Off-station winter wheat cultivar evaluations for the Western Golden Triangle area of Montana

Principal Investigator: Gadi V.P. Reddy, Professor of Entomology/Insect Ecology, Western Triangle Ag Research Center

Personnel: John H. Miller, Research Scientist and Julie Prewett, Research Assistant, WTARC, Conrad, MT, and Phil Bruckner and Jim Berg, MSU Plant Science Dept., Bozeman, MT.

Cooperators: Bradley Farms, North of Cut Bank, MT Brian Aklestad, North of Devon, MT Aaron Killion, East of Brady, MT Inbody Farms, Northeast of Choteau, MT

Objectives: There are diverse cropping environments within the area served by Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center. Each off station location has its own unique environment and soils. Producers in the various locations are interested in variety performance in the local area.

To this end the objective is to evaluate winter wheat varieties under the local conditions with respect to yield, test weight, plant height, and seed protein. The environmental conditions at the off station nurseries can vary greatly from those at WTARC. The research center strives to provide growers of the western triangle area unbiased information of various winter wheat varieties.

Methods: On station plots consist of the Intrastate, Advanced and Preliminary A nurseries. In the Interstate, Advanced, and Preliminary A nurseries there are 49, 36, and 64 entries replicated three times. Off station winter wheat nurseries consist of 25 entries replicated three times, seeded with a four row plot seeder on one foot spacing. Winter cereal forage trial had 14 entries replicated three times. All plots were planted on no-till chemical fallow. Plots were trimmed, measured for length, and then harvested with a Hege 140 or a Wintersteiger Classic plot combine. Winter wheat seed was cleaned prior to collecting data. Wheat midge pheromone baited traps were also installed at each off station plot.

Results: Results are tabulated in Tables 1 thru 13. Tables 1 and 2 have the Intrastate data tabulation and Table 3 is for the Advanced nursery. Table 4 contains data from the Preliminary A trial. Table 5 is for the Choteau location, with multi-year data presented in Table 6. Tables 9 and 10 are for the Devon location, with Tables 11 and 12 representing the ‘Knees’ location. The Cut Bank data are presented in Tables 7 and 8. Winter cereal forage data are presented in Table 13.

Table 14 are the soil test results from each location.

Overall, the crop year temperatures where much warmer than 31 year average at the research center, July was 4.9 degrees warmer than the average. But the overall average temperature for the year from September to August was 1 degree cooler than the 31 year average. The winter temperature was well below average, with the exception of November being about 7 degrees warmer than usual. December and January were 10 and 6 degrees colder than the 31 year average while May thru August were warmer than the 31 year average. While we had the colder than normal temperatures in December and January, there was snow cover on the winter wheat.

July was 5 degrees warmer than the normal. Precipitation was generally above the average from September to April, then below normal from May to August. Overall, precipitation was average for the year.

The chemical fallowed soils generally had good moisture while seeding winter wheat during the fall of 2016. Overall, considering the lack of moisture and heat this past summer, the winter wheat did quite well.

Grain yields for the Intrastate nursery were about 13 bu/ac lower than the five year average and test weights were up about the same with respect to the five year average. Seed protein was about the same when compared to the five year average (Table 2). The top yielding varieties were Long Branch, Langin, and Denali at 91.9, 86.8, and 85.1 bu/ac with each also having a test weight over 60 lb/bu (Table 1).

Grain yields and test weights at Choteau were about 2 bu/ac lower and three fourths lb/bu lower than the five year average. Seed protein at Choteau was 1 percent lower than the five year average. The top yielding varieties at Choteau include the Montana State University experimental lines MTW1491, MTS1573, and Brawl CLP at 63.1, 59.8, and 59.4 bu/ac (Table 5 and 6). Grain yields and test weights at Cut Bank were 14.8 bu/ac higher and 3.6 lb/bu higher than the five year average. Seed protein at Cut Bank was 2.7 percent lower than the five year average. At Cut Bank, the top yielding wheat’s were Keldin, SY Monument, and the Montana State University experimental line MT1465 with yields of 98.0, 94.1, and 91.5 bu/ac (Table 7 and 8).

Grain yields and test weights at Devon were 2.8 bu/ac higher and 0.7 lb/bu higher than the five year average. Seed protein at Devon was about 0.4 percent higher than the five year average. Top yielders at Devon include Montana State University experimental lines MTW1491, MT1348, and the MT1265 at 75.2, 72.9, and 70.4 bu/ac (Table 9 and 10). Grain yields and test weights at the ‘Knees’ were 19.8 bu/ac higher and 0.6 lb/bu higher than the five year average. Seed protein at the ‘Knees’ was 0.5 percent lower than the five year average. The top yielding varieties at the ‘Knees’ include Brawl CLP, SY Monument, and Keldin at 90.2, 90.0, and 89.9 bu/ac (Table11 and 12).

