Somerset

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'AC Barrie', 'Pasqua' and 'Roblin'

Summary: Somerset' has a slightly shorter flag leaf than the reference varieties and has a narrower flag leaf than 'Pasqua' and 'Roblin'. 'Somerset' heads later than 'Pasqua' and 'Roblin'. 'Somerset' has a taller height than the reference varieties. The spike of 'Somerset' is less dense than the spike of 'AC Barrie'. The shape of the shoulder on the lower glume is slightly sloping to straight for 'Somerset' while it is straight to elevated for 'AC Barrie'. 'Somerset' has a narrow shoulder width on the lower glume while 'Roblin' has a medium shoulder width. 'Somerset' has a round germ shape while the reference varieties have a broad elliptical shaped germ. 'Somerset' is resistant to leaf rust (Puccinia triticina) while 'AC Barrie' is highly susceptible.

Description:

Somerset' is a red spring wheat variety. The coleoptile has no anthocyanin colouration and the blades and sheaths on the lower leaves have very sparse pubescence. At booting 'Somerset' has a semi-erect to intermediate growth habit. The frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves is high. There is very sparse pubescence on the flag leaf and the flag leaf sheath has no pubescence. The flag leaf auricles have no anthocyanin and the flag leaf sheath has medium glaucosity.

'Somerset' matures early to mid-season. The neck of the culm has weak to medium glaucosity and is slightly curved. The straw has no anthocyanin at maturity and the pith is very thin in cross-section. The spike is parallel sided in shape and lax to medium in density. The spike has an incline attitude at maturity, is white in colour and has weak glaucosity. The spike has white, very slightly spreading awnlets which are very short in length. The apical rachis segment has medium hairiness of the convex surface. The lower glume is medium in length and width and has very sparse pubescence. The shape of the shoulder of the lower glume is slightly sloping to straight and it is narrow in width. The beak on the lower glume is short in length and slightly curved. The extent of the internal hairs on the lower glume is sparse to medium. The lemma has a slightly curved beak.

Somerset' has a hard red kernel type that is medium red in colour and medium in size. The kernel is narrow to medium in width and elliptical in shape. The kernel cheek is rounded to angular and the brush hairs are midlong. The germ is medium to large in size and round in shape. The kernel crease is narrow to medium in width and mid-deep. 'Somerset' has good resistance to shattering and fair pre-harvest sprouting tendency. 'Somerset' is moderately susceptible to Fusarium head blight (Fusarium graminearum), resistant to moderately susceptible to Common bunt (Tilletia caries, Tilletia foetida) and resistant to Loose smut (Ustilago tritici), Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina) and Stem rust (Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici).

Origin & Breeding History: Somerset' originated from the cross 90B01-AD4D/Pasqua, made at the Cereal Research Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1994. After two rounds (F4, F5) of selection, increase and testing for disease resistance, end use quality and agronomic characteristics, a head designated 94B95-U5 was selected in F5, increased and entered in preliminary yield trial as an F7 in 1998. Following two years of testing in multi-location yield trials in 1999 and 2000, 'Somerset' (tested as 94B95-U5) was entered in the Central Bread Wheat Coop in 2001.

Tests & Trials: Somerset' was tested in Glenlea, Manitoba in 2003 and 2004. The trials consisted of four replications arranged in a RCB design. The plots were 3.25 m2 and seeded at a rate of 269 seeds / m2. Measured characteristics were based on 20 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Somerset' with reference varieties 'AC Barrie', 'Pasqua' and 'Roblin'

Flag leaf length (cm)

Flag leaf width (mm)

Plant height (cm)

Number of days to heading (50% heads fully emerged from boot)