yield, test weight, moisture, protein, falling number and sawfly cutting data for the 2016 Turner dryland spring wheat trial are summarized in Table 1.

Comparable averages are calculated using a standard long-term check variety when not all entries are present in a specific trial for all years. Variety means are adjusted by multiplying the actual check mean by the ratio of the individual variety mean compared to the check mean for the same years as tested. All varieties are then directly comparable to each other when in the same nursery. A minimum of three years of data is necessary to be included in comparable average calculation. Nine-year comparable averages (2007-2016) for spring wheat seed yield and test weight at Turner are summarized in Table 2, while nine-year comparable averages for sawfly cutting are summarized in Table 3.

Loring spring wheat yields averaged just under 43 bu/ac with ‘Alum’, a spring wheat with aluminum tolerance released by Washington State University, producing the highest yield at over 51 bu/ac (Table 4). ‘Vida’, MSU experimental line ‘MT 1316’ and two experimental lines submitted by Winfield Solutions, ‘HRS 3100’ and ‘HRS 3504’, produced seed yields between 46 and 50 bu/ac, statistically equal to that of Alum. For the second time in the past ten years, sawfly cutting was nonexistent in the trial at the Loring site. Stand percent, plant height, yield, test weight, moisture, protein, falling number and sawfly cutting data for the 2016 Loring dryland spring wheat trial are summarized in Table 4. Tenyear comparable averages for spring wheat seed yield and test weight at Loring are summarized in Table 5, while tenyear comparable averages for sawfly cutting are summarized in Table 6.

In 2013, off-station spring wheat trials were re-established near Loma. The lack of timely rain showers coupled with extreme disease pressure, limited spring wheat yields, which averaged a dismal 11 bu/ac (Table 7). ‘Duclair’ was the highest yielding entry at just under 17 bu/ac and experimental line ‘MT 1401’ was the only entry to yield statistically equal to Duclair. Sawfly damage in the small plot situation was low again this year, averaging only 7.9 percent cutting. Stand percent, plant height, yield, test weight, moisture, protein, falling number and sawfly cutting data for the 2016 Loma dryland spring wheat trial are summarized in Table 7. Four-year comparable averages for spring wheat seed yield and test weight at Loma are summarized in Table 8, while four-year comparable averages for sawfly cutting are summarized in Table 9.

In 2014, off-station spring wheat trials were established near Chester. Extreme disease pressure, mainly stripe rust, had an adverse effect on spring wheat yields which averaged just over 23 bu/ac, while test weights averaged under 50 NARC MWBC-SW lb/bu (Table 10). Duclair was again the highest yielding entry at over 34 bu/ac, with Egan producing the only yield statistically equal to that of Duclair. Sawfly cutting in the small plot scenario was less than ten percent in 2016. Stand percent, plant height, yield, test weight, moisture, protein, falling number and sawfly cutting data for the 2016 Chester dryland spring wheat trial are summarized in Table 10. Three-year comparable averages for spring wheat seed yield and test weight at Chester are summarized in Table 11, while three-year comparable averages for sawfly cutting are summarized in Table 12.

Summary

This work has been strongly supported by producers near each of the locations, and by the Northern Agricultural Research Center Advisory Council. With budget and other resources allowing, it is planned to continue off-station cereal variety investigations in the five-county area. The Loring location is entering its twenty-second year, and the cooperator and area producer interest and support has been outstanding. The Turner location is only 32 miles from the Loring site, but growing conditions are quite different. Cooperator and producer support in the Big Flat area have been outstanding through the years with 2016 marking 33 years at the present Turner site. Various winter and spring cereal trials have been conducted with great producer support at the Chouteau County location, between Big Sandy and Loma, since 1998. The Chester location was reestablished in 2014 following a prolonged absence of uniform offstation spring cereal testing in Liberty County.

Funding Summary: Expenditure information for grant index 4W6089 is to be provided by Montana State University, Office of Sponsored Programs. There is no other grant support for this project.

MWBC CY2017 Grant Submission Plans: It is planned to submit this project for funding consideration in the next calendar year.

Recognition: This research would not have been possible without the assistance of the following summertime hourly employees: Kasee Clark, Kyla McNamara, Nicole Parsons and John Perodin.

Table 1. Dryland Fallow Spring Wheat Cultivar Evaluation Nursery Grown Off-Station at the Leon Cederberg Farm, Turner. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2016. (Exp# 16-9951-SW)

¹ Volumetric yields are based on plot weights adjusted to uniform 13 % grain moisture and 60 lbs/bu as the standard test weight for wheat.

² Protein values are adjusted to 13 % grain moisture.

³ FN is the falling number value reported in seconds.

⁴ Sawfly rating is reported as the percentage of cut stems.

Bold italics indicate highest value within a column.

Bold indicates varieties with values equal to highest variety within a column based on Fisher's protected LSD (p=0.05).

