2016 Off-Station Winter Wheat Variety Trials

Note: A PDF version of this report can be downloaded by clicking this link. 

North Central Montana Off-Station Winter Wheat Variety Performance Evaluations

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

Project Personnel:

Phil L. Bruckner, Breeder/Geneticist, Winter Wheat, Bozeman
Jim E. Berg, Research Associate, Winter Wheat, Bozeman
Angela E. Sebelius, Research Associate, Havre
Ben Hauptman, Blaine County Extension
Tyler Lane, Chouteau County Extension

Cooperators:

Max Cederberg, Landowner, Turner
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 winter 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 winter wheat variety performance trials were conducted on chemical fallow in 2016 in two northern Montana counties.

Dryland Winter Wheat Trials:

1. Cederberg Farm, Blaine County 13-36N-25E
2. McKeever Farms, Chouteau County 29-27N-10E

Both winter 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 wheat stem 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. The Loma location was seeded in ground recently taken out of CRP. Fall seeding conditions were moderately dry, however, timely spring rains saved the winter wheat crop and boosted yields in comparison to previous years. Turner had good seeding conditions and above average precipitation throughout the year resulting in good stands and above average winter wheat yields.

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, winter wheat yields at Turner averaged just under 60 bu/ac (Table 1). An experimental breeding line from Montana State University, ‘MT1356’, was the highest yielding entry at nearly 71 bu/ac. ‘Colter’, ‘Cowboy’, ‘Judee’, ‘WB-Quake’ and ‘Yellowstone’ along with four other experimental lines produced yields ranging from 63 to 67 bu/ac, statistically equal to that of MT1356. Test weight of all entries averaged 59 lb/bu. Sawfly cutting was nonexistent in the winter wheat at Turner. Stand percent, plant height, yield, test weight, moisture, protein, falling number and sawfly cutting data for the 2016 Turner dryland winter 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. Five-year comparable averages for seed yield and test weight at Turner are summarized in Table 2, while five-year comparable averages for sawfly cutting are summarized in Table 3.

Loma winter wheat yields averaged just under 41 bu/ac with ‘Keldin’, a 2011 WestBred release, producing the highest yield at just under 52 bu/ac (Table 4). Cowboy, ‘SY Wolf’ and three other experimental lines all yielded statistically equal to Keldin. Sawfly cutting was low this year in the Loma small plots, with cutting in the winter wheat trial averaging just over two percent. Stand percent, plant height, yield, test weight, moisture, protein, falling number, sawfly cutting and Hessian fly damage data for the 2016 Loma dryland winter wheat trial are summarized in Table 4. Ten-year comparable averages for seed yield and test weight at Loma are summarized in Table 5, while ten-year comparable averages for sawfly cutting are summarized in Table 6.

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 Blaine County location near Turner is entering its seventh year of winter wheat testing, while the Chouteau County location, between Big Sandy and Loma, has been used for various trials since 1998.

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 Winter Wheat Cultivar Evaluation Nursery Grown Off-Station at the Leon Cederberg Farm, Turner. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2016. (Exp#16-3851-WW)

¹ Volumetric yields are based on plot weights adjusted to uniform 12 % 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 indicates 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 (16-3851-WW)

Table 2. Five-Year Yield and Test Weight Summary of Selected Entries from Dryland Fallow Winter Wheat Variety Nurseries Grown Off-Station at the Leon Cederberg Farm, Turner. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2011-2016. (Exp# 3851-WW)

Long term check variety is Yellowstone.

¹ See MCES Bulletin 1098 or the Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology website for evaluation of other important variety performance characteristics to include protein, quality, winter hardiness, disease resistance, etc. before making cultivar selecton decisions.

² P = Private Variety, + = Protected Variety, ++ = PVP Title 5 Pending, CL = Clearfield Tolerant, HW = Hard White.

³ No harvest in 2014 due to hail.

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

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

⁶ 5-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 Yellowstone for the same years, and z = 5-Yr average yield or test weight for the check variety Yellowstone.

⁷ April 1 to 14 days prior to harvest maturity.

Table 3. Five-Year Sawfly Summary of Selected Entries from Dryland Fallow Winter Wheat Variety Nurseries Grown OffStation at the Leon Cederberg Farm, Turner. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2012- 2016. (Exp# 3851-WW)

Long term check variety is Rampart.

¹ See MCES Bulletin 1098 or the Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology website for evaluation of other important variety performance characteristics to include protein, quality, winter hardiness, disease resistance, etc.before making cultivar selecton decisions.

² P = Private Variety, + = Protected Variety, ++ = PVP Title 5 Pending, CL = Clearfield Line, HW = Hard White.

³ No harvest in 2014 due to hail.

⁴ Percent of Rampart sawfly rating for the same data years as those in which a given entry was tested.

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

⁶ April 1 to 14 days prior to harvest maturity. 

Table 4. Dryland Fallow Winter Wheat Cultivar Evaluation Nursery Grown Off-Station at McKeever Farm & Seed, Inc., Loma. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2016. (Exp# 16-3853-WW)

¹ Volumetric yields are based on plot weights adjusted to uniform 12 % 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.

⁵ Hessian Fly rating is reported as the percentage of infested, damaged stems.

Bold italics indicates 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 5. Ten-Year Yield and Test Weight Summary of Selected Entries from Dryland Fallow Winter Wheat Variety Nurseries Grown Off-Station at McKeever Farm and Seed Inc., Loma. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2007-2016. (Exp# 3853-WW)

Long-term check variety is Yellowstone.

¹ See MCES Bulletin 1098 or the Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology website for evaluation of other important variety performance characteristics to include protein, quality, winter hardiness, disease resistance, etc. before making cultivar selecton decisions.

² P = Private Variety, + = Protected Variety, ++ = PVP Title 5 Pending, CL = Clearfield Line, HW = Hard White.

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

⁴ Percent of Yellowstone 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 Yellowstone for the same years, and z = 10-Yr average yield or test weight for the check variety Yellow stone.

⁶ April 1 to 14 days prior to harvest maturity.

Table 6. Ten-Year Sawfly Summary of Selected Entries from Dryland Fallow Winter Wheat Variety Nurseries Grown Off-Station at McKeever Farm and Seed Inc., Loma. Northern Agricultural Research Center. Havre, Montana. 2007-2016. (Exp# 3853-WW)

Long-term check variety is Rampart.

¹ See MCES Bulletin 1098 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, CL = Clearfield Line, HW = Hard White.

³ Percent of Rampart 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 Rampart for the same years, and z = 10-Yr average sawfly rating for the check variety Rampart.

⁵ April 1 to 14 days prior to harvest maturity.