Starlite

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Major', 'AC Brio', 'Furano' and 'Fuzion'

Summary: At booting, the frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves is high for 'Starlite' whereas it is low for 'AC Brio' and low to medium for 'Major', 'Furano' and 'Fuzion'. The plants of 'Starlite' head earlier than the plants of 'Major' and 'Furano'. At heading, the spike of 'Starlite' has a medium to strong degree of glaucosity whereas the glaucosity is weak to medium on the spikes of 'AC Brio' and 'Fuzion'. At maturity, the plants of 'Starlite' are shorter than the plants of 'Major' and 'Fuzion'. Excluding the awns, the spike of 'Starlite' is shorter than that of Major', 'Furano' and 'Fuzion'.

Description:

PLANT: spring type, common wheat, semi-erect growth habit at 5 to 9 tiller stage, heads mid-season, matures mid-season

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

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

CULM: straight neck
STRAW: thin pith in cross-section, no anthocyanin colouration

SPIKE: medium to strong degree of glaucosity at heading, fusiform shape in profile, medium density, white at maturity, erect to inclined attitude
AWNLETS: shorter than spike, white at maturity
LOWER GLUME: medium to long, medium width, glabrous, absent to very sparse extent of internal hairs
LOWER GLUME SHOULDER: broad, slightly sloping to straight
LOWER GLUME BEAK: short, straight

KERNEL: medium red

Origin & Breeding History: 'Starlite' (experimental designations BS15-912 and SB07-13) originated from a controlled cross conducted in Sainte-Rosalie, Quebec between the varieties 'AC Barrie' (female parent) and 'Major' (male parent) in 2007, the F1 progeny coded as SB07-13. The F1 to F5 generations were mass cultivated in Sainte-Rosalie, Quebec from 2008 to 2012 where seed selections were made based on grain density at each generation. Spikes were selected from the F5 plants in 2012 and planted in single rows. F6 individual rows were selected using a pedigree selection method based on the grain yield, the volumetric grain weight and thousand kernel weight. Additional controlled inoculation trials with Fusarium sp. were also conducted in 2015 and 2016 to assess Fusarium head blight resistance. One line was designated as BS15-912 and initially evaluated in screening trials from 2013 to 2016 and further evaluated in registration trials conducted by the Réseau des Grandes Cultures du Québec from 2017 to 2019.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'Starlite' were conducted at Céréla Inc. in St-Hugues, Quebec, during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons. There were 2 replications per variety arranged in an RCB design. Plots consisted of 5 rows, each row was 5 metres long with an inter-row spacing of 0.19 metres. The seeding density was approximately 425 seeds per squared metre, resulting in at least 3825 plants in total per variety per year. Measured characteristics were based on 20 measurements per variety per year. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on paired Student's t-test.

Comparison tables for 'Starlite' with reference varieties 'Major', 'AC Brio', 'Furano' and 'Fuzion'

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

Plant height at maturity (including awns) (cm)

Spike length (excluding awns) (cm)

Click on image for larger view

Wheat: 'Starlite' (left) with reference varieties 'Major' (centre left), 'AC Brio' (centre), 'Furano' (centre right) and 'Fuzion' (right)