WSU spring wheats to come before release committee
Washington Ag Today December 28, 2011 When the varietal release committee at Washington State University meets this next February there will be a couple of spring wheats put before it. WSU spring wheat breeder Michael Pumphrey says a full release will be sought for a hard red spring wheat, WA8074. Pumphrey: “That line has already been approved for breeder seed increase. It has been in the variety testing trials for three years across the state. It has really performed well particularly because of the stripe rust resistance package in it. Kind of sets it apart from most all the hard red spring wheats available. We will be going for full release and we have actually preemptively blown up some seed of that line through an off-season nursery so there will be registered seed available for growers this spring, if it is finally approved.” Pumphrey says protein wise WA8074 is average and patterns after Hank and Jefferson but with improved test weight and yield. Pumphrey says a pre-release will be sought for a hard white spring wheat. Pumphrey: “The hard white market is much more limited but currently there is basically one variety available and the availability of the variety has been limited. The industry has indicated there is demand for an additional hard white spring wheat. We have WA8123 that has been in variety testing across the state the past few years, that again is really at the top of the yield charts. It is a good quality, highly stripe rust resistant hard white spring wheat.” Washington State University spring wheat breeder Michael Pumphrey. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
