Shelly

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Faller' and 'AAC Brandon'

Summary: At booting, the frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves for 'Shelly' is low to medium whereas the frequency is high for 'AAC Brandon'. The flag leaf auricles of 'Shelly' have a strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration whereas it is weak for 'Faller' and absent or very weak for 'AAC Brandon'. The flag leaf of 'Shelly' is shorter than that of 'AAC Brandon'. At maturity, the plants, including the spike and awns, of 'Shelly' are shorter than the plants of 'Faller'. The lower glume shoulder of 'Shelly' is sloping to slightly sloping whereas that of 'AAC Brandon' is straight. The lower glume beak of 'Shelly' is long to very long whereas it is of medium length for 'Brandon' and short for 'Faller'. The thousand kernel weight of 'Shelly' is less than that of 'AAC Brandon'. The kernel of 'Shelly' is elliptical whereas the kernels of the reference varieties are oval.

Description:

PLANT: spring type, common wheat, intermediate growth habit between semi-erect and semi-prostrate at 5 to 9 tiller stage, low to medium frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves

SEEDLING (4-LEAF STAGE): absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration of coleoptile, pubescent sheaths and blades of lower leaves

FLAG LEAF: strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration of auricles, weak glaucosity of sheath, glabrous sheath

CULM: medium glaucosity at anthesis, white at maturity, erect attitude, straight neck at maturity
STRAW (AT MATURITY): thin to medium thick pith in cross-section, anthocyanin colouration absent

SPIKE: weak glaucosity at heading, parallel sided shape in profile, medium density, erect attitude, white at maturity, absent or very sparse to sparse hairiness of convex surface of apical rachis segment
AWNS: shorter than spike length, white at maturity
LOWER GLUME: medium to long, medium to wide, glabrous
LOWER GLUME SHOULDER: sloping to slightly sloping, medium width
LOWER GLUME BEAK: long to very long, straight to slightly curved
LOWEST LEMMA: straight to slightly curved beak

KERNEL: hard red type, medium red, medium to large size, medium to long, medium to wide, elliptical shape, rounded cheek, short to medium brush hairs, narrow and shallow crease
GERM: medium to large size, broad elliptical shape

Origin & Breeding History: 'Shelly' (experimental designations 07X278 and MN11325-7) originated from a three way cross made in the University of Minnesota greenhouses in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, in 2007. The initial cross was conducted between lines 00H04*J3 and MN03130-1-62 with a subsequent cross to the variety 'Faller'. The resulting F1 generation was grown in University greenhouses with the F2 population space planted on University of Minnesota research land in St. Paul in 2008. 100 F2 plants selected based on plant height, maturity, and leaf and stem rust resistance were planted in F3 head rows in New Zealand with 72 F4 lines selected and grown in head rows on University of Minnesota research land in St. Paul and Crookston, Minnesota. Four spikes harvested from each of the twelve F4 head rows were evaluated in 2010, as single row observation plots, and 6 families were selected based on FHB resistance, suitable height and straw strength. One head from each family was harvested and grown in a winter nursery near Yuma, Arizona. In 2011, one of the five resulting F6 rows was designated as MN11325 based on plant height, disease resistance, grain protein content, test weight, grain yield, milling and baking quality and advanced into the Preliminary Yield Trials at Crookston and St. Paul, Minnesota. In 2012, eight spikes were randomly selected from the yield trials and grown as F7 head rows in St. Paul. One of the 8 rows, selected based on uniformity, was designated as MN11325-7, and grown as F8 head rows in a winter nursery in Yuma. From 2013 to 2015, MN11325-7 was planted for seed increase in St. Paul and near Brawley, California with the resulting seed used for further seed increases at 2 locations in Minnesota. Concurrently, MN11325-7 was tested in advanced yield trials and in the statewide variety trials at multiple locations in Minnesota. MN11325-7 was released as 'Shelly' by the Minnesota Agricultural Experimental Station in 2016.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'Shelly' were conducted in Taber, Alberta in 2020 and 2021. There were 2 replicates per variety arranged in an RCB design. Plots were 9 square metres, and consisted of 6 rows which were trimmed to 6.0 metres in length with 0.2 metres between rows. Plots were spaced 0.46 metres apart. The planting density was 180 plants per square metre, resulting in approximately 3240 plants per variety per year. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 20 measurements per variety per year except for kernel weight which was based on 20 measurements per variety in 2020 and 4 measurements per variety in 2021. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on Student's t-tests.

Comparison tables for 'Shelly' with reference varieties 'Faller' and 'AAC Brandon'

Flag leaf length (cm)

Plant height at maturity (including spike and awns) (cm)

Thousand kernel weight (grams per 1000 kernels) (g)

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Wheat: 'Shelly' (left) with reference varieties 'AAC Brandon' (centre) and 'Faller' (right)

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Wheat: 'Shelly' (left) with reference varieties 'Faller' (centre) and 'AAC Brandon' (right)

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Wheat: 'Shelly' (left) with reference varieties 'Faller' (centre) and 'AAC Brandon' (right)