SY Obsidian

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'McKenzie' and 'Glenn'

Summary: The coleoptile of 'SY Obsidian' has an absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration while the coleoptile of 'McKenzie' has a weak to medium intensity. The frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves is high for 'SY Obsidian' while it is low to medium for 'Glenn'. The sheath of the flag leaf of 'SY Obsidian' has very strong glaucosity while the sheath of both reference varieties have medium glaucosity. At maturity, the plants of 'SY Obsidian' are shorter than those of 'McKenzie'. The spike of 'SY Obsidian' has strong to very strong glaucosity while the spike of 'McKenzie' has very weak to weak glaucosity and that of 'Glenn' has weak to medium glaucosity. The spike density is lax for 'SY Obsidian' while it is medium for 'McKenzie'. 'SY Obsidian' has a shorter spike than that of both reference varieties. The awns on the spike of 'SY Obsidian' are white whereas they are light brown for 'McKenzie'. The shoulder of the lower glume of 'SY Obsidian' has an elevated shape while that of 'McKenzie' is slightly sloping to straight. The width of the lower glume of 'SY Obsidian' is medium to wide while that of both reference varieties is narrow to medium. The beak of the lower glume of 'SY Obsidian' is medium to long while that of 'McKenzie' is short and that of 'Glenn' is short to medium. 'SY Obsidian' has a greater thousand kernel weight than 'McKenzie' and a lower thousand kernel weight than 'Glenn'.

Description:

PLANT: hard red spring type, erect growth habit, high frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves, matures mid-season

COLEOPTILE: absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration
YOUNG PLANT (4 LEAF STAGE): sheaths and blades of lower leaves glabrous

STEM (AT MATURITY): medium thick pith in cross-section, no anthocyanin colouration
CULM NECK: strong glaucosity, moderately curved

FLAG LEAF BLADE: glabrous on upper side
FLAG LEAF SHEATH: glabrous, strong to very strong glaucosity
FLAG LEAF AURICLES: very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration

SPIKE: strong to very strong glaucosity at heading, tapering shape in profile, lax, brownish white at maturity, inclined to nodding attitude, medium to dense hairiness of convex surface of apical rachis segment
AWNS: shorter than spike, white at maturity
LOWER GLUME: medium length, medium to wide, glabrous, sparse exent of internal hair
LOWER GLUME SHOULDER: narrow to medium width, elevated shape
LOWER GLUME BEAK: medium to long, slightly to moderately curved
LOWEST LEMMA: slightly curved beak

KERNEL: medium to dark red, ovate, medium sized, medium length, medium width, rounded cheek shape, medium to long brush hairs, narrow to medium wide crease, medium deep crease
GERM: medium size, elliptical

AGRONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS: good resistance to shattering

DISEASE REACTIONS: resistant to Leaf Rust (Puccinia triticina) and Loose smut (Ustilago tritici), moderately resistant to Fusarium head blight (Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium species), moderately resistant to moderately susceptible to Stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici), Stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis) and Common bunt (Tilletia caries, Tilletia foetida)

Origin & Breeding History: 'SY Obsidian' (experimental designations 'BW5007' and 09S2033-17) originated from the cross between 'BW912' and '5602HR' that was made in Berthoud, Colorado, United States in 2009. Individual head selections were taken from an F2 population screened at the Syngenta Canada, Inc. breeding nursery in Rosebank, Manitoba in 2010. Single seed descent technique was used to advance these selections through the F3 and F4 generations in a greenhouse. In the summer of 2011, F5 head-rows were individually bulked from a selection nursery at Rosebank, Manitoba. The individual bulks in the F6 generation were entered in a yield trial in Rosebank, Manitoba and in disease and observation nurseries in Western Canada in 2012. One of the bulk selections designated 09S2033-17 was sent to a winter nursery in New Zealand for generation advancement in the fall of 2012. It was brought back to Canada and tested in Syngenta Canada, Inc. multi-location research plots in 2013 and in the Western Bread Wheat Co-op as 'BW5007' during the 2014-2016 seasons.

Tests & Trials: The comparative tests and trials for 'SY Obsidian' were conducted in 2016 and 2017 near Rosebank, Manitoba. A 3 replicate design was planted using 1.8 x 3 metre plots, seeded at a rate of 2400 per plot. Measured characteristics were based on 20 measurements per plant or parts of plants taken each year. Mean differences were significant at the 5% confidence probability level based on a paired Student's t-test.

Comparison tables for 'SY Obsidian' with reference varieties 'McKenzie' and 'Glenn'

Plant height at maturity (stem plus spike, including awns) (cm)

Spike length (excluding awns) (cm)

Kernel weight (grams per 1000 kernels)

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Wheat: 'SY Obsidian' (left) with reference varieties 'McKenzie' (centre) and 'Glenn' (right)

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Wheat: 'SY Obsidian' (left) with reference varieties 'McKenzie' (centre) and 'Glenn' (right)

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Wheat: 'SY Obsidian' (left) with reference varieties 'McKenzie' (centre) and 'Glenn' (right)