Whitebear

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Carlisle' and 'Maxine'

Summary: The flag leaves of 'Whitebear' are longer and narrower than those of both reference varieties. The frequency of plants with recurved/drooping flag leaves is weak in 'Whitebear' whereas it is medium in 'Maxine'. The plants of 'Whitebear' are shorter than those of both reference varieties. Curvature of the culm of 'Whitebear' is weak whereas it is medium in 'Carlisle' and strong in 'Maxine'. The spike of 'Whitebear' is longer than those of both reference varieties. The beak of the lower glume of 'Whitebear' is moderately to strongly curved whereas it is slightly curved in 'Maxine'. 'Whitebear' is a hard white wheat variety whereas the reference varieties are both hard red varieties.

Description:

PLANT: winter type, early to mid-season maturity
SEEDLING (at four leaf stage): absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration of coleoptile, glabrous lower leaf sheath and blade

GROWTH HABIT (at 5-9 tiller stage): erect
FLAG LEAF (at booting): low frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves, no anthocyanin colouration on auricles, medium glaucosity on sheath, glabrous blade and sheath

SPIKE: tapering, medium to dense, medium glaucosity, white in colour with nodding attitude at maturity
CULM: strong glaucosity, weak curvature at maturity
STRAW: medium to thick pith in cross section, no anthocyanin colouration at maturity
AWNS: awns present, medium length, white, strong spreading

LOWER GLUME: narrow, medium to long, glabrous
LOWER GLUME SHOULDER: sloping to slightly sloping, narrow to medium width
LOWER GLUME BEAK: moderately to strongly curved, medium to long

KERNEL: hard white type, white, large, medium to long, medium to wide, elliptical in shape, rounded to angular cheek, long brush hairs, large oval germ
KERNEL CREASE: medium width, mid-deep to deep

PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS: fair winter survival, good bread making quality

DISEASE REACTION: moderately susceptible to Septoria avenae blotch (Septoria avenae f. sp. triticea), Fusarium head blight (Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium species), resistant to moderately resistant to Powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis f. sp. tritici) and moderately resistant to Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina) and Stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici)

Origin & Breeding History: 'Whitebear' is the result of the cross 'Magda'/FW2-11 made in 1991 in Schwabisch Hall, Germany. Single plant selection was used from the F3 to F6 generations based on yield potential, resistance to lodging, milling and bread making quality and disease resistance. The F7 was bulked by random selection of the progeny of 600 single F6 plants. 'Whitebear' was tested as ACS54050.

Tests & Trials: The tests and trials for 'Whitebear' were conducted in Palmerston, Ontario during the 2008 and 2009 growing seasons. A 4 replicate RCB design was planted with each replicate consisting of 8 rows, measuring 4 metres in length, seeded at a rate of 400 seeds/square metre. Measured characteristics were based on a mean of two years, with 20 measurements recorded each year.

Comparison tables for 'Whitebear' with reference varieties 'Carlisle' and 'Maxine'

Flag leaf length (cm)

Flag leaf width (mm)

Plant height (cm)

Spike length (mm)

Click on image for larger view

Wheat: 'Whitebear' (centre) with reference varieties 'Carlisle' (left) and 'Maxine' (right)

Click on image for larger view

Wheat: 'Whitebear' (centre) with reference varieties 'Carlisle' (left) and 'Maxine' (right)