Snowstar

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Snowbird', 'Kanata' and 'AC Vista'

Summary: 'Snowstar' has a shorter, slightly narrower flag leaf than 'Snowbird', 'Kanata' and 'AC Vista'. The plant height of 'Snowstar' is shorter than 'Snowbird' and 'Kanata'. 'Snowstar' heads and matures earlier than 'AC Vista'. The spike of 'Snowstar' is shorter than 'AC Vista' but slightly longer than 'Kanata'. 'Snowstar' has awnlets on its spike while 'AC Vista' is awned. The lower glume of 'Snowstar' is shorter than 'Snowbird' and 'AC Vista'. 'Snowstar' has shorter brush hairs on the kernel than 'Snowbird', 'Kanata' and 'AC Vista'.

Description:

PLANT: spring type, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration of the coleoptile, weak pubescence on the sheath of the lower leaf, very weak to weak pubescence on the blades of the lower leaf, erect to semi-erect growth habit, low to medium frequency of plants with recurved flag leaf

FLAG LEAF: no pubescence on blade or sheath, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration on the auricles, medium glaucosity of the sheath

CULM: medium glaucosity of upper internode, weak curvature at maturity, thin pith in cross-section, no anthocyanin colouration

SPIKE: parallel sided shape, medium density, erect attitude at maturity, medium to strong glaucosity, white colour at maturity, short awnlets present, awnlets white at maturity, absent or very sparse hairiness of convex surface of apical rachis segment
LOWER GLUME: narrow to medium width, short, very weak to weak pubescence, slightly sloping narrow to medium width shoulder, slightly curved very short beak, sparse to medium internal hairs
LEMMA: slightly curved
KERNEL: hard white, small size, short, narrow to midwide, ovate, rounded cheek shape, very short to short brush hairs, small to medium sized oval germ, narrow mid-deep crease

AGRONOMY: fair to good pre-harvest sprouting

QUALITY: good bread making

DISEASE REACTION: resistant to moderately resistant to Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina) and Stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici), moderately resistant to moderately susceptible to Fusarium Head Blight (Fusarium graminearum F. sp), moderately resistant to susceptible to Loose smut (Ustilago tritici) and susceptible to highly susceptible to Common bunt (Tilletia caries, Tilletia foetida)

Origin & Breeding History: 'Snowstar' (experimental designation BW315a and 97B31*B106) is derived from a cross between 94B46*G22 and McKenzie made at the Cereal Research Centre (CRC), AAFC-Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1997. 94B46*G22 is a sister line of 'Snowbird'. The F1 seed was transferred to a CRC lab where doubled haploids from this cross were produced in 1998. BW315a was increased in the DH1 generation as, 97B31*B106, in the 1998-1999 CDC winter nursery in Palmerston North, New Zealand. It was evaluated in this nursery for maturity, straw strength, height and disease resistance. In 1999, 97B31*B106 was yield tested as a DH2 line in the PDHW4 yield test in four locations (Glenlea, Morden, and Brandon, Manitoba and Swift Current, Saskatchewan). 97B31*B106 was further evaluated in the CDC 2000 Hard White "B" test. In 2001, it was designated BW315 and advanced to the 2001 Central Bread Wheat (CBW) "C" test but was flagged for red seeds. Purged of the red seeded admixture, the line was re-designated BW315a and entered in the 2003 CBW "C" test. BW315a was subsequently evaluated in the 2004 and 2005 Hard White "C" tests.

Tests & Trials: Tests and Trials were conducted during the summers of 2005 and 2006 in Glenlea and Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. Plots consisted of 5 rows per variety with a row spacing of 15 centimetres and a row length of 5 meters. There were 4 replications.

Comparison tables for 'Snowstar' with reference varieties 'Snowbird', 'Kanata' and 'AC Vista'

Flag leaf length (cm)

Flag leaf width (mm)

Days to heading (50% heads emerged)

Days to maturity

Plant height (cm)

Spike length (cm)

Click on image for larger view

Wheat: 'Snowstar' (left) with reference varieties 'Snowbird' (centre left), 'Kanata' (centre right) and 'AC Vista' (right)