VARIETAL TRIALS OF SELECTED FARM CROPS - 1992
 
 Successful crop production depends to a considerable extent on
 selecting the best varieties for a particular farm. For that
 reason, varieties are compared in trial plots on Minnesota
 Agricultural Experiment Station fields at St. Paul, Rosemount,
 Waseca, Lamberton, Morris, Crookston, Grand Rapids and Becker,
 and on farmers' fields. Important old varieties and new varieties
 are grown in replicated plots at each location. These plots are
 handled so that factors affecting yield and other characteristics
 are as nearly the same for all varieties at each location as is
 possible.
 
 Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station scientists are not
 currently conducting performance trials for 15 crops which were
 included in previous editions of this publication. For those who
 want the most recent reports of tests or additional production
 information, a contact address and/or alternate publication
 source is indicated under each crop heading.
 
 Variety Classifications
 
 Varieties of many of the evaluated crops are classed into four
 groups: "recommended varieties," "varieties not adequately
 tested," "other varieties," and "privately developed varieties."
 Some crops have further groupings within these categories.
 Varietal descriptions are alphabetical within groups.
 
 The classifications of varieties as "recommended," "other" and
 "private" are determined each year by the Minnesota Agricultural
 Experiment Station crop variety review committee. A variety is
 usually not eligible for the "recommended" group unless it has
 been better than other varieties in important characteristics in
 three years of testing.
 
 New varieties from other public experiment stations and private
 plant breeders, but not sufficiently evaluated here, are listed
 as "varieties not adequately tested." Available information is
 presented for these varieties ' but no conclusions are drawn
 regarding their suitability for Minnesota conditions.
 
 Varieties listed in the "other" category are usually inferior in
 one or more characteristics, as demonstrated in comparative
 tests. Varieties in the "private" category are good performing
 varieties, on which the experiment station makes no
 recommendations.
 
 Seed of varieties in all three groups may be eligible for
 certification, and the use of certified seed is suggested.
 However, certification does not imply recommendation. Registered
 and certified seed of most varieties described in this report can
 be purchased from seed dealers or from growers listed in the
 Minnesota Registered and Certified Seed Directory for 1992
 Planting. This publication can be obtained without charge from
 the Minnesota Crop Improvement Association, 1900 Hendon Avenue,
 St. Paul, MN 55108, or from county extension offices.
 
 Interpreting the Tables
 
 The LSD (Least Significant Difference)figures listed under the
 yield columns in the tables are statistical measures of
 variability within the trials. This statistic shows whether the
 difference between two yields is due to a genetic difference in
 the varieties or to other causes such as soil variability.
 
 If the yield difference between two varieties equals or exceeds
 the LSD value listed at the bottom of a yield column, it can be
 properly concluded that the higher yielding variety was superior.
 If the difference is less, the yield difference was probably due
 to environmental rather than varietal differences.
 
 These trials are not designed for comparisons between crop
 species, because the various crops are grown on different fields
 or with different management. Data should only be used to compare
 varieties within a table.
 
 Relative maturities of varieties are indicated in the tables as
 date mature, heading, or blooming; days to mature, heading, or
 blooming; or moisture percentage at harvest.
 
 Authors and Researchers
 
 Authors of the section: R.H. Busch (hard red spring.
 
 Information on the reaction of varieties to specific pathogens
 was largely provided by individuals of the Department of Plant
 Pathology: A.P. Roelfs (wheat); D.V. McVey (wheat).
 
 Varietal trials at Waseca, Lamberton, Morris, Crookston-Stephen,
 and Grand Rapids was supervised by W.E. Lueschen, J.H. Ford, D.D.
 Warnes, J.V. Wiersma, and D.L. Rabas, respectively.
 
 HARD RED SPRING WHEAT - 1992