Strongfield

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'AC Avonlea', 'AC Morse', 'AC Navigator' and 'Napoleon'

Summary: 'Strongfield' has a stronger intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the coleoptile at the 4 leaf stage than the reference varieties. The glaucosity of the flag leaf sheath is very strong in 'Strongfield' while it is strong in 'AC Avonlea' and 'AC Navigator' and medium to strong in 'AC Morse' and 'Napoleon'. 'Strongfield' heads later than the reference varieties. 'Strongfield' is shorter in plant height than 'AC Avonlea' and 'Napoleon'. The glaucosity of the culm or neck is stronger in 'Strongfield' than 'AC Avonlea', 'AC Morse', and 'Napoleon'. 'Strongfield' has a denser spike than 'AC Avonlea', 'AC Morse', and 'Napoleon' but not as dense as 'AC Navigator'. The glaucosity of the spike is stronger in 'Strongfield' than the reference varieties. 'Strongfield' has white awns while 'AC Navigator' has black awns. The lower glume beak length in 'Strongfield' is shorter than in 'AC Morse' and 'Napoleon'. The extent of internal hairs of the lower glume is less dense in 'Strongfield' than the reference varieties.

Description:

'Strongfield' is a spring durum wheat that has very sparse to no pubescence on the sheaths or blades of the lower leaves. It has an erect growth habit with a medium frequency of plants with horizontal to drooping/recurved flag leaves. The flag leaf has absent to very sparse pubescence on the blade or sheath, no anthocyanin colouration of the leaf auricles and a very strong glaucosity. The neck of the culm or stem has very strong glaucosity and is curved. The straw has no anthocyanin colouration and has a thin thickness for the pith when looking at a cross section.

'Strongfield' has a tapering shaped spike that is dense, erect in attitude and white in colour with very strong glaucosity at maturity. The spike has white awns that are very long with a spreading attitude. The shape of the shoulder of the lower glume is a mixture of slightly sloping, straight and elevated with a very narrow to narrow width. The beak of the lower glume is short and moderately curved in shape with sparse internal hairs.

'Strongfield' has a durum kernel type that is amber in colour and medium to large in size. The elliptical shaped kernel has an angular cheek shape, short brush hairs, and a mid size to large oval shaped embryo. The kernel crease is mid wide in width and mid deep to deep in depth.

Origin & Breeding History: 'DT712' was selected from a cross AC Avonlea / DT665 made in 1994 at the Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Center, Swift Current, Saskatchewan. DT665 derives from the cross Kyle/Nile. 'DT712' was developed using a modified pedigree technique. The F2 was grown as individual plants in a leaf and stem rust epiphytotic nursery in 1995. Individual heads from selected plants were grown in single 3m rows at Swift Current in 1996. Five heads per selected line were bulk threshed and sown in individual rows in a winter nursery near Lincoln, New Zealand to produce F5 seed. Unreplicated F5 yield trials were grown near Swift Current (rainfed and sprinkler irrigated), Regina, and Indian Head in 1997, selected for agronomic performance, disease resistance, and quality (protein, pigment, gluten strength) and five heads per selected line were sown in individual head rows in the New Zealand nursery. The F7 was grown in a two-replicate yield trial near Swift Current, Saskatchewan and in un-replicated trials near Regina, Saskatchewan and Lethbridge, Alberta in 1998, and selected for agronomic performance, disease resistance, and quality (protein, pigment, gluten strength). Leaf and stem rust reactions were assessed in hill plots in the F5 and F7 generations in a rust nursery near Glenlea, Manitoba. An F5 derived F8 line designated 9468-CL5 was advanced to the Durum Western A test in 1999. From 2000 to 2002 it was assessed in the Durum Cooperative test as 'DT712'.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials were conducted at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Center, Swift Current, Saskatchewan in 2002 and 2003. Plots consisted of 4 rows measuring 3 meters in length spaced 0.23 meters apart. There were 4 replicates in an RCB design.

Comparison tables for 'Strongfield' with reference varieties 'AC Avonlea', 'AC Morse', 'AC Navigator' and 'Napoleon'

Days to heading

Plant height (cm)

Spike length (mm)