Zarbio

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Coralia' and 'SS Blomidon'

Summary: At the 5 to 9 tiller stage, ‘Zarbio' has an intermediate growth habit while ‘Coralia' has a semi-erect growth habit. At booting, ‘Zarbio' has a medium frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves while ‘Coralia' has a low frequenecy of plants with recurved flag leaves and ‘SS Blomidon' has a high frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves. The flag leaf of ‘Zarbio'is longer and wider than that of ‘Coralia'. The flag leaf sheath of 'Zarbio' has strong to very strong glaucosity while that of ‘Coralia' has a medium degree of glaucosity. At heading, the spike of 'Zarbio' has a medium degree of glaucosity while the spike of ‘Coralia' has a weak degree of glaucosity. At maturity and including the spike and awns, the plants of 'Zarbio' are shorter than those of the reference varieties. The kernel weight of ‘Zarbio' is greater than the kernel weight of ‘Coralia' and less than that of ‘SS Blomidon'.

Description:

PLANT: common spring type, 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): 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, strong to very strong glaucosity of sheath, glabrous blade and sheath

STRAW (AT MATURITY): thin pith in cross-section

SPIKE: medium degree of glaucosity at heading, tapering in profile, medium density, white at maturity, erect attitude
AWNLETS: shorter than length of spike, white at maturity
LOWER GLUME: glabrous
LOWER GLUME SHOULDER: medium width, elevated shape
LOWER GLUME BEAK: short, moderately curved shape

KERNEL: medium red, short brush hairs, medium width crease, medium to deep crease
GERM: small to medium size, round

Origin & Breeding History: 'Zarbio' (experimental designations ST869-19, CFB2010 and C1M20377) originated from a three way cross conducted in the Czech Republic. An initial cross was conducted in 2008 between the varieties ‘Septima' and ‘Astrid' with the resulting F1 being crossed with the variety ‘Vanek' in 2009. The variety was advanced using the pedigree method of plant breeding with selections made from the F3 to F7 generations based on yield, lodging resistance, disease resistance and baking quality and entered in the Registration Trials conducted by the Quebec Recommending Committee for Cereal from 2021 to 2022. Breeder seed was established at the F8 generation in 2015.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'Zarbio' were conducted during the 2023 and 2024 growing seasons at Sollio Agriculture in St-Hyacinthe, Quebec. The trials were arranged in a RCB design with 4 replicates. Each plot consisted of 7 rows measuring 5.5 metres long with 18 centimetre inter-row spacing. The planting density of 375 seeds per square metre resulted in approximately 6000 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 a minimum of 10 measurements per variety per year. Mean differences were significant at the 5% confidence probability level based on a Tukey test.

Comparison tables for 'Zarbio' with reference varieties 'Coralia' and 'SS Blomidon'

Flag leaf length (cm)

Flag leaf width (mm)

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

Kernel weight (grams per 1000 kernels) (g)

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Wheat: ‘Zarbio' (left) with reference varieties ‘Coralia' (centre) and ‘SS Blomidon' (right)

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Wheat: ‘Zarbio' (right) with reference varieties ‘SS Blomidon' (left) and ‘Coralia' (centre)