Management Information (16-9951-SW)

Table 2. Nine-Year Yield and Test Weight Summary on Selected Entries from Dryland Fallow Spring Wheat Variety Nurseries Grown Off-Station at the Leon Cederberg Farm, Turner. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2007-2016. (Exp# 9951-SW)

Long term check variety is Fortuna.

¹ See MCES Bulletin 1093 or the Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology website for evaluation of other important variety performance characteristics to include protein, quality, disease resistance, etc. before making cultivar selecton decisions.

² P = Private Variety, + = Protected Variety, ++ = PVP Title 5 Pending.

³ No harvest in 2014 due to hail.

⁴ Only the most recent 5 years are shown, but summary calculations include all years noted.

⁵ Percent of Fortuna yield or test weight for the same data years as those in which a given entry was tested.

⁶ 9-Yr Comparable Average = (x/y) * z where x = average yield or test weight of a given entry for years tested, y = average yield or test weight for Fortuna for the same years, and z = 9-Yr average yield or test weight for the check variety Fortuna.

⁷ Seeding to 14 days prior to harvest maturity.

Table 3. Nine-Year Sawfly Summary on Selected Entries from Dryland Fallow Spring Wheat Variety Nurseries Grown Off-Station at the Leon Cederberg Farm, Turner. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2007-2016. (Exp# 9951-SW)

Long-term check variety is Fortuna.

¹ See MCES Bulletin 1093 or the Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology website for evaluation of other important variety performance characteristics to include protein, quality, disease resistance, etc. before making cultivar selecton decisions.

² P = Private Variety, + = Protected Variety, ++ = PVP Title 5 Pending.

³ No harvest in 2014 due to hail.

⁴ Percent of Fortuna cut for the same data years as those in which a given entry was tested.

⁵ 9-Yr Comparable Average = (x/y) * z where x = average sawfly rating of a given entry for years tested, y = average sawfly rating for Fortuna for the same years, and z = 9-Yr average sawfly rating for the check variety Fortuna.

⁶ Seeding to 14 days prior to harvest maturity.

Table 4. Dryland Fallow Spring Wheat Cultivar Evaluation Nursery Grown Off-Station at the FlansaasLumsden Farm, Loring. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2016. (Exp# 16-9955-SW)

¹ Volumetric yields are based on plot weights adjusted to uniform 13 % grain moisture and 60 lbs/bu as the standard test weight for wheat.

² Protein values are adjusted to 13 % grain moisture.

³ FN is the falling number value reported in seconds.

⁴ Sawfly rating is reported as the percentage of cut stems.

Bold italics indicate highest value within a column.

Bold indicates varieties with values equal to highest variety within a column based on Fisher's protected LSD (p=0.05).

Table 5. Ten-Year Yield and Test Weight Summary on Selected Entries from Dryland Fallow Spring Wheat Variety Nurseries Grown Off-Station at the Flansaas/Lumsden Farm, Loring. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2007-2016. (Exp# 9955-SW)

Long-term check variety is Fortuna.

¹ See MCES Bulletin 1093 or the Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology website for evaluation of other important variety performance characteristics to include protein, quality, disease resistance, etc. before making cultivar selecton decisions.

² P = Private Variety, + = Protected Variety, ++ = PVP Title 5 Pending.

³ Only the most recent 5 years are shown, but summary calculations include all years noted.

⁴ Percent of Fortuna yield or test weight for the same data years as those in which a given entry was tested.

⁵ 10-Yr Comparable Average = (x/y) * z where x = average yield or test weight of a given entry for years tested, y = average yield or test weight for Fortuna for the same years, and z = 10-Yr average yield or test weight for the check variety Fortuna.

⁶ Seeding to 14 days prior to harvest maturity.

Table 6. Ten-Year Sawfly Summary on Selected Entries from Dryland Fallow Spring Wheat Variety Nurseries Grown Off-Station at the Flansaas/Lumsden Farm, Loring. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2007-2016. (Exp# 9955-SW)

Long-term check variety is Fortuna.

¹ See MCES Bulletin 1093 or the Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology website for evaluation of other important variety performance characteristics to include protein, quality, disease resistance, etc. before making cultivar selecton decisions.

² P = Private Variety, + = Protected Variety, ++ = PVP Title 5 Pending.

³ Percent of Fortuna cut for the same data years as those in which a given entry was tested.

⁴ 10-Yr Comparable Average = (x/y) * z where x = average sawfly rating of a given entry for years tested, y = average sawfly rating for Fortuna for the same years, and z = 10-Yr average sawfly rating for the check variety Fortuna.

⁵ Seeding to 14 days prior to harvest maturity.

Table 7. Dryland Fallow Spring Wheat Cultivar Evaluation Nursery Grown Off-Station at McKeever Farm & Seed, Inc., Loma. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2016. (Exp# 16-9957-SW)

¹ Volumetric yields are based on plot weights adjusted to uniform 13 % grain moisture and 60 lbs/bu as the standard test weight for wheat.

