AAC Redberry

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'AAC Viewfield', 'Alsen', 'Carberry' and 'Stettler'

Summary: The frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves of 'AAC Redberry' is medium whereas it is low for 'Stettler'. The intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the flag leaf auricles of 'AAC Redberry' is absent or very weak whereas it is medium for 'AAC Viewfield'. The flag leaves of 'AAC Redberry' are shorter than those of 'Alsen' and they are longer and narrower than those of 'Stettler'. The glaucosity of the sheath and the lower side of the flag leaf of 'AAC Redberry' is weak whereas it is medium for 'AAC Viewfield' and strong for 'Stettler'. 'AAC Redberry' is earlier heading than 'Stettler'. At maturity, the plants of 'AAC Redberry' are taller than those of 'AAC Viewfield', 'Alsen' and 'Carberry'. The spikes of 'AAC Redberry' are longer than those of 'Carberry' and 'Stettler'. At maturity, the spike of 'AAC Redberry' is white whereas it is coloured for 'Alsen', 'Carberry' and 'Stettler'. The plants of 'AAC Redberry' mature early to mid-season whereas those of 'AAC Redberry' and 'Carberry' mature mid to late season.

Description:

PLANT: common hard red spring type, intermediate growth habit at the 5 to 9 tiller stage, medium frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves, heads emerge mid-season, early to mid-season maturity

SEEDLING (4-leaf stage): weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the coleoptile, glabrous sheath and blade of the lower leaves

FLAG LEAF: absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the auricles, weak glaucosity of the sheath and lower side of leaf blade, glabrous blade and sheath

SPIKE: medium glaucosity, parallel sided in profile, medium density, white at maturity, inclined attitude, absent or very sparse hairiness of apical rachis segment
CULM: absent or very sparse density of hairiness of uppermost node, medium glaucosity, straight neck
STRAW (AT MATURITY): thin pith in cross section, no anthocyanin colouration
AWNS: shorter than length of spike, white at maturity
LOWER GLUME: medium length and width, glabrous
LOWER GLUME SHOULDER: broad, elevated shape
LOWER GLUME BEAK: short, slightly curved shape

KERNEL: dark red

BREAD MAKING QUALITY: good

DISEASE REACTIONS: resistant to Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina), Stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) and Loose smut (Ustilago tritici), moderately resistant to moderately susceptible to Common bunt (Tilletia laevis, Tilletia tritici) and Fusarium head blight (Fusarium species and specifically Fusarium graminearum)
INSECT REACTION: susceptible to Orange wheat blossom midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana)

Origin & Breeding History: 'AAC Redberry' (experimental designation 'BW966' and 'B0763&AB044') is a double haploid genotype derived from the cross 'Stettler' / 'Glenn' made at the Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Using the maize pollen method, 706 doubled haploid lines were generated. One line, 'B0763&AB044', was selected in 2008 from the second subset of doubled haploid lines and inoculated with common bunt and planted in a rust epiphytotic nursery. Two spikes were selected for maturity, stem strength and plant height from each of the disease resistant doubled haploid lines and were grown out in a contra-season nursery in New Zealand where additional selections were made for resistance to lodging, shattering and maturity. In 2009, 80 lines were assessed for agronomic performance, disease resistance and grain quality at various locations in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. One doubled haploid line, 'B0763&AB044', met all selection criteria at each stage of selection and was evaluated in the Western Bread Wheat A_3 test in 2010, in the Western Bread Wheat B test in 2011 and as 'BW966' in the Western Bread Wheat Cooperative tests from 2012 to 2014.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials were conducted at the Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre, Swift Current, Saskatchewan during the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons. Plots consisted of 4 rows, each 4 metres long with an inter-row spacing of 23 cm with 4 replications per variety arranged in an RCB design. There were 40 leaf and 20 spike measurements. Plant heights were recorded as an average of the 4 replicated plots with 20 measurements taken in 2014 and 16 measurements taken in 2015. Means are based on a two year average except for the plant height means presented for each trial year. Mean differences are significant at the 5% probability level based on LSD values.

Comparison tables for 'AAC Redberry' with reference varieties 'AAC Viewfield', 'Alsen', 'Carberry' and 'Stettler'

Flag leaf width (mm)

Flag leaf length (cm)

Days to heading (days from planting to when 50% of heads fully emerged from boot)

Plant height (including awns) (cm)

Spike length (excluding awns) (cm)

Click on image for larger view

Wheat: 'AAC Redberry' (centre left) with reference varieties 'ACC Viewfield' (left), 'Alsen' (centre), 'Carberry' (centre right) and 'Stettler' (right)