TEXAS
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
Texas A & M University Agricultural Research & Extension Center, 6500 Amarillo Blvd, West, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA.
Texas A & M University Agricultural Research & Extension Center, Rt. 7, Box 999, Beaumont, TX 77713, USA.
Texas A & M University Agricultural Research & Extension Center, 17360 Coit Road, Dallas, TX 75252, USA.
Soil & Crop Science Department, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
Texas A & M University Agricultural Research & Extension Center, Drawer E, Overton, TX 75684, USA.
Texas A & M University Agricultural Research & Extension
Center, P.O. Box 1658, Vernon, TX 76384, USA.
M.D. Lazar, G.J. Michels, Jr., C.D. Salisbury, W.C.
Wang, K.B. Porter, and G.L. Peterson.
Personnel. Jon Simmons left the program for a technical position with the ARS Production and Conservation Laboratory at Bushland. Jie Hu left the program to pursue a medical career. Jill Booker and Giovanni Piccinni obtained new positions at the Amarillo Center in the agronomy and plant pathology projects, respectively. Qingwu Xue graduated from West Texas A&M University with a M.S. degree and left to pursue a Ph.D. degree at the University of Nebraska. Dr. Wen-Chung Wang joined the program, moving from the Dallas Center.
High Plains Crop Year.
The principal feature of the 1995-96
crop year was a severe drought. Autumn moisture was adequate,
but from 20 December, 1995, through 30 May, 1996, only 0.48 inches
of precipitation fell at Bushland. Severe damage also resulted
from two freeze events in the spring. Several rainfed nurseries
at Bushland were abandoned. Greenbug was a damaging pest, particularly
in the eastern Panhandle, for the third year in a row. In dryland
variety tests that were harvested, no varieties yielded over 15
bu/acre, but greatest yields were observed for TAM 107, TAM 105,
and AgriPro 7510. Irrigated nurseries were provided 28 inches
of water, but greatest yields barely exceeded 90 bu/acre. The
best varieties under irrigation were Agripro 7510, Ogallala, and
TAM 105.
Wheat Breeding. TAM 110
was released during 1996. The pedigree of TAM 110 is `(TAM
105*4/Amigo)*5 //Largo'.
TAM 110 is the first U.S. wheat cultivar with resistance to biotype
E and I greenbug. Like its related cultivar TAM 107, TAM 110
is susceptible to leaf rust. Therefore, TAM 110 is recommended
for production only on the High Plains under rainfed or limited
irrigation conditions. TAM 110 has no known resistance to the
RWA. In the absence of greenbug infestation, TAM 110 is expected
to yield similarly to TAM 107.
Greenbug Resistance.
Previously released NILs, differing in response to biotype E,
have been demonstrated to have two, distinct, separable effects
on aphid development and reproduction. Total nymph production
of biotype E on TXGBE273 (resistant) is about one-third that on
TXGBE307 (susceptible). Intrinsic rate of growth was consistent
over at least three aphid generations continuously maintained
on each host. Transfer of aphids after two generations from the
resistant to the susceptible host resulted in recovery of the
intrinsic rate of growth to a level significantly lower than that
of aphids consistently maintained on the susceptible host (about
80 % of the susceptible host). The difference between intrinsic
rate of growth on the resistant host and that after transfer to
the susceptible host was entirely attributable to differences
in reproductive rate. The remaining significant difference in
intrinsic growth rate between aphids transferred from resistant
to susceptible host and those maintained on the susceptible host
was entirely attributable to differences in adult lifespan.
Biotype E-resistance previously reported in the NILs
is attributable to the action of at least two genes. These two
genes were erroneously referred to by Lazar et al. (1995) as Gb3a
and Gb3b. In fact, these genes should be Gb3 (previously
named) and Gb7. Both genes are derived from Largo.
W.D. Worrall, A.K. Fritz, M.E. McDaniel, S. Caldwell,
D. Conover, and R. Herrington.
Personnel. Allan Fritz
joined the Soil and Crop Sciences department faculty as an Assistant
Professor in July, 1996. Dr. Fritz is housed in the Crop Biotechnology
Center at College Station, and will be responsible for the south
Texas breeding program and the development and utilization of
molecular markers in wheat.
