AAC Cameron had the lowest fusarium damaged kernel and DON levels of all spring wheat varieties in 2015 trials. In 2017, FDK nearly fell off the chart. DON actually did fall off the chart.
The chart depicts disease data from the 39 varieties field tested in a project called Assessment of Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in Registered Spring Wheat Varieties Under Natural Conditions in Manitoba. Lead agronomist on the project is Holly Derkson, a crop pathologist with Manitoba Agriculture.
FDK was measured in percent and deoxynivalenol (DON) was measured in parts per million.
Read Also
Growing garlic by the thousands in Manitoba
Grower holds a planting party day every fall as a crowd gathers to help put 28,000 plants, and sometimes more, into theground
DON is also known as vomitoxin, which is the mycotoxin produced by the Fusarium graminearum fungus that causes fusarium head blight, or scab, in small grains.
“Farmers are generally aware of AAC Cameron. Canterra did its best to advertise the data last year,” said Derkson.
It’s important to understand how trials are run and data presented before getting too excited about any new variety, she added.
“For example, farmers should know these are not inoculated trials, so weather conditions at the time of flowering can affect different varieties. If some of the varieties flowered earlier when conditions were more conducive, that affects how it looks in the trials. It’s impossible for us to go out there every day to take notes on flowering for all the varieties at all locations.”
Derkson reminds producers that three-year registration trials are conducted under near perfect conditions. They’re inoculated, and care is taken so that everything is done at the correct time and in strict adherence to best practices.
“Also, the midges can play a role,” she said.
“Under field conditions, midge tolerant varieties will be under less stress, so they’re healthier. That can be reflected in better disease resistance. AAC Cameron is a midge-tolerant variety, so I expect seed supplies are targeted at those areas with midge problems. I have heard some anecdotal stories from areas with midge problems. Growers say their AAC Cameron performs better than other midge-tolerant varieties. I heard those comments after 2016 when we had more fusarium.”
The chart is based on averages starting in 2009. AAC Cameron has only recently been in the trials, including 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Derkson said the project doesn’t test every variety, every year at every location.
“To make up for this fact, we run a stats analysis program called mixed model analysis,” she said.
“This program allows a wide variety of correlation patterns to be modelled. In 2017, our FDK and DON levels were lower across the board for all varieties.
“DON levels for AAC Cameron dropped off the chart entirely because the mixed model analysis said the levels are so low that they didn’t register.”
AAC Cameron comes from Agriculture Canada in Brandon. The breeder was Santosh Kumar. Canterra handles the seed.
