UTAH
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
Plant Science Department, Logan, UT 84321, USA.
D.J. Hole and R.S. Albrechtsen.
Production, diseases and insects. The 1999-harvested acreage of spring wheat in Utah was 25,000 acres, slightly larger than that of the previous year. Average yields of 56 bu/acre were 2 bu/acre lower. Total spring wheat production of 1.4 million bushels was slightly higher than that in 1998.
Breeding program. We continue to identify improved cultivars from the Western Regional Spring Wheat Nursery and from other breeding programs in the west.
Personnel. After 30 years as small grains breeder at Utah State University, Dr. Rulon Albrechtsen will retire this spring (see the Retirements section for a biography of Dr. Albrechtsen's career).
Production, diseases and insects. Harvested acreage in Utah dropped to 145,000 acres in 1999. Yields of 52 bu/acre were up from 1998, and overall production was similar to that in 1998. Diseases were light, but a good infection was obtained in the artificially inoculated nursery for dwarf bunt. Cereal leaf beetle populations were large, but damage was difficult to determine.
Breeding program. The HWWW UT1944-158 has been released
as Golden Spike. Golden Spike was tested in the regional nurseries
under the designation UT944158. The cultivar will be under license
to General Mills for production outside of Utah. Breeder seed
of UT2030-32 was planted this past autumn. A release decision
has not been made yet for this HRWW.