Russian wheat aphid-research update.
David Worrall, Allan Fritz, and Steve Caldwell continue to work
on the inheritance of RWA resistance in triticale. Steve Caldwell
has identified a marker from PI386156 that explains approximately
60 % of the variation observed for RWA resistance in a cross with
NE88T222, a susceptible line. That marker has been mapped to
chromosome 4R (unpublished). We also determined that the wheat
greenbug resistance gene Gb4 maps on chromosome 7D. Efforts
to tag this gene with molecular markers are underway.
David Marshall and Russell L. Sutton.
The 1995-96
small grains growing season in the Texas Northern Blacklands was
characterized by a hard winter and a lack of rainfall. On four
separate occasions, the temperature remained below freezing for
3 or more days. Those time periods were 5-8
January (lowest temperature 13 F
on 7 January), 17-20
January (lowest temperature of 14 F
on 19 January), 1-6
February (lowest temperature of 6 F
on 4 February), and 7-10
March (lowest temperature of 15 F
on 9 March). From October through May, the Northern Blacklands
typically receive about 23 to 25 inches of rain. From October,
1995, through May, 1996, the Northern Blacklands received only
about half that amount (13.3 inches at Prosper and 11.6 inches
at Dallas). This combination of lack of rain and low temperatures
resulted in winterkilling of some tender lines and varieties.
However, the low temperatures and sparse rainfall also kept most
diseases and insect pests from building up large populations.
As a result, diseases such as leaf rust, Septoria, and powdery
mildew were insignificant, if not totally absent in the Northern
Blacklands.
The highest-yielding hard wheat varieties were TAM
202, Ogallala, and TAM 300. Soft wheats with the highest yields
were Pioneer 2580, Clemens, and Pioneer 2684.
Personnel. David Marshall
will be on sabbatical leave in New Zealand from April through
October, 1997.
L.R. Nelson, S.L. Ward, and J. Crowder.
Wheat grain yields in east Texas in 1996 were extremely
high with many plot yields near 100 bu/acre. These yields were
the result of a very dry growing season during the grain filling
period. Conditions were not conducive to disease buildup and
allowed the small grains to reach their full genetic potential
for grain yield. The highest-yielding cultivars at Overton were
Sawyer (96 bu/acre) and Pioneer 2548 (92 bu/acre). At DeKalb,
TX, Clemons produced a grain yield of 109 bu/acre. The only location
in the state that leaf rust data could be recorded was at Overton,
and this information was very useful to the Texas wheat breeding
program. Results from a diallel analysis for S. nodorum
resistance indicated that additive gene effects were more important
than dominance and incubation period (IP), latent period (LP),
and percent necrosis were polygenetically inherited. In this
study, IP was estimated to be controlled by two to three genes,
LP by three genes, and necrosis by one to four genes. Breeding
lines SWM14240 and TX18NT demonstrated good resistance and will
be used in the wheat breeding program in an attempt to pyramid
genes for resistance to S. nodorum. Seven drought-tolerant
wheat germplasms were released through cooperative research.
Publications.
Baker JL, Bates RP, and Nelson LR. 1996. Registration
of "Bates" rye. Crop Sci 36:810.
Lazar MD, Peterson GL, and Hu J. 1995. Multigenic
inheritance of biotype-E-greenbug resistance in wheat.
Plant Breed 114:492-496.
Du CG and Nelson LR. 1996. Pyramiding genes conditioning
resistance to Stagonospora nodorum in wheat. Agron Abstr
p. 88.
Lazar MD, Bean BW, and Salisbury CD. 1996. Vernalization
response of west Texas wheat varieties. Texas J Agric Natur Resour
9:43-49.
Lazar MD, Worrall WD, Porter KB, and Tuleen NA.
1996. Registration of eight closely related wheat germplasm lines
differing in biotype E greenbug resistance. Crop Sci 36:1419.
