South Central & East Nebraska Wheat Variety Tour

2024 Winter Wheat Variety Trial Tour – June 6, 2024

When: Thursday, June 6, 2024 from 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Location: Field is 1/4 west of 57135 716 Rd, Fairbury NE 68352 GPS: 40.204409°, -97.121368° Driving Directions: From Fairbury, go north on Hwy 15 for 1.2 miles, turn east on Road 715 and go three miles, turn left on 571st Ave. and go north one mile to 716th Road, go east for 0.1 miles, and the field is on the right. Intersection: 1/4 east of intersection of 716th Road & 571st Ave

Agenda

• 5:00 pm – Variety discussion by industry representatives and UNL Variety Trial Manager (Amanda Easterly or Cody Creech)
• 5:45 pm – UNL wheat varieties and breeding update – Katherine Frels
• 6:00 pm – Southeast Nebraska wheat update – Nathan Mueller
• 6:10 pm – Wheat disease question and answers – Stephen Wegulo
• 6:20 pm – Closing remarks – Mark Knobel and UNL Variety Trial Manager
• 6:30 pm – Done

For those unable to attend tour dates, demonstration plots will be labeled approximately a week before the scheduled tour and remain in place until harvest. Reach out to Amanda Easterly with any questions.

Stakeholders are encouraged to engage with the wheat team via Twitter/X via @UNLVarietyTest and @HuskerWheat with questions to guide the event. For handicap-accessible accommodation, contact Amanda Easterly before the event. The schedule is subject to change in the event of severe weather. For last minute phone call questions, contact Nathan Mueller at 402-821-1722.

About the UNL wheat variety tour

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Crop Performance Testing Program has announced its lineup for wheat variety tours starting in June. These tours are hosted by farmer-cooperators and UNL Farm Managers each year in conjunction with the CPT team. Tours will occur at eight fields across the state, from Jefferson to Banner County. All are welcome, and there is no cost to attend.

Tours will be led by Drs. Cody Creech and Amanda Easterly, with assistance from Dr. Katherine Frels, UNL small grains breeder, and Dr. Stephen Wegulo, UNL small grains plant pathologist, and other UNL researchers at various stops. Seed industry partners will share insight on their varieties and answer questions. Seventy-eight different varieties are being tested across the state, and wheat team members will answer questions about variety selection, production and pest/disease concerns.

The UNL Crop Variety and Hybrid Testing Program is run by Cody Creech, Amanda Easterly, and Brian Maust. Past winter wheat variety test results are available at cropwatch.unl.edu/winter-wheat-variety-test-result

PAST – 2022 Digital Variety Tour – Jefferson County

2022 digital wheat tour of 35 varieties evaluated at the Jefferson County trial location. Includes links to company tech sheets, email for company representative, and other resources.

2022 Jefferson County Variety Trial Management Information (Grower Host – Mark Knobel):

• Plot planted October 21, 2021, no-till after soybeans on Crete silt loam soil
• Fall fertilizer: 100 lbs/ac of Potash and 100 lbs/ac of 11-52-0
• Spring topdress with 130 lbs N/ac as UAN and 13 lbs sulfur/ac using streamer nozzles
• Harmony Extra herbicide and 4 oz/ac of generic Quilt fungicide in the spring
• Generic Quilt at flag leaf and Miravis Ace Fungicide (13.7 oz/ac) and 1 gallon of N-Cline at flowering

Long-term checks

Turkey (1870s) – Long-term check

• The Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station began experiments with winter wheats in 1890 and had cooperative tests with farmers in 1894. Of the varieties tested before 1902, Turkey proved to be the best for yield, winter hardiness, and quality. The first reliable survey of the acreage of Turkey was done in 1919 with 83% of the Nebraska wheat acreage planted to Turkey. Source: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3741420.

Scout 66 – UNL – Long-term check, released in 1967

• Developed from the cross of Nebred-Hope-Turkey x Cheyenne-Ponca. More uniform in height, maturity, and milling and baking quality than Scout. At the time of release, it was described as short with good straw strength and winter hardiness and recommended for southeast, south central and southwest Nebraska.

Wesley – Long-term check, released in 1999

• When released, considered a moderately early maturing, moderately short height variety with excellent straw strength and good winter hardiness. Well known for its bronzed chaff. Developed by USDA-ARS in cooperation with Nebraska and co-released by Nebraska and South Dakota. Wesley was derived from the cross Sumner sib//Colt/Cody. Still available as certified seed.

Croplan from WinField United (Representative is Brad Krajewski, )

CP7017AX – Released in 2020

• CoAXium variety (non-GMO trait allowing using of ACCase-inhibiting herbicides to control grassy weeds) with strong yield potential and drought tolerance. Medium maturity, resistance to soilborne mosaic virus, moderately susceptible to leaf rust. Top-yielding variety from Croplan in the south central UNL variety trials over the past 2 years (2020 & 2021) and ranked 2^nd for yield in Jefferson County location in 2021.
• Tech sheet

CP7050AX – Released in 2020

• CoAXium variety with excellent yield potential, early maturity, strong straw, good test weight, good resistance to stripe rust and soilborne mosaic virus. Moderately resistant for Fusarium head blight
• Tech sheet

CPX72166AX – Experimental

• Experimental CoAxium variety with medium-maturity, excellent resistance to leaf rust and moderate resistance to stripe rust.

