On-Farm Cereal Variety and Advanced Breeding Line Testing across Montana for Environment Specific Cultivar Recommendations:

Spring Wheat Off-Station Variety Performance, Loma, MT

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

Principal Investigator:

Peggy Lamb, Senior Research Scientist, Northern Ag Research Center, Havre

Project Personnel:          

Jason Cook, Breeder/Geneticist, Spring Wheat, Bozeman

Hwa-Young Heo, Research Associate, Spring Wheat, Bozeman

Eleri Haney, Research Associate, Havre

Reese Whitehead, Research Assistant II, Havre

Tyler Lane, Chouteau County Extension

Cooperators:

Terry McKeever, Lyle McKeever, and Kendrick McKeever, Landowners, Loma

Objectives:

Commercially available spring wheat varieties and advanced breeding lines were evaluated for agronomic performance and fit at on-farm locations across Montana. Sites chosen for the research considered the environment, growing conditions and soil types, and represent the major land areas for producers in those regions served by Northern Agricultural Research Center. The Chouteau County location, between Big Sandy and Loma, has been used for various trials since 1998.

Methods:

The uniform off-station spring wheat variety trial was seeded into chemical fallow ground during 2025. The trial consisted of 25 entries seeded in replicated, three-row, 22-foot plots on a 12-inch row spacing, utilizing a self-propelled cone seeder with Atom Jet paired row openers. All plots were trimmed to a harvest length of approximately 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’ small plot combine, funded in part by the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee, was used to harvest each three-row plot. Prior to measuring plot weight for yield determination, seed was either cleaned or weighed in-dirt as per protocols. Protein, test weight, and moisture content were determined on a clean sample 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's data tables.

Please note that research trial seed 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 wheat stem sawfly. Pickup guards, coupled with an exceptionally slow ground speed and a low cutting height, help researchers collect all heads 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.

Results:

This report contains both single-year and long-term data summaries limited to the most recent ten years. It should be noted that the 2025 data table in this report represents varietal performance for a single crop year at a single location, therefore cannot be considered representative of performance expected when differing conditions due to location, year and management are imposed. By itself, 2025 data shall not constitute in any form a recommendation for or against any variety or breeding line included.

Spring wheat seed yields at Loma averaged just over 63 bu/ac (Table 1). ‘MT Carlson’, released by Montana State University in 2023, was the top yielding entry producing over 77 bu/ac. ‘Dagmar’, ‘MT Dutton’, ‘Rocker’, and ‘Vida’ produced seed yields statistically equal to that of MT Carlson. Test weights of all spring wheat entries for this site averaged just over 57 lb/bu. Wheat stem sawfly cutting in the spring wheat trial near Loma averaged 11.8 %. Yield, test weight, protein, falling number, plant height, and sawfly cutting data for the 2025 Loma dryland spring wheat trial are summarized in Table 1.

Comparable averages are calculated using a standard 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. At least three years of data is needed to be included in the comparable average calculation. Ten-year comparable averages (2016-2025) for spring wheat seed yield and test weight at Loma are summarized in Table 2, while ten-year comparable averages for protein content and wheat stem sawfly cutting are summarized in Table 3. Based on the comparable average calculations, MT Carlson, Dagmar ‘Lanning’, ‘WB9879CLP’, and MT Dutton are the highest yielding varieties at Loma.

Summary:

Following establishment, the Loma spring wheat trial had good stand uniformity. Precipitation was sporadic and spotty from tillering through grain fill limiting seed yield potential. Untimely and repeated rain events following grain maturity delayed harvest and severely reduced grain quality.

This work has been strongly supported by producers in the Loma-Big Sandy area, and by the Northern Agricultural Research Center Advisory Board. With budget and other resources allowing, it is planned to continue off-station winter wheat variety and breeding line testing in this area. The Chouteau County location between Loma and Big Sandy has been hosting various trials for 28 years, beginning in 1998.

Recognition:

This research would not have been possible without the assistance of the following seasonal employees: David Bischoff, Baylor Davis, Ty Golie, Simone Gomes, Brady Kueffler, Lirio McKenzie, Teresa Miller, Jason Rice, and Lily Smith.

Table 1. Dryland Fallow Spring Wheat Cultivar Evaluation Nursery Grown Off-Station at McKeever Farm & Seed, Inc., Loma.  Northern Agricultural Research Center.  Havre, Montana.  2025. (Exp# 25-9957-SW)

Table 2. Ten-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. 2016-2025. (Exp# 9957-SW)

Table 3. Ten-Year Protein and 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. 2016-2025. (Exp# 9957-SW)