Protein of hard white wheat for bread baking needs to be higher than required for noodle markets. Some varieties are dual-purpose and can be used for both bread and noodles. Although not a concern for bread baking quality, varieties with low levels of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) are desirable for Chinese noodles, since high PPO levels are associated with noodle discoloration. Low PPO provides good noodle brightness and color stability. Some hard white varieties sprout more readily than hard reds, especially those developed from Australian germ-plasm. The pure white trait is difficult to maintain, as pollen from red wheats may pollinate a white variety, causing a mixture of red kernels. It is very important to clean the combine, storage bins and other grain handling equipment prior to harvest to avoid mixing hard white wheat with other wheat. Seeding equipment and seedbed must also be free of red wheat. It is important to have a market strategy in place before growing a hard white variety.

 

Alice (S. Dak., 2006): Hard white. Short straw, short coleoptile. Early heading. Above average yield, test weight and protein.

 

Golden Spike (UT, Gen Mills, 1998): Hard white, low PPO. Winterhardiness 3. Height similar to Rocky, med-stiff straw. Medium coleoptile. Medium maturity. Below average yield. Low test weight & protein.

 

Hyalite (MSU & WPB, 2005): Hard White, low PPO with good noodle brightness and color stability. Clearfield system single-gene resistance to imazamox or ‘Beyond’ herbicide. Winterhardiness = 3. Standard height, but stiff straw. Short coleoptile. Early maturity. Average yield and test weight. Red kernel occurrence is 0.7% (high, but still acceptable). Dual-purpose quality similar to NuWest & NuSky. Above average protein, good milling & baking quality. Stem rust resistant. Stripe rust susceptible.

 

MDM WA7936 (Wash., 2006): Hard white. Winterhardiness = 2. Medium stiff straw. Medium coleoptile. Very late maturity. Yield similar to NuWest. Low test weight.

 

NuDakota (AgriPro, 2005): Hard white. Winterhardiness = 2. Semidwarf height, stiff straw. Early heading. Average yield, test weight and protein. Medium PPO.

 

Nuwest (MSU, 1994): Hard white, low PPO. Dual purpose, noodle and bread. Winterhardiness = 4. One inch shorter than Rocky. Stiff straw. Very short coleoptile. Two days later than Rocky. Resistant to stem rust but susceptible to stripe rust, dwarf bunt, and WSMV. Susceptible to sawfly, RWA, and Hessian fly. Average yield and well adapted to Montana. Medium test weight and protein. Good resistance to preharvest sprouting – (In 1993, everything sprouted - red or white). Contains 1 red kernal/1000. Protein medium to high. Good quality.

 

NuSky (MSU, 2001): Hard white, low PPO. (Sister line to the hard red var BigSky). Good dual purpose quality for noodles & bread. Winterhardiness 4. Height and straw strength similar to Nuwest & Rocky, med-stiff. Short coleoptile. Heading similar to Nuwest, Tiber & Neeley; and 3 days later than Rocky. Shatter resistant. Average yield.

 

Test weight similar to Nuwest. Medium to high protein. Quality similar to Nuwest. High level of post-harvest dormancy (similar to Tiber), and thus does not have the sprouting problems common to some of the other hard white wheats. NuSky is a public release.

 

WB3768 (MSU/WestBred/Monsanto): WB3768 is a white chaffed hard white winter wheat that is a low PPO wheat that has favorable Asian noodle color stability and noodle score. WB3768 is similar to Yellowstone with the exception of higher test weight and a later heading date and maturity. It is slightly taller than Yellowstone.

 

Wendy (SD, 2004): Hard white. Winterhardiness = 3. Semidwarf height, Short coleoptile. Early heading. Average yield. Above-average test weight and protein. Medium PPO.