CP7869 – Released in 2017

• First entered into UNL trials in 2017 as an experimental (EXP69-16), entered in Jefferson County location in 2020, but not in 2021. Mid to late maturity variety with high yield potential excellent standability, short to medium height, good test weight. Good resistance to leaf, stem, and stripe rusts.
• Tech sheet

WestBred from Bayer Crop Science (Representative is Mark Lubbers – )

WB4269 – Released in 2016

• A short-height early maturing variety with good standability and excellent disease package for eastern Nebraska including moderate resistance to Fusarium head blight, soilborne mosaic virus, and resistance to leaf rust. It has average test weight, protein, and acceptable milling and baking quality. Single-Use License Variety.
• Tech sheet

WB4401 – Released in 2020

• Medium maturity and height with excellent yield potential, excellent milling and baking quality with a strong disease package for eastern Nebraska with intermediate resistance to Fusarium head blight, soil-borne mosaic virus resistance and good stripe rust resistance. Top-yielding variety in the 2-year eastern Nebraska variety trials. For the Jefferson County location, highest yielding hard red winter wheat variety in the 2020 and 4^th highest in 2021. Single-Use License Variety.
• Tech sheet

WB4523 – Released in 2022

• New medium maturating variety with very good yield potential with excellent standability and disease package for eastern Nebraska including to stripe rust. Good Fusarium head blight tolerance. Single-Use License Variety.
• Tech sheet

WB4699 – Released in 2018

• A medium-to-late maturing, short height variety with excellent yield potential, tillering potential, and standability with a very good overall disease package. Moderately resistant to Fusarium head blight (so good option after corn), soil-borne mosaic and barley yellow dwarf virus. It has acceptable milling and baking quality with average test weight and protein. Single-Use License Variety.
• Tech sheet

Syngenta AgriPro (Representative is Matt Keating, )

AP Bigfoot – Released in 2022

• In this trial last year as an experimental. Medium-early maturity and medium plant height Very good leaf and stripe rust resistance and a great choice in AgriPro’s lineup for planting late after soybeans. Moderately resistant to Fusarium head blight. Company placement includes south central and southeast Nebraska.
• Tech sheet

AP Roadrunner – Released in 2020

• A medium maturity, medium tall with fair to good straw strength. Excellent drought tolerance and wheat streak mosaic virus resistance. Excellent milling and baking quality. Company placement is west of Hwy 281 in south central Nebraska.
• Tech sheet

SY Wolverine – Released in 2019

• It is a medium-early maturing variety with short to medium plant height with very good straw strength. It has good resistance to barley yellow dwarf virus, soilborne mosaic virus, and powdery mildew. Improved resistance to bacterial leaf streak compared to SY Sunrise, like SY Wolf. Company placement includes south central and southeast Nebraska. 
• Tech sheet

Polansky Seed (Representative is Eric Johnson – )

Rock Star – Release in 2019

• A medium-season maturity with excellent leaf and stripe rust resistance. Good straw strength with above average Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus tolerance. Rock Star has good straw strength and above average tolerance to the wheat streak mosaic virus. Good Fusarium head blight tolerance, so option following corn. Has performed well at the North Central Kansas State variety trial location at Belleville over the past 3 years.
• Tech sheet

Paradise – Release in 2017

• A medium-early maturity with excellent stripe rust resistance. Good fit following soybeans. Excellent milling and baking quality is excellent along with good tillering and test weight.
• Tech sheet

LimaGrain Cereal Seeds (Representative is Nathan Miller, )

LCS Valiant – Released in 2019

• Developed in the Nebraska Breeding Program. It is an medium-early maturing medium height variety with good yield performance and end-use quality. It is resistant to Soilborne mosaic virus and Hessian fly and moderately resistant to stem rust. It is moderately susceptible to moderately resistant to leaf rust and Fusarium head blight, though FHB resistance is above average compared to most varieties. It is susceptible to stripe rust and wheat streak mosaic virus. Recommended for planting across Nebraska.
• Tech sheet

LCS Chrome- Released in 2016

• Medium-late maturing with very good drought tolerance and standability. Above average resistance to leaf rust and soil-borne mosaic diseases. Moderately susceptible to barley yellow dwarf disease.
• Tech sheet

LCS Steel AX – Released in 2021

• Late-maturing CoAXium variety with very good straw strength and standability with similar appearance to LCS Chrome. Company placement includes south central and eastern Nebraska. Moderately resistance to Fusarium head blight and leaf rust.
• Tech sheet

LCS Atomic AX – Released in 2019

• Early-maturing CoAXium variety with excellent standability and resistance to stripe rust and soil-borne mosaic virus. Moderately resistant to Fusarium head blight and leaf rust. Great drought and heat tolerance. Company placement includes south central Nebraska.
• Tech sheet