A winter cereal forage trial was seeded the fall of 2016. The forage data was collected when the plants were in the early milk stage. The top three dry matter yielding varieties were WCF1060, WCF1440, and T1310-221 with 7.3, 7.2, and 6.9 ton/ac (Table 13).

All off station plots had some level of sawfly cutting in the winter wheat. Insignificant amount of adult wheat midge were found at the off station locations.

Summary: The data from the off station plots is supported by the local producers and advisory committee as well as the seed industry. It is planned to continue the off station variety plots at the same locations as the environmental conditions at each location is unique to the western triangle area.

These data should be used for comparative purposes rather than using absolute numbers. Statistics are used to indicate that treatment or variety differences are really different and are not

different due to chance or error. The Least Significant Difference (LSD) and Coefficient of Variability (CV) values are useful in comparing treatment or variety differences. The LSD value represents the smallest difference between two treatments at a given probability level. The LSD at p=0.05 or 5 % probability level is usually the statistic reported, and it means that the odds are 19 to 1 that treatment differences by the amount of the LSD are truly different. The CV value measures the variability of the experiment or variety trial, and a CV greater than 15 % indicates a high degree of variability and less accuracy.

Funding Summary: Office of Special Projects will provide expenditure information. No other grants support this project.

MWBC FY2018 Grant Submission Plans: A similar project will be proposed for FY 2018. The continuation of on and off-station variety trials help elucidate researchers and farmers which varieties are better suited for that particular region in Montana.

Table 1. 2017 Intrastate Winter Wheat Variety Nursery, Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Planted: 09/26/2016 & 09/27/2016 on chemical fallow and harvested on 07/21/2017.

Fertilizer: actual pounds/ac of N-P-K: 11-22.5-0 applied with seed and 30-0-20 broadcast at planting. 140 lbs N/ac as urea was broadcast on 03/24/2017. For fertilizer rates a yield goal of 70 bu/ac was used.

Herbicide: pre-plant sprayed with 20 oz RT3/ac and 0.6 oz Olympus/ac. Huskie at 11.0 oz/ac and Axial XL at 16.4 oz/ac applied on 05/16/2017.

Solid stem score of 19 or higher is generally required for reliable sawfly resistance, solid stem scores are for the plot located at WTARC.

CL = Clearfield System

1 Yield and test weight are adjusted to 13% seed moisture.

Table 2. Five-year means, 2013 – 2017, Winter wheat varieties, Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.

• Solid stem score of 19 or higher is generally required for reliable wheat steam sawfly resistance. CL = Clearfield herbicide system.

Winter hardiness: 5 = high, 1 = low.

Table 3. 2017 Advanced Yield Nursery, Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 3. Continued on next page

Table 3 Continued

Planted: 09/26/2016 on chemical fallow and harvested on 07/21/2017.

Fertilizer: actual pounds/ac of N-P-K: 11-22.5-0 applied with seed and 30-0-20 broadcast at planting. 140 lbs N/ac as urea was broadcast on 3/24/2017. For fertilizer rates a yield goal of 70 bu/ac was used.

Herbicide: pre-plant sprayed with 20 oz RT3/ac and 0.6 oz Olympus/ac. Huskie at 11.0 oz/ac and Axial XL at 16.4 oz/ac applied on 05/16/2017.

1 Yield and test weight are adjusted to 13% seed moisture.

Table 4. 2017 Preliminary A Variety Nursery, Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Planted: 09/27/2016 on chemical fallow and harvested on 07/21/2017.

Fertilizer: actual pounds/ac of N-P-K: 11-22.5-0 applied with seed and 30-0-20 broadcast at planting. 140 lbs N/ac as urea was broadcast on 03/24/2017. For fertilizer rates a yield goal of 70 bu/ac was used.

Herbicide: pre-plant sprayed with 20 oz RT3/ac and 0.6 oz Olympus/ac. Huskie at 11.0 oz/ac and Axial XL at 16.4 oz/ac applied on 05/16/2017.

1 Yield and test weight are adjusted to 13% seed moisture.

Table 5. Off-station Winter Wheat variety trial located near the Choteau. Teton County.

Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2017.

Cooperator and Location: Inbody Farms western Chouteau County.

