The official numbers aren’t in yet on how much midge tolerant wheat was seeded in 2010, but one industry official believes it could easily have been higher.”The feedback I’ve been getting from members is that in the traditionally high midge regions, we had very good uptake and many members sold out,” said Todd Hyra, western business manager for SeCan, which distributes two of the four registered midge tolerant varieties.”As you moved into the fringe areas, where there hasn’t been high midge pressure in the past couple of seasons, there was not as much demand.”Hyra said that is a missed marketing opportunity because the new varieties carry a broad array of excellent traits in addition to midge tolerance: higher yield, lower days to maturity, resistance to sprouting, leaf and stem rust, higher protein levels and resistance to lodging and fusarium.” If you look at the overall package, there are a lot of agronomic benefits that these varieties have over and above just simply midge tolerance,” said Ian Wise, an entomologist with Agriculture Canada in Winnipeg.”I think growers have to take that into account.”He said the incorporation of the midge tolerance gene into new cultivars enables breeders to also incorporate the latest improvements in other areas.As well, he added, midge tolerance reduced pressure on growers in borderline areas to monitor their crops and face decisions about spraying insecticide.Midge tolerant varieties are sold as a blend comprising 90 percent of the new variety and 10 percent of a midge susceptible variety, called the refuge variety. The idea is that midge will feed on the refuge variety and preserve midge tolerance in the new variety.Three new midge-tolerant varieties were available for planting in 2010, and one more will be available in 2011:* AC Unity, available 2010, CW red spring, refuge variety AC Waskada. Strengths are very high yield, early maturity, good sprouting resistance, reduced sawfly damage due to partially solid stem. Weaknesses are low straw strength, poor loose smut resistance, poor fusarium resistance. Distributed by SeCan.* AC Goodeve, available 2010, CWRS, refuge variety AC Superb. Strengths are high yield, very early maturity, resistant to stem rust and loose smut, moderately resistant to leaf rust, lodging resistance, resistant to shattering and sprouting. Weaknesses are susceptible to fusarium and common bunt, short. Distributed by Alliance Seed Corp.* AC Glencross, available 2010, CW extra strong, refuge variety AC Burnside. Varietal description not available. Distributed by Faurscho Farms.* AC Fieldstar, available 2011, CWRS, refuge variety AC Waskada. Strengths are high yield, high protein, fair resistance to fusarium, very good sprouting resistance, very good resistance to leaf and stem rust and common bunt. Weaknesses are straw strength, height. Distributed by SeCan.”You don’t have to be in a midge hotbed to benefit from the superior agronomics of this product,” sasid Hyra.For more details on the varieties and other information about midge tolerance, visit www.midgetolerantwheat.ca/.
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