2008 Winter Wheat Performance Data for Manitoba Producers

Across the prairies, interest in winter wheat remains strong as winter wheat can help spread out fall and spring workloads and help manage weed issues. To assist producers with variety decisions this fall, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) and MCVET (Manitoba Crop Variety Evaluation Team) is publishing the most recent variety descriptions and performance data for winter wheat, which includes data collected this past summer.

All winter wheat varieties available for production in Manitoba have good winter hardiness if no-till seeded and/or planted in fields where good snow cover can be assured. Shorter varieties like CDC Falcon, CDC Raptor, or Radiant have Excellent (E) resistance to lodging. Disease resistance ratings are collected during the co-op testing program. CDC Raptor and McClintock have improved (Very Good) stem rust resistance compared to all other varieties. Resistance to leaf rust varies from Good (G), Poor (P) and Very Poor (VP). What is not shown in the table is McClintock’s improved resistance to leaf spot diseases or that Radiant is the first variety resistant to the wheat curl mite, which can protect the variety from wheat streak mosaic virus. Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) varies from Fair (F) to Very Poor (VP) (not shown in the table). Earlier flowering of winter wheat, relative to spring wheat, may allow winter wheat to escape infection. However, the current varieties available are generally considered FHB susceptible. It is interesting to note that currently several winter wheat breeding programs are working to introduce FHB resistance.

The yield potential of the winter wheat varieties tested by MCVET is similar. When looking at the data, the Long Term Yield column is the best indicator of how a variety will perform over a range of conditions. The number in brackets shows the number of trials where the entry has been compared to the check, CDC Falcon. The higher the number is in the brackets, the more dependable the data. While data from single sites is often more interesting, individual site data, and even data accumulated over numerous sites in a single year must always be viewed with caution – no variety will ever consistently perform 20% over the check. When looking at the “2008 Yield by Test Location” data, the colored area lists the yield of CDC Falcon in bu/acre below each site. CV is the Coefficient of Variation and it is an indicator of how uniform a trial is; the smaller the CV, the greater the chance that true differences were found between varieties in the trial. LSD stands for Least Significant Difference and it shows the percentage that individual varieties must differ by to be considered significantly different.

Certain varieties are eligible for an Identify Preserved program through the Canadian Wheat Board due to their baking quality. CDC Buteo, McClintock and Radiant are eligible for the CWB’s 2009-10 Canada Western Red Winter Select wheat program. Producers who market their winter wheat through the feed market may consider but are not limited to these varieties.

The Future Looks Bright

A number of winter wheat varieties have been recently supported for registration at the annual Prairie Grain Development Committee (PGDC) meetings. Of those, a few have been registered by CFIA. MCVET is committed to testing these varieties to evaluate their performance in Manitoba. In 2008, CDC Ptarmigan, a soft white winter wheat classified as Canada Western General Purpose (CWGP) wheat, was tested by MCVET. CDC Ptarmigan was developed by the Crop Development Center in Saskatoon and will be distributed by Western Ag. Limited seed availability is expected for 2008.

For 2009, of the four winter wheat varieties (all classified as CWGP) that were supported for registration, three will be tested by MCVET. Two have been recently registered: Accipiter and Peregrine. Both varieties were developed by the Crop Development Centre in Saskatoon and will be marketed by SeCan. The third variety is from the University of Manitoba breeding program.

Winter wheat production in Manitoba has increased over the last several years as more producers are deciding to include this crop in their rotation. Producers should continually evaluate the performances of old and new varieties, using available data and speaking with experienced growers and extension professionals. As always, SEED MANITOBA will continue to provide the latest unbiased information on new and established winter wheat varieties across Manitoba.

Data for all crops will be published in SEED MANITOBA, the annual Variety Selection and Growers Source Guide this December.

For further information, contact your GO representative.