Lazar MD, Salisbury CD, Worrall WD, Porter KB, Ronney
WL, Marshall DS, Mcdaniel ME, Nelson LR, and Tuleen NA. 1996.
Registration of seven related wheat germplasms differing in irrigation
response. Crop Sci 36:818-819.
Marshall D, Gardenhire JH, Sutton RL, Rooney LW,
Lazar MD, McDaniel MD, Nelson LR, and Worrall WD. 1995. Registration
of `TAM
300' wheat. Crop Sci 35:592-593.
Nelson LR, Crowder J, and Ward S. 1996. Wheat grain
variety tests at Overton for 1993-94
and 2-year means. In: Overton Forage-livestock
Field Day Report-1996.
p. 63-64.
Nelson LR, Du C, Crowder J, and Ward S. 1996. Wheat
grain variety tests at Dekalb for 1994-95.
In: Overton Forage-livestock Field Day Report-1996.
p. 67-68.
Ward S, Crowder J, Du C, and Nelson LR. 1996. Wheat
forage yields at Overton for 1994-95
and 3-year means. In: Overton Forage-livestock
Field Day Report-1996.
p.9-10.
Ward S, Crowder J, and Nelson LR. 1996. Triticale
forage yields at Overton for 1994-95.
In: Overton Forage-livestock Field Day Report-1996.
p.11-12.
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
Plant Science Department, Logan, UT 84321, USA.
Spring wheat
R.S. Albrechtsen.
Production, diseases, and insects.
A 1996-harvested Utah spring wheat acreage that was slightly
larger than that of the previous year was more than offset by
a 15-bushel lower yield per acre (60 bushels versus 75 bushels),
resulting in a lower total production. Spring wheat diseases
were generally minor. Losses from the cereal leaf beetle and
the RWA were spotty but generally minimal.
Breeding program. We
are reducing our effort on the breeding program, because of our
small spring wheat acreage. We are able to identify well-adapted
cultivars from the Western Regional Spring Wheat Nursery and other
breeding programs in the west.
Cultivars. Rick (HRSW)
continues to perform well under both irrigated and non-irrigated
conditions. Penawawa (SWSW) does well under irrigation.
Dr. Bruce Bugbee performed the leading role in development
and release of the first dwarf HRSW (named USU-Apogee)
developed specifically as an improved cultivar for bioregenerative
life-support systems in space, under highly controlled environments.
USU-Apogee is shorter and higher-yielding than Yecora
Rojo and Veery-10, the short field genotypes previously used
in controlled environment production. USU-Apogee develops
rapidly, with heads emerging 23 days after seedling emergence
in continuous light and a constant temperature of 25 C.
The yield advantage of USU-Apogee is greatest under such
conditions favorable to rapid development.
D.J. Hole.
Production, diseases, and insects.
The harvested acreage of winter wheat in 1996 was 145,000 acres,
up 5,000 acres from 1995. Average yields were 10 bu/acre lower
at 40 bu/acre, resulting in production of 5.8 million bushels,
down from the 1995 record crop.
There were some natural infections of dwarf bunt,
although resistant cultivars continue to hold that disease in
check. There were three reports of flag smut, all on Weston wheat
that had been saved and planted for a number of years. Infestations
of the cereal leaf beetle and RWA were light. The Utah Karnal
bunt survey found no incidence of the disease in the 1995 or 1996
crops.
Breeding program. Breeders
headrows were harvested for a hard white winter wheat that has
been tested under the designation UT1944-158. Foundation
fields of UT1944-158 have been planted, but no decision to
release it has yet been made by the experiment station.
Publications.
Hole DJ, Albrechtsen RS, Clawson SM, and Thompson
VD. 1996. 1995 Utah small grains performance trials. UAES report
154.
Hu CJ, Hole DJ, and Albrechtsen RS. 1996. Barley
chromosome location and expression of dwarf bunt resistance in
wheat addition lines. Plant Dis 80:1273-1276.
Hole DJ, Albrechtsen RS, and Clawson SM. 1996.
Registration of `Garland'
Wheat. Crop Sci 36:208.
VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY
Departments of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences and Human
Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, Blacksburg; VA 24061; USA.
Virginia wheat production in 1996.
C.A. Griffey and D.E. Brann (Department of Crop and
Soil Environmental Sciences).
Growing conditions. The
1995-96
wheat growing season was colder and wetter than normal, and much
of the wheat acreage was planted and harvested beyond the optimal
period. The November-December
period, when most of the crop was planted, was 100 growing-degree
days less than normal and resulted in reduced plant emergence
and tillering. Colder than normal temperatures continued through
March with much of the wheat entering the jointing stage with
only the main stem and one additional tiller. Lack of tiller
development was the major yield-limiting factor in most wheat
fields. Leaf and spike diseases, such as powdery mildew, glume
blotch and scab were also more severe than normal due to the cool,
wet weather. Head emergence was about a week later than normal.
Frequent rains occurring after crop maturity delayed harvest
and resulted in reductions in test weight and grain quality.
Although temperatures dropped well below freezing during the winter
months, little winterkill was observed because of protection by
a record snow-coverage.
Production. According
to the Virginia Agricultural Statistics Service, 300,000 acres
(121,500 ha) of soft red winter wheat were planted in Virginia
in 1995, with 275,000 acres (111,375 ha) being harvested for grain.
An average yield of 53 bu/acre (3,560 kg/ha) was obtained in
1996, which was 11 bu/acre lower than the state yield-record
set in 1995. Total wheat production in 1996 was 14.6 million
bushels (397,000 metric tons). Although the number of acres harvested
did not change from 1995, total production was 3 million bushels
less in 1996, because of lower yields.
Virginia Wheat Yield Contest.
Eight wheat producers representing six counties participated
in the 1996 Virginia Wheat Yield Contest. David Hula of Renwood
Farms, Charles City Co., had the highest-yielding wheat at 132
bu/acre (8,870 kg/ha) over a minimum area of three acres (1.2
ha). Producers in four counties entered the Virginia No-Till
Wheat Contest. Randolph and Louis Aigner of Oakland Farms, Henrico
Co., had the highest yield with 103 bu/acre (6,920 kg/ha) over
a minimum area of three acres (1.2 ha).
State cultivar tests.
Ten public and 23 private wheat cultivars were evaluated at six
locations in Virginia in 1996. The cultivars Pocahontas, Coker
9663, and Baytan-treated Wakefield and Jackson yielded above
the test average with yields ranging from 87-90
bu/acre (5,845-6,047
kg/ha). Other cultivars with average yields ranging from 79 to
85 bu/acre (5,308-5,711
kg/ha) and not significantly different from the overall cultivar
mean were Baytan-treated Pioneer 2580, 2684, 2691, 2643;
FFR 555W, 523W; Coker 9835; Hoffman 89; and Vitavax-treated
Madison, GA-Gore, FFR 568W, Featherstone 520; and AgriPro
Foster, Mason, and Elkhart. Test weight means for the six locations
ranged from 53.8 at Blacksburg to 58.5 lb/bu (692-753
kg/m3) at Warsaw, Virginia, with a mean of 56.5 lb/bu
(727 kg/m3) over all locations. At Warsaw, where the
crop was harvested on time and prior to frequent rains, test weights
ranged from 56.4 to 61.3 lb/bu (726-789
kg/m3). Cultivars with average test weights of 58.0
lb/bu (746 kg/m3) or higher over locations were Coker
9663, Hoffman 89, Hoffman 95, Coker 9803, Pioneer 2684, and Elkhart.
Disease incidence and severity.
As a result of cooler temperatures, powdery mildew developed
to epidemic levels and persisted throughout much of the grain-fill
period. Baytan-treated susceptible cultivars had severities
as high as 50 %, and mildew was observed on previously resistant
cultivars such as Coker 9904. As normally observed, leaf rust
developed late in the season with moderate severity on flag leaves.
Leaf and glume blotch were moderately severe as a result of frequent
rains during May and June. Scab was severe and resulted in a
considerable reduction in grain quality in winter durum tests
grown in the western part of the state.