² Protein values are adjusted to 13 % grain moisture.

³ FN is the falling number value reported in seconds.

⁴ Sawfly rating is reported as the percentage of cut stems.

Bold italics indicate highest value within a column.

Bold indicates varieties with values equal to highest variety within a column based on Fisher's protected LSD (p=0.05).

Management Information (16-9957-SW)

Table 8. Four-Year Yield and Test Weight Summary on Selected Entries from Dryland Fallow Spring Wheat Variety Nurseries Grown Off-Station at McKeever Farm & Seed, Inc., Loma. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2013-2016. (Exp# 9957-SW)

Long-term check variety is Fortuna.

¹ See MCES Bulletin 1093 or the Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology website for evaluation of other important variety performance characteristics to include protein, quality, disease resistance, etc. before making cultivar selecton decisions.

² P = Private Variety, + = Protected Variety, ++ = PVP Title 5 Pending.

³ Percent of Fortuna yield or test weight for the same data years as those in which a given entry w as tested.

⁴ 4-Yr Comparable Average = (x/y) * z where x = average yield or test weight of a given entry for years tested, y = average yield or test weight for Fortuna for the same years, and z = 4-Yr average yield or test weight for the check variety Fortuna.

⁵ Seeding to 14 days prior to harvest maturity.

Table 9. Four-Year Sawfly Summary on Selected Entries from Dryland Fallow Spring Wheat Variety Nurseries Grown Off-Station at McKeever Farm & Seed, Inc., Loma. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2013-2016. (Exp# 9957-SW)

Long-term check variety is Fortuna.

¹ See MCES Bulletin 1093 or the Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology website for evaluation of other important variety performance characteristics to include protein, quality, disease resistance, etc. before making cultivar selecton decisions.

² P = Private Variety, + = Protected Variety, ++ = PVP Title 5 Pending.

³ Percent of Fortuna cut for the same data years as those in which a given entry was tested.

⁴ 4-Yr Comparable Average = (x/y) * z where x = average sawfly rating of a given entry for years tested, y = average sawfly rating for Fortuna for the same years, and z = 4-Yr average sawfly rating for the check variety Fortuna.

⁵ Seeding to 14 days prior to harvest maturity.

Table 10. Dryland Fallow Spring Wheat Cultivar Evaluation Nursery Grown Off-Station at the Kammerzell Farm, Chester. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2016. (EXP# 16-9953-SW)

¹ Volumetric yields are based on plot weights adjusted to uniform 13 % grain moisture and 60 lbs/bu as the standard test weight for wheat.

² Protein values are adjusted to 13 % grain moisture.

³ FN is the falling number value reported in seconds.

⁴ Sawfly rating is reported as the percentage of cut stems.

Bold italics indicate highest value within a column.

Bold indicates varieties with values equal to highest variety within a column based on Fisher's protected LSD (p=0.05).

Management Information

Table 11. Three-Year Yield and Test Weight Summary on Selected Entries from Dryland Fallow Spring Wheat Variety Nurseries Grown Off-Station at the Kammerzell Farm, Chester. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2014-2016. (Exp# 9953-SW)

Long-term check variety is Fortuna.

¹ See MCES Bulletin 1093 or the Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology website for evaluation of other important variety performance characteristics to include protein, quality, disease resistance, etc. before making cultivar selecton decisions.

² P = Private Variety, + = Protected Variety, ++ = PVP Title 5 Pending.

³ Percent of Fortuna yield or test weight for the same data years as those in which a given entry w as tested.

⁴ 3-Yr Comparable Average = (x/y) * z where x = average yield or test weight of a given entry for years tested, y = average yield or test weight for Fortuna for the same years, and z = 3-Yr average yield or test weight for the check variety Fortuna.

⁵ Seeding to 14 days prior to harvest maturity.

Table 12. Three-Year Sawfly Summary on Selected Entries from Dryland Fallow Spring Wheat Variety Nurseries Grown Off-Station at Kammerzell Farm, Chester. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2014-2016. (Exp# 9953-SW)

Long-term check variety is Fortuna.

¹ See MCES Bulletin 1093 or the Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology website for evaluation of other important variety performance characteristics to include protein, quality, disease resistance, etc. before making cultivar selecton decisions.

² P = Private Variety, + = Protected Variety, ++ = PVP Title 5 Pending.

³ Percent of Fortuna cut for the same data years as those in which a given entry was tested.

⁴ 3-Yr Comparable Average = (x/y) * z where x = average sawfly rating of a given entry for years tested, y = average sawfly rating for Fortuna for the same years, and z = 3-Yr average sawfly rating for the check variety Fortuna.

⁵ Seeding to 14 days prior to harvest maturity.