UTAH
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
Plant Science Department, Logan, UT 84321, USA.
Winter wheat.
J.D. Hole.
Production, diseases, and insects. The 1997 harvested acreage of winter wheat was 160 thousand acres, the same as 1996. Average yields were 11 bu/A higher at 49 bu/A resulting in production of 7.8 million bushels, up from the 1996 crop and only 0.3 million bushels off of the state record set in 1986.
Some natural infections of dwarf bunt occurred, although resistant cultivars continue to hold that disease in check. Cereal leaf beetle infestations were heavier than last year's and required control in some locations. Larva that were tested often were found to have been parasitized. Russian wheat aphid incidence was light. The Utah Karnal bunt survey found no incidence of the disease in the 1997 crops.
Breeding program. Foundation fields of Utah-100 were harvested and distributed to seed producers. Late rains and irrigations caused sprouted kernels on the HWWW UT1944-158, so collaborative tests were postponed and another increase field was planted at the Blue Creek dryland site.
Publications.
Hole D, Albrechtsen RS, Clawson SM, and Thompson VD. 1997. 1996 Utah small
grains performance trials. UAES report 156.
Hole DJ, Emran A, and Drew MC. 1997. Influx and efflux kinetics of ammonium transport in maize roots. Maydica 42:347-354.
Hole DJ, Albrechtsen RS, Clawson S, and Young SA. 1997. Registration of Utah-100 wheat. Crop Sci 37:1009.
Rasmussen RD, Hole DJ, Hess JR, and Carman JG. 1997. Wheat kernel dormancy and +abscisic acid level following exposure to fluridone. J Plant Physiol 150:440-445.
Spring wheat.
R.S. Albrechtsen.
Production, diseases, and insects. Utah's 1997 harvested spring wheat acreage was slightly larger than that of the previous year. However, a 14 bu/A lower yield (46 bushels versus 60 bushels) resulted in a 20 % lower total production.
Spring wheat diseases were generally minimal. Cereal leaf beetle infestations were sufficient to require control in isolated sites. Infestations of Russian wheat aphids grasshoppers, and other insects were generally light.
Breeding program. Improved cultivars for Utah are identified primarily from the Western Regional Spring Wheat Nursery. Our small spring wheat acreage does not justify continuation of a full-scale spring wheat breeding program.
Cultivars. Rick and Sylvan perform well among the HRS cultivars. Treasure, Centennial, Fieldwin, Vanna, and Penawawa were the top-yielding SWS entries in 1997 Utah tests.