SASKATOON – Among the wheat varieties wending their way through the grain registration process is BW297, a variety that could become significant to prairie growers in coming years.
The variety was supported for registration by the Prairie Registration Recommending Committee for Grain when it met last week in Saskatoon.
Proponents of BW297, a hard red spring wheat, emphasize that it brings the unusual combination of high yield and high protein. Its higher test weight should also be appealing to farmers, said Kevin McCallum, a research agronomist with Proven Seed, a division of Agricore United.
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BW297 boasts a solid disease package. In two out of three years of testing, it showed moderate resistance to fusarium head blight, an improvement over AC Barrie, the most tolerant check.
BW297 is being developed through a partnership between Agricore United and Agripro Wheat, a private wheat breeding company based in Colorado. The variety must still go to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency before it can receive full registration.
McCallum said breeder seed production was done in 2003. If the CFIA grants registration, BW297 could become widely available for commercial production on the Prairies within three years.
According to information presented to the recommending committee last week, BW297 yielded 1.3 percent lower than McKenzie but 9.5 percent higher than the check, AC Barrie. In three years of testing, it also was higher than AC Barrie in protein. The test weight of BW297 was higher than all checks. Its kernel weight is similar to AC Barrie.
BW297 is resistant to leaf rust, stem rust and loose smut.
McCallum said it should be suited to all wheat growing areas of the Canadian Prairies. However, it would not be recommended in more northerly areas where maturity might be a concern.