Cultivar release. Pocahontas,
formerly designated VA 93-52-60, was released by the
Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station in 1997. The name Pocahontas
was selected as a tribute to all native Americans and, particularly,
to the Powhatan princess Pocahontas, who devoted her life to promoting
peace. Pocahontas was derived as an F5-head selection
from the cross 'Wheeler'*2/C39//'Saluda'. The C39 parent (genes
Pm2, Pm4b, and Pm6) originated in England
and was selected from the 1982 International Winter Wheat Mildew
Nursery as a source of resistance to powdery mildew. Pocahontas
is an early-heading, high-yielding, awnleted SRWW with resistance
to powdery mildew. Head emergence is 1-2
days earlier than that of the most widely grown early wheats and
4 days earlier than Jackson and FFR 555W. Plant height of Pocahontas
is 35 inches, which is similar to FFR 555W and 1-2
inches shorter than that of Jackson. Pocahontas has good straw
strength and is superior to Jackson in this aspect. Based on
parentage and limited data, winter hardiness of Pocahontas is
moderate, being similar to that of Saluda and Jackson. Average
grain test weight of Pocahontas is 57.7 lb/bu and is similar to
that of Jackson. Pocahontas has very good milling quality with
high flour yields, and baking quality is satisfactory. Milling
quality is superior and baking quality is similar to that of Saluda.
Pocahontas is resistant to the prevalent strains
of powdery mildew in the mid-Atlantic region and has a moderate
level of resistance to soilborne viruses and to leaf and glume
blotch. The cultivar is moderately susceptible to the prevalent
races of leaf rust and to barley yellow dwarf virus. Although
Pocahontas exhibits resistance to five races of stem rust, it
is susceptible to the most prevalent race TNMK. Pocahontas is
resistant to Hessian fly biotypes GP and E but is susceptible
to the most prevalent biotype L.
In 18 tests conducted in Virginia during 1994-96,
Pocahontas had an average grain yield of 84 bu/a, which was not
significantly different from the highest yielding cultivar. Among
released cultivars, Pocahontas ranked first, seventh, and second
in grain yield in 1994, 1995, and 1996, respectively. In variety
trials conducted in other states in 1996, Pocahontas was ranked
among the top 10 lines for grain yield in two trials in South
Carolina, five trials in Georgia, four trials in Maryland, one
trial in New Jersey, and one trial in Pennsylvania. Pocahontas
was evaluated for 2 years (1994 and 1995) in the Uniform Southern
Soft Red Winter Wheat Nursery and in the Uniform Eastern Soft
Red Winter Wheat Nursery in 1995. Pocahontas is most adapted
to the mid-Atlantic and southern regions. The Virginia Crop
Improvement Association will be responsible for seed distribution
through the Foundation Seed Farm at Mount Holly, Virginia.
Winter durum wheats in Virginia!
A.O. Abaye, C.A. Griffey, and D.E. Brann.
Historically durum wheats, mainly spring-habit
genotypes, have been grown in the upper Great Plains states including
North and South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana, and also in Arizona.
SRWWs are typically grown in the eastern U.S. A durum mill and
pasta-manufacturing plant recently were opened in northwestern
Virginia, which has created the opportunity for Virginia wheat
producers to grow winter durum wheat. More than 60 winter durum
cultivars and experimental lines of diverse origin have been evaluated
during the past 3 years at four locations in Virginia. Three
of the test sites (Montgomery, Orange, and Clarke Cos.) were in
the western part of the state and Warsaw (Richmond Co.) is in
the northeastern part of the state. Among the genotypes tested,
three were from Hungary, two from Romania, three from France,
two from Turkey, three from Syria, two from Mexico, nine from
Ukraine, and 35 from the U.S.