Meridian Seeds (Company Representative is Troy Gerding – )

MS Maverick – Released in 2021

• Excellent disease package rated resistant to leaf rust, moderately resistant to stripe rust, intermediate for stem rust, and moderately resistant to Fusarium head blight. Above average test weight and protein. Medium to medium-late maturity. Medium height with good standability. Better suited for rainfed production more than irrigation. Ranked #3 for yield in the UNL South Central Region trials in 2021.
• Tech sheet

MS Iceman – Released in 2022

• Newest entry from Meridian Seeds with medium to medium-late maturity and medium height.  Excellent protein and test weight. Great lodging resistance and standability. Moderately resistant for leaf rust, stem rust, and FHB. Moderately susceptible to stripe rust. Ideally suited for rainfed production.
• Tech sheet (not yet available)

NuHorizon Genetics, Husker Genetics & NuPride from UNL Breeding Program (Representative is Katherine Frels – )

Epoch – Released in 2021

• First year of evaluation in south-central and east Nebraska state variety trials. It is ideally suited for irrigated production and intensive management in western Nebraska where it has excelled for grain yield and test weight. A medium-early variety with some of these same traits may be a good fit for production in rainfed conditions in south central and eastern Nebraska.
• Tech sheet – coming soon

Siege – Released in 2019

• It is a medium maturing variety adapted to south central and east Nebraska. It is medium height with above average straw strength, good winter hardiness, and high yield potential. Siege has above average seed size with very good test weight and protein with acceptable milling and baking quality. It is moderately resistant to Hessian fly, stripe and stem rust, and soilborne mosaic virus. It is moderately susceptible to Fusarium head blight. Good resistance to bacterial leaf streak shown in 2018. Siege should be a replacement for Overland and Freemen in south central and eastern Nebraska.
• Tech sheet

Ruth – Released in 2015

• Is a medium to tall variety that is moderately late in maturity. It has moderate straw strength and good winter hardiness. Ruth is resistant to Soilborne mosaic virus and moderately resistant to stem rust, moderately susceptible to leaf rust and stripe rust. It is moderately susceptible to Fusarium head blight and moderately resistant to moderately susceptible to Hessian fly. It is susceptible to barley yellow dwarf virus. Ruth has average test weight and protein and acceptable milling and baking quality. It is broadly adapted across Nebraska and moves north and west well. 2^nd highest yield variety in the eastern Nebraska region variety trials.
• Tech sheet

Freeman – Released in 2012

• It was released for superior adaptions to rainfed wheat production through Nebraska and states north and west of Nebraska. It is a medium-early maturing variety with medium plant height and average standability. It is moderately susceptible for both stripe and leaf rust and below average test weight and less desirable milling and baking quality. It has demonstrated great nitrogen used efficiency and has yielded very well in west central and the Panhandle in Nebraska. Siege released in 2019 should be a replacement for Freeman due improved yield and superior test weight.
• Tech sheet

NHH17450 – Experimental variety

• UNL experimental (Brawl CL/NHH09655) two-gene Clearfield variety approved for release. Medium early maturity. Excellent yield potential and targeted growing region for west-central and southern Nebraska. Performed well last year at the Jefferson County location.

NHH17612 – Experimental variety

• UNL experimental (Brawl CL/NHH09655) two-gene Clearfield variety approved for release. Excellent yield potential and later maturing that NHH17450. Good to excellent milling and baking quality. Targeted growing environment will be north of I-80.

NHH19651 – Experimental variety

• UNL experimental two-gene Clearfield variety targeted for placement in west-central and Panhandle.

NHH19668 – Experimental variety

• UNL experimental two-gene Clearfield variety that is likely broadly adapted to Nebraska.

PSB13NEDH-14-83 – Experimental variety

• UNL experimental variety with likely placement in west and south central Nebraska.

NE16562 – Experimental variety

• UNL experimental variety made from a WestBred variety crossed with Camelot (HV9W02-942R/CAMELOT) that is resistant to Hessian fly, stem rust, soil-borne mosaic virus and moderately resistant to leaf rust. Susceptible to stripe rust. Has performed well across Nebraska over the past three years in multi-location trials.

NE17441 – Experimental variety

• UNL experimental variety broadly adapted, resistant to soil-borne mosaic virus, moderately resistant to stripe rust and to Fusarium head blight.

NE17443 – Experimental variety

• UNL experimental variety targeted for the Panhandle and west-central Nebraska. Moderately resistant to Fusarium head blight and leaf rust. Susceptible to soil-born mosaic virus, wheat streak mosaic virus and stripe rust.

NE18455 – Experimental variety

• UNL experimental variety targeted for eastern Nebraska and other higher rainfall environments. Moderately resistant to stripe rust, susceptible to soil-borne and wheat streak mosaic virus.

2023 Potential Sponsors

Contact Nathan Mueller, Cropping Systems Extension Educator at 402-821-2151 for more information about sponsoring the wheat plot tours in 2022.