Durum varieties with resistance to wheat stem sawfly and orange blossom wheat midge, appear to be getting closer to fields.
Growers attending 2013 Crop Production Week in Saskatoon today learned that two new solid-stemmed durum lines are nearing commercial registration.
The first, DT818, was supported for registration last year and is expected to receive approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s variety registration office in next few weeks.
If approved, DT818 would be the first solid stemmed durum variety registered for commercial production in Canada.
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Certified supplies will be distributed through SeCan’s network of pedigreed seed growers and should be available for widespread commercial planting in the spring of 2015.
Danny Singh, a wheat breeder who developed the line at Agriculture Canada’s Semiarid Prairie Agriculture Research Centre (SPARC) in Swift Current, Sask., said the commercialization of solid stemmed varieties could have a significant impact on durum yields and profitability.
“For traditional durum growing regions, (DT818) would probably be a very good fit, given its production (potential) and its protection of grade and yield through disease and insect resistance,” Singh said.
Data collected during pre-registration testing and co-op trials suggested a good expression of stem solidness, grain yields similar to Strongfield, protein levels as high as or slightly higher than Strongfield and intermediate straw height, similar to Strongfield.
Agronomic performance similar to Strongfield suggests that DT818 could have a bright future in western Canada.
According to the most recent data collected through the Canadian Wheat Board’s annual variety survey, Strongfield was easily the most popular durum variety grown in western Canada, accounting for nearly two-thirds of total prairie acreage in 2011.
The Crop Development Centre at the University of Saskatchewan is also expected to seek registration support for a promising new solid stemmed durum line at this year’s Prairie Grain Development Committee (PGDC) meetings in Saskatoon.
That line, DT570, has maturity ratings similar to Strongfield and a slightly improved fusarium rating relative to Strongfield.
“It looks like it has a pretty good quality profile,” said CDC wheat breeder Pierre Hucl, who spoke about the line during a presentation to Saskatchewan Seed Growers last week.
If it is supported for registration next month, commercial supplies of DT570 could be available within two or three years.
Singh’s program at Swift Current has also developed a midge-tolerant durum line, DT833.
If it is supported by the PGDC next month, DT833 would be the first midge tolerant durum registered in Western Canada.
Dave Gehl, head of Agriculture Canada’s seed increase unit at Indian Head, Sask., said DT833 has yield potential, maturity and height similar to Strongfield.
The line also has high grain protein and very good yellow pigment, better than Strongfield.
Other notable crop lines that are likely to be brought forward as candidates for commercial registration this year include;
• HY1615, a midge-tolerant Canada Prairie Red Spring line with improved resistance to fusarium headblight developed at Agriculture Canada’s Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg.
• MP1891, MP1892 and MP1900, three yellow field pea lines from the Agriculture Canada’s Lacombe Research Centre with yield potential nine to 18 percent higher than yellow check varieties CDC Cutlass and Golden.
• 3592-12 and 3674-20, a pair of small green lentil lines developed at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre with yield potential 10 percent and 17 percent higher than CDC Maxim respectively.