Planted on 10/03/2016 on chemical fallow durum stubble. Harvested on 08/04/2017.

Fertilizer, actual lbs/ac: 11-22-0 with seed at planting, 40-0-20 broadcast while planting. Spring top dressing took place on 03/27/2017 with 96-0-0. For fertilizer rates a yield goal of 70 bu/ac was used. Herbicide: Pre-plant sprayed with RT3 @ 16 oz/ac on 10/3/2016. Plots were sprayed on 06/13/2017 with Axiel XL @ 16 oz/ac and Vendetta @ 2 pints per acre.

Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.

** = Solid wheat stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher). * = Less preferred by sawfly (behavioral preference) in small plots. Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center

Table 6. Five-year means, Winter Wheat varieties, Choteau area, Teton County.

2012-2014, 2016, 2017.

** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher). Cooperator and Location: Inbody Farms, Teton County.

Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.

Table 7. Off-station Winter Wheat variety trial located north of Cut Bank, MT. Glacier County. Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2017.

Cooperator and Location: Bradley Farms, northern Glacier County. Planted on 09/30/2016 on chem-fallow. Harvested on 08/18/2017.

Fertilizer, actual lbs/ac: 11-22.5-0 with seed at planting, topdressed with 100-0-20 on 03/28/2017. For fertilizer rates a yield goal of 70 bu/ac was used.

Herbicide: Sprayed with Discover NG @ 16 oz/ac and Axial XL at 16.4 oz/ac on 05/02/2017.

** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher). * = Less preferred by sawfly (behavioral preference) in small plots.

Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.

Table 8. Four-year means, Winter Wheat varieties, Cut Bank area, northern Glacier County.

2014-2017.

** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher). Cooperator and Location: Bradley Farms, Glacier County.

Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.

Table 9. Off-station Winter Wheat variety trial located near the Devon. Toole County.

Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2017.

Cooperator and Location: Brian Akelstad, Toole County.

Planted on 09/28/2016 on chem-fallow. Harvested on 08/02/2017.

Fertilizer, actual lbs/ac: 11-22-0 with seed at planting, 30-0-20 broadcast while planting. Spring topdressing took place on 03/28/17 with 77-0-0. For fertilizer rates a yield goal of 70 bu/ac was used. Herbicide: Pre-plant sprayed with and RT3 @ 16 oz/ac on 9/28/2016. Sprayed with Huskie @ 11 oz/ac and Axial XL @ 16.4 oz/ac on 05/01/17.

** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher). * = Less preferred by sawfly (behavioral preference) in small plots.

Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.

Table 10. Five-year means, Winter Wheat varieties, Devon area, Toole County, MT.

2012-2014, 2016 and 2017.

** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher). Cooperator and Location: Aklestad farms, Toole County.

Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.

Table 11. Off-station Winter Wheat variety trial located near the Knees. Chouteau County. Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2017.

Cooperator and Location: Aaron Killion, western Choteau County. Planted on 09/29/2016 on chem-fallow. Harvested on 07/29/2017.

Fertilizer, actual lbs/ac: 11-22-0 with seed at planting, 30-0-20 broadcast while planting, spring fertilized 3/27/17. For fertilizer rates a yield goal of 70 bu/ac was used.

Herbicide: Pre-plant sprayed with Olympus @ 0.6 oz/ac and RT3 @ 16 oz/ac on 09/29/2016. The plots were sprayed on 05/12/2017 with Huskie @ 11 oz/ac and Discover NG @16 oz/ac

Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.

Table 12. Five-year means, Winter Wheat varieties, Knees area, Chouteau County, MT. 2013- 2017.

** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher). Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.

Table 13. 2017 Winter Cereal Forage, Western Triangle Ag Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Planted: 09/27/2016 on chemical fallow and harvested on 06/26-06/29/2017.

Fertilizer: actual pounds/ac of N-P-K: 11-22.5-0 applied with seed and 30-0-20 broadcast at planting. 140 lbs N/ac as urea was broadcast on 3/24/2017. For fertilizer rates a yield goal of 70 bu/ac was used.

Herbicide: pre-plant sprayed with 20 oz RT3/ac and 0.6 oz Olympus/ac. Huskie at 11.0 oz/ac and Axial XL at 16.4 oz/ac applied on 05/16/2017.

1 Yield and test weight are adjusted to 13% seed moisture.

Table 14. Soil test values for off-station and on-station plots, 2017.

1Nitrogen soil samples were to a depth of four feet in one foot increments. All other soil tests were for zero to six inches in depth.

WTARC- Western Triangle Ag. Research Center