U of S Crop Development Centre Releases Three Wheat Varieties

Posted June 01, 2004


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 1, 2004 2004-06-02-OTHER

U of S Crop Development Centre Releases Three Wheat Varieties

The Crop Development Centre of the University of Saskatchewan has released
three new red spring wheat varieties to Select Seed growers in Saskatchewan,
Manitoba and Alberta. The breeder seed was offered for sale to Select Seed
Growers in the early spring of this year. Certified seed for commercial
production should be available in the spring of 2006.

The three new wheat varieties registered under the names CDC Go, CDC Osler
and CDC Walrus, were developed by Dr. Pierre Hucl, leader of the CDC's
spring wheat breeding program. CDC Go and CDC Osler are Canada Western Red
Spring wheat varieties. CDC Walrus is a Canada Western Extra Strong wheat.

CDC Go is the first semi-dwarf red spring wheat cultivar released by the
CDC. It is an awned, short-strawed, hollow-stemmed wheat. In three years
of co-operative testing, CDC Go out-yielded other red spring wheat varieties
such as AC Barrie and Laura. It is slightly earlier in maturity than AC
Barrie, has similar lodging to AC Barrie, similar test weights to the check
varieties but has a higher kernel weight. Disease reactions of CDC Go
showed resistance to bunt, moderate resistance to leaf and stem rust as well
as moderate resistance to smut.

CDC Osler is also a red spring wheat variety. It is similar in height to AC
Barrie and AC Splendor. In three years of co-operative yield testing, CDC
Osler yielded higher than both checks AC Barrie and AC Splendor. Both
maturity and test weight were slightly less than AC Barrie, but greater than
AC Splendor. Lodging resistance of CDC Osler proved to be better than the
two checks. CDC Osler showed resistance to loose smut as well as
resistance to prevalent races of both leaf and stem rust.

CDC Walrus is the second extra-strong wheat variety released by the Crop
Development Centre. In three years of co-operative yield testing, CDC
Walrus yielded 3.3, 4.5, and 7.6% higher than Glenlea, AC Corinne and
Bluesky respectively. CDC Walrus was earlier maturing than Glenlea and AC
Corinne. Lodging, test weight and kernel weight were similar to all three
checks, but CDC Walrus was slightly shorter strawed. CDC Walrus showed
resistance to loose smut as well as resistance to prevalent races of stem
rust.

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For more detailed information about these varieties, please refer to the
department's website http://www.usask.ca/agriculture/plantsci or contact:

Dr. Pierre Hucl
Crop Development Centre
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-8667
Email: hucl@sask.usask.ca