Sable

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: ‘Quantum' and ‘606'

Summary: ‘Sable' has a shorter flag leaf than ‘606'. The glaucosity of the flag leaf and spike of ‘Sable' is weaker than in ‘Quantum'. ‘Sable' has a stronger glaucosity of the culm than ‘606'. The frequency of recurved/drooping flag leaves in ‘Sable' is less than in ‘606'. ‘Sable' has a longer spike than ‘Quantum' and ‘606'. The density of the spike in ‘Sable' is denser than in ‘606'. At maturity ‘Sable' has a brown coloured spike while in ‘Quantum' it is tan coloured and in ‘606' it is white. ‘Sable' has a narrower shorter lower glume than ‘Quantum'. The shape of the lower glume shoulder is elevated to strongly elevated in ‘Sable' while it is slightly sloping in ‘Quantum' and ‘606'. ‘Sable' has a slightly curved shape of the lower glume beak while it is straight in ‘Quantum' and ‘606'. The length of the lower glume beak of ‘Sable' is longer than in ‘Quantum' and ‘606'. ‘Sable' has a dark red kernel colour while it is medium red for ‘Quantum' and ‘606'. ‘Sable' has a heavier thousand kernel weight than ‘606' but slightly lighter than ‘Quantum'. ‘Sable' has better leaf rust (Puccinia triticina) resistance than ‘Quantum'.

Description:

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

‘Sable' has a parallel sided shaped spike that is medium to dense in density, erect in attitude and brown in colour with weak to medium glaucosity at maturity. The spike has awns that are short at the tip of the spike, are strongly spreading and brown in colour. The lower glume of the spikelet is narrow to medium in width, and short to medium in length with absent to very sparse pubescence. The shape of the shoulder of the lower glume is elevated to strongly elevated and medium in width. The beak of the lower glume is medium to long in length and slightly curved in shape. ‘Sable' has a hard red kernel type that is dark red in colour and medium in size being midlong and midwide. The oval to broad elliptical shaped kernel has a round cheek shape, mid long brush hairs, and a mid size round shaped embryo. The kernel crease is mid wide in width and shallow in depth. ‘Sable' is resistant to powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis f. sp. tritici) moderately resistant to leaf rust (Puccinia triticina), moderately resistant to moderately susceptible to fusarium head blight (Fusarium graminearum) and moderately susceptible to septoria tritici blotch (Septoria tritici).

Origin & Breeding History: ‘Sable' derives from a cross (TG3S) x (B58-664HCH) which was produced at ACS-PZO-Pflanzenzucht Oberlimpurg, Germany in 1989. TG3S is a composite cross of 3 lines, and B58-664HCH is a composite cross of 5 lines. F1 seed was bulked at harvest in 1990. The F2 to F8 generations were grown in Oberlimpurg with pedigree selection being used to develop this variety and selection criteria being yield, milling and baking quality, Fusarium head blight resistance, leaf and stem rust resistance. Agronomic testing began in the F9 generation.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials were conducted at C& M Seeds in Palmerston, Ontario in 2003 and 2004. Plots consisted of 8 rows each spaced 15 cm apart. There were 4 reps in a RCB design.

Comparison tables for 'Sable' with reference varieties ‘Quantum' and ‘606'

Flag leaf length (mm)

Spike length (mm)

Thousand Kernel Weight (gm)