AAC Hodge

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'AAC Magnet' and 'AAC LeRoy'

Summary: At heading, the spike of 'AAC Hodge' is shorter than the spikes of 'AAC Magnet' and 'AAC LeRoy'. The awns of 'AAC Hodge' are longer than the spike while the awns of 'AAC Magnet' are shorter or equal to the spike length and those of 'AAC LeRoy' are equal to the spike length.

Description:

PLANT: spring type, common wheat, semi-erect to intermediate growth habit at 5 to 9 tiller stage, medium frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves, heads mid-season, matures mid-season

SEEDLING (4-leaf stage): very weak to 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, strong glaucosity of sheath, strong glaucosity of lower side, glabrous blade and sheath

CULM: absent or very sparse hairiness on uppermost node, medium glaucosity, straight neck
STRAW: pith of thin to medium thickness in cross-section, no anthocyanin colouration at maturity

SPIKE: medium to strong glaucosity at heading, tapering to parallel sided shape in profile, medium density, brownish yellow at maturity, erect attitude, sparse hairiness of convex surface of apical rachis segment
AWNS: longer than spike, light brown at maturity
LOWER GLUME: medium in length, narrow to medium width, glabrous, sparse to medium extent of internal hairs
LOWER GLUME SHOULDER: narrow to medium width, slightly sloping to straight
LOWER GLUME BEAK: slightly to moderately curved
LOWEST LEMMA: very slightly curved beak

KERNEL: hard red, medium red, medium in size, ovate shape, rounded cheek, short brush hairs
GERM: small to medium sized, narrow to medium width crease of shallow to medium depth

AGRONOMIC TRAITS: good resistance to pre-harvest sprouting, good bread making quality

DISEASE REACTIONS: resistant to Stem rust (Puccinia graminis), Stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis) and Common bunt (Tilletia sp.); moderately resistant to Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina) and Fusarium head blight (Fusarium graminearum)

INSECT REACTION: resistant to Wheat Midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana)

Origin & Breeding History: 'AAC Hodge' (experimental designations BW1069) originated from a cross between 'BW430' and 'BW897' conducted in 2009 at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In the winter of 2009-2010, 24 F1 plants were grown in a greenhouse and, in 2010, 12 F2 bulk plots were grown in the field in Beaverlodge, Alberta. In 2010-2011, 360 spikes were harvested and planted in 163 hills in Palmerston North, New Zealand. 585 selected heads were grown as 1 metre single rows in Beaverlodge, Alberta with 156 seletions grown as single 1 metre rows in Palmerston North, New Zealand in 2011-2012. One line was selected to advance to F6 level yield trials at 4 locations in Western Canada. Six F7 heads were selected and grown as 1 metre rows in Palmerston North New Zealand. One line advanced through yield trials in multiple locations in Western Canada from 2013 to 2016 and was tested as BW1069 in the Parkland 'C' Registration Test from 2016 to 2018. In 2016, 250 F6:11 spikes were bulked as breeder seed. Selection criteria included seed appearance, flour yield, agronomic and quality traits and disease resistance.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'AAC Hodge' were conducted at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Saskatoon Research and Development Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 2019 and 2021. There were 3 replicates per variety arranged in an RCB design. Plots consisted of 5 rows, each row was 3.35 metres long with 0.18 metre inter-row spacing. The seeding density was 264 seeds per squared metre, resulting in approximately 3000 plants per variety per year. Measured characteristics were based on 21 measurements per variety per year. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on a paired Student's t-test.

Comparison table for 'AAC Hodge' with reference varieties 'AAC Magnet' and 'AAC LeRoy'

Spike length (excluding the awns) (cm)

Click on image for larger view

Wheat: 'AAC Hodge' (left) with reference varieties 'AAC Magnet' (centre) and 'AAC LeRoy' (right)