Date posted: March 15, 2006

Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye and Triticale

The Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye and Triticale evaluates lines based on agronomic performance, disease resistance and end-use quality.

Key action

Formalizing independent committee. Final modifications to operating procedures were discussed, as part of the transition the of the former Wheat, Rye and Triticale Subcommittee into an independent recommending body, "the Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye and Triticale" Under the new procedures, the committee deals directly with the CFIA in recommending candidate cultivars for registration.

Major KVD issues. Members discussed the onerous restrictions Kernel Visual Distinguishability is having on wheat development, particularly for winter wheat. Over the past three years, no new winter wheat varieties have been registered and the major reason has been KVD conflicts. Canada's quality assurance system for wheat has long relied on KVD as a segregation tool, but it is proving inadequate to accommodate breeding efforts for an expanded number of wheat classes.

In addition to winter wheat, there's indications KVD may also pose a substantial roadblock for the new hard white wheat class. A this year's meeting, the candidate line BW315A was recommended for registration, but not before lengthy debate regarding a KVD issue (the cultivar has a kernel shape similar to the soft white spring wheat class).

Spelt wheat protocols. Testing and evaluation protocols were accepted for new private spelt wheat trials. Spelt is a covered wheat species targeted at human food uses that has generated rising contract production and market interest in North America over the past decade.

Lines recommended

BW315A. CWHW wheat. Recommended for interim registration, to facilitate market testing. This next candidate for the new hard white wheat class has a solid overall package of disease resistance, yield potential and quality. While this class will take time to deliver CWRS performance, BW315A represents a significant improvement over the first CWHW varieties.

BW824. CWRS wheat. This line features tolerance to the Clearfield line of herbicides. It was developed using conventional breeding techniques and has high yield potential, equal to Superb. University of Saskatchewan, Crop Development Centre.

Kanata. CWHW wheat. This line has been interim registered since 2001, to facilitate market testing of the new hard white wheat class. With this status set to expire during 2006, the line was recommended for full registration. Kanata was developed along with Snowbird as the first varieties of the new class. Snowbird was identified as the major variety to push for production, but it has recently performed poorly under wet conditions. Full registration would allow Kanata to be used more as production alternative to Snowbird, while the industry waits for improved future varieties. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Winnipeg.

PT213. CWRS wheat. This cultivar breaks all the rules and that's good news for wheat producers in northern areas. Typically, when wheat breeders increase early maturity, the sacrifice is lower yield potential. By the same token, higher yield usually means less protein. But PT213 succeeds with a strong package of all three key traits - in Parkland area testing it matured 1.6 days earlier than AC Barrie, yielded 9.2 percent more than AC Splendor and maintained protein concentration comparable to the checks. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current.

BW342. CWRS wheat. Looks like a good replacement for AC Domain, with its high test weight and good sprouting resistance. Good falling number, with milling yields that exceeded the checks. Performs well in eastern Prairie, with excellent rust resistance. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Winnipeg.

SWS349. CWSWS wheat. This latest soft wheat candidate performs like a proven winner. SWS349 combines an excellent agronomic package with increased test weight and very good quality. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge.

99SPELT9Z. Spring spelt wheat. This is the first awnless spring spelt to be registered for the prairies, offering higher yield, higher grain protein content, earlier maturity and stronger straw than CDC Nexon. University of Saskatchewan, Crop Development Centre.

© 2006 Meristem Information Resources Ltd.
Meristem® is a registered trademark of Meristem Information Resources Ltd. All rights reserved.
Legal Disclaimer