Hilliard

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Blaze' and 'Cruze'

Summary: At booting, the glaucosity on the flag leaf sheath of 'Hilliard' is weak whereas the glaucosity on the flag leaf sheath of 'Blaze' is medium to strong. The flag leaf of 'Hilliard' is longer than that of 'Blaze' and 'Cruze' and narrower than that of 'Blaze'. At heading, the glaucosity on the spike and culm of 'Hilliard' is strong whereas it is weak for 'Cruze'. In profile, the spike of 'Hilliard' has a parallel-sided shape whereas the shape is tapering for the reference varieties. At maturity, the plants, including the awns, of 'Hilliard' are shorter than those of 'Blaze' and taller than those of 'Cruze'. Excluding the awns, the spike of 'Hilliard' is shorter than that of 'Blaze' and longer than that of 'Cruze'. The lower glume of 'Hilliard' is long whereas that of 'Cruze' is of medium length. The lower glume shoulder of 'Hilliard' is narrow whereas that of 'Blaze' is of medium width. The lower glume shoulder of 'Hilliard' is sloping whereas that of the reference varieties is slightly sloping. The lower glume beak of 'Hilliard' is long whereas those of the reference varieties are of medium length. The thousand kernel weight for 'Hilliard' is less than that of 'Blaze' and greater than that of 'Cruze'.

Description:

PLANT: common wheat, winter type, erect growth habit at the 5 to 9 tiller stage, very high frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves, heads emerge mid-season, matures mid to late season

SEEDLING (4 LEAF STAGE): absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration of coleoptile, glabrous sheath and blade of lower leaves

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

CULM: strong glaucosity, curved neck
STRAW (AT MATURITY): thin pith in cross-section, no anthocyanin colouration

SPIKE: strong degree of glaucosity at heading, parallel-sided shape in profile, medium density, white at maturity, inclined attitude
AWNS: equal to spike length, white at maturity
LOWER GLUME: long, medium width, glabrous
LOWER GLUME SHOULDER: narrow, sloping shape
LOWER GLUME BEAK: long, moderately to strongly curved shape

KERNEL: soft red type, medium red, medium size, short to medium length, short to medium width, broad elliptical shape, rounded cheek, medium length brush hairs, narrow and very shallow crease
GERM: medium to large, oval shape

AGRONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS: good winter survival

PASTRY AND BISCUIT QUALITY: good

Origin & Breeding History: 'Hilliard' (experimental designations VA11W-108 and CM17-006) originated from the cross between the varieties '25R47' and 'Jamestown' made in 2004 at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. The F1 generation was grown in the field as a single headrow in 2005 to produce F2 seed. Using a modified bulk breeding method, the population was advanced and the selected spikes were threshed in bulk from the F2 to F5 generations in Virginia. Selection criteria included the absence of obvious disease, maturity time, straw length and head shape and size. 'Hilliard' was derived as a bulk of one of the F5 headrows selected in 2010 and was evaluated for the above noted selection criteria as well as yield in tests conducted in Blacksburg and Warsaw, Virginia in 2011 and 2012. Additional testing was performed on a regional scale and, prior to its release, the variety was evaluated in the Virginia State Variety Trials from 2013 to 2015. In 2015, 53 F11 headrows were bulked as breeder seed.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'Hilliard' were conducted in Palmerston, Ontario during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons. These winter varieties were sown in early October of 2019 and 2020, respectively. There were 4 replications arranged in an RCB design. Plots consisted of 8 rows, with a row length of 4 metres, a width of 1 metre and row spacing of 15 cm. Measured characteristics were based on 20 measurements per variety per year. Mean differences were significant at the 5% confidence probability level based on LSD values.

Comparison tables for 'Hilliard' with reference varieties 'Blaze' and 'Cruze'

Flag leaf length (cm)

Flag leaf width (mm)

Plant height at maturity (including awns) (cm)

Spike length (excluding awns) (cm)

Kernel weight (grams per 1000 kernels) (g)

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Wheat: 'Hilliard' (centre) with reference varieties 'Blaze' (left) and 'Cruze' (right)

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Wheat: 'Hilliard' (centre) with reference varieties 'Blaze' (left) and 'Cruze' (right)

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Wheat: 'Hilliard' (top) with reference varieties 'Blaze' (bottom left) and 'Cruze' (bottom right)