The main objective of these studies was to examine
the feasibility of successfully producing winter durum wheat in
Virginia. The specific objectives were to assess genotypes for
adaptation including winter hardiness, disease resistance, grain
yield, and quality. Thirty-two winter durum and six SRWW
checks were evaluated in replicated tests at three locations in
western Virginia in 1996. Across locations, grain yields of the
best durum genotypes were 15-30
% lower than the average yield of the SRWW genotypes. The durum
line, N1013/84, from the Ukraine had the highest average grain
yield (68.6 bu/acre = 4,610 kg/ha), and grain yields of 43, 67,
and 96 bu/acre were obtained at the three locations. Overall,
winter durum genotypes from the Ukraine were most productive in
Virginia. In terms of quality (test weight, 1,000-kernel weight,
protein concentration, and falling number), some durum genotypes
from the Ukraine and Hungary performed within and above the acceptable
range compared to North Dakota durum. However, kernel vitreousness
was below the acceptable range for all locations except for Orange.
The winter durum genotypes will be evaluated at four locations
in 1997.
Commercial production of winter durum wheat in Virginia
will depend on the feasibility of consistently producing a crop
of satisfactory quality and an economic advantage obtained from
a higher price per bushel to compensate for lower yield potential
compared with SRWWs.
Effect of T1BL-1RS translocation
on milling and baking quality of soft red winter wheat.
J.M. Johnson and C.H. Harris (Department of Human
Nutrition, Foods and Exercise), and C.A. Griffey.
Soft red winter wheat yield and disease resistance
have been improved by the introduction of rye chromatin in the
breeding of certain varieties. Rye chromosome 1, or segments
of this chromosome, have been introgressed into many soft red
winter wheats via a substitution for chromosome 1B and are referred
to as T1BL-1RS
translocations.
During the 1994 and 1995 growing seasons, this laboratory
evaluated eleven SRWW genotypes with or without T1BL-1RS
that were grown at Warsaw and Blacksburg, VA. An ELISA test was
used to confirm the presence or absence of T1BL-1RS.
Genotypes without T1BL-1RS
and selected as controls were Saluda, FFR 555W, Massey, and VA93-54-209.
Experimental lines with T1BL-1RS
were VA92-52-22, VA93-52-55, VA93-54-185,
VA93-54-211, VA93-54-258, VA93-54-241,
and VA93-54-418. Genotypes VA93-54-209 and
VA93-54-211 are sister lines.
Grain harvested from experimental plots at Warsaw
and Blacksburg was tempered to a moisture content of 14 % and
milled in a Brabender Quadramatic Junior mill. Protein content
was determined by the Kjeldahl method using 5.7 % nitrogen as
the basis for calculation of total protein. Mixing tolerance
of the flour was measured by the Brabender Farinograph using the
mixing time stability, or the time at which the dough falls below
500 Brabender units, with longer time indicating a stronger and
more tolerant dough to mixing. Mixing tolerance index measures
the decline in Brabender units after 5 min of mixing. Baking
tests included cakes and cookies made according to the standard
formulae of the American Association of Cereal Chemists.
The presence of T1BL-1RS
had an inconsistent effect on protein content of the flour. For
the 1994-95
growing season, wheats with T1BL-1RS
from Blacksburg were higher in protein content, although no difference
in protein content was observed among wheats from Warsaw. Environment
was suggested to be a more important factor than the presence
of T1BL-1RS
in determining protein concentration. Dough from flour of the
T1BL-1RS
wheat VA93-54-211 had a greater stability to mixing
than did its sister line (VA93-54-209) without T1BL-1RS.
The T1BL-1RS
sib was markedly more tolerant to mixing for flour extracted from
grain grown at Warsaw.
Cookies made with flours of T1BL-1RS
wheats had a lower spread and stack height than cookies from flours
of control wheats without T1BL-1RS.
However, cakes prepared with flours of T1BL-1RS
wheat were significantly higher in volume and more tender and
compared very favorably with cakes made from commercial flours
that are considered industry standards. Results indicated that
flours of T1BL-1RS
SRWW is well suited for cakes and cake mixes and could possibly
become a premium wheat when purchased for cake flour. These results
suggest that assessment of baking quality of SRWW based primarily
on cookie spread likely will fail to identify specific genotypes
suited for many of the other broad-spectrum uses of SRWW.
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