Objective:

To evaluate the performance of selected forage wheat and triticale in northwestern Montana

Summary:

This trial was planted on a silt loam ground with known subsurface moisture recharge. Other management information is provided in Table 1.

 The average forage yield (on a dry matter basis) was 7.7 t/A. The T1310-230 triticale had the highest yield at 9.1 t/A and PI 197732 wheat had the lowest, at 5.9 t/A (Table 2). On average, the forage yields contained 36% dry matter, and ranged from 28% to 40%. 

 Grain yields averaged 109.2 bu/A and ranged from only 73.2 bu/A (Willow Creek wheat) to 129.5 bu/A (T1310-230 triticale). Grain protein averaged 9.5% and ranged from 8.8% for Ray wheat to 10.5% PI 197732 wheat.

 Plant heights spanned from 40 inches for Ray wheat, to 72.2 inches for FX 1001 triticale. There was a significant lodging difference between the varieties, ranging from no lodging observed in Ray wheat, to a high of 80% lodged in Willow Creek wheat. 

 

Table 1. Management information

Seeding date: 10/4/2018 Field Location: Y7
Julian date: 277 Harvest date: 7/8 and 7/12/2019 (forage)
      8/29/2019 (grain)
Seeding rate: 16 plants/ft2 Julian date: 241
Previous crop: Canola Soil type: Creston Silt loam
Herbicide: Huskie: 5/9/19 Tillage: Conventional
Insecticide: None Soil residual nutrient  
    (NO3-1, P, K lb/A): 52-28-180
Fungicide: None Nutrient fertilizer applied  
    (N, P2O5, K20 lb/A): 82-0-0

Table 2. Agronomic performance of the winter wheat and triticale entries.

Cultivar/ Cereal   Forage Yield    Grain Yield   Height   Lodging   Protein  TWT
line Type t/A* bu/A in. % % lb/bu
T1310-230 Triticale 9.1 129.5 70.6 27.5 9.3 56.7
WCF 1078 Triticale 8.3 112.0 69.2 16.3 8.9 56.6
T1310-218 Triticale 8.1 123.2 68.7 23.7 9.0 56.5
T14 Triticale 7.9 102.0 68.0 7.5 9.9 58.0
FX 1001 (WCF 1060) Triticale 7.7 109.2 72.2 46.3 9.5 57.4
Trical 102 Triticale 7.5 106.9 63.8 21.3 10.0 53.1
T1310-221 Triticale 7.2 107.8 67.8 26.2 9.0 56.4
Willow Creek Wheat 7.0 73.2 62.4 80.0 10.3 62.0
Ray (MTF 1432) Wheat 6.2 116.0 40.0 0.0 8.8 60.6
PI 197732 Wheat 5.9 100.8 51.1 10.0 10.5 59.8
Mean   7.7 109.2 63.4 25.9 9.5 57.4
LSD   1.6 19.8 10.8 NS** 0.47 0.52
CV%   12.3 10.9 3.8 57.3 2.8 0.53
Pr>F   0.01 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001

*Forage yield reported on a dry matter basis

Height = height at forage harvest

TWT = test weight

*NS = not significant