Harvard

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Fundulea' and 'Patriot'

Summary: 'Harvard' has a wider flag leaf than 'Patriot', but narrower than 'Fundulea'. 'Harvard' has a stronger waxy bloom to the sheath of the flag leaf than 'Fundulea' and 'Patriot'. The glaucosity of the neck of the culm is stronger in 'Harvard' than in 'Fundulea'. 'Harvard' has a straighter neck of the culm, and a more erect spike attitude at maturity than 'Patriot'. 'Harvard' has a longer more lax spike with stronger waxy bloom than 'Fundulea' and 'Patriot'. The lower glume is wider and longer in 'Harvard' than in 'Fundulea' and 'Patriot'. 'Harvard's' lower glume is less pubescent than 'Fundulea'. The shoulder of the lower glume is straight in 'Harvard' while it is rounded in 'Fundulea'.

Description:

'Harvard' is a hard red winter wheat variety with erect growth habit. The coleoptile at the four leaf stage is absent or very weak in anthocyanin colouration. The sheaths and leaf blade of the lower leaves have no pubescence. The flag leaf attitude is horizontal to drooping/recurved. The flag leaf blade and sheath have no pubescence with strong glaucosity. The flag leaf auricles have very weak to absence of anthocyanin colouration. 'Harvard' matures in mid season. The culm has strong to very strong glaucosity and is straight at maturity. The straw has no anthocyanin colouration, and is thin in thickness when looking at the pith in cross section. The spike has a tapered to parallel sided shape, very short apical awnlets, is lax in density, with a medium to strong glaucosity. At maturity the spike is erect (upright to 30 degrees) in attitude and white in colour. The lower glume is medium to wide in width, medium to long in length, and glabrous. The shoulder of the lower glume is straight and medium to broad in width. The beak of the lower glume is straight and short.

'Harvard' has a hard red kernel type which is medium to dark red in colour, and is small to medium in size. The kernel is mid-long to long in length, and mid-wide in width. The ovate shaped kernel has a rounded cheek, and mid-long brush hairs. Observed from the dorsal view the germ is medium in size and round to oval in shape. The kernel crease is mid-wide and mid-deep. 'Harvard' is moderately susceptible to Septoria tritici blotch (Septoria tritici), and resistant to powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis f. sp. tritici).

Origin & Breeding History: 'Harvard' originated from a cross of Line PF 626/80 x Line FHB 8801/78 made in 1987 at Oberlimpurg, Germany. The pedigree breeding method was used. A single plant selection was done in the F2, F3, F4, F5, F6 generations. The F9 was bulked from progenies of 600 F8 random single plant selections. Selection criteria were winter hardiness, milling quality, high yields in combination with disease resistance tolerances.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials were conducted by C & M Seeds, in Palmerston, Ontario in 2001 and 2002. Plots of each variety consisted of eight rows spaced 15 cm apart, and 4 metres in length. There were 4 replicates laid out in an RCB design. Unless otherwise indicated, measured characteristics were based on twenty measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Harvard' with reference varieties 'Fundulea' and 'Patriot'

Flag leaf width (mm)

Spike length (mm)

Lower glume width (mm)

Lower glume length (mm)