Zealand hard red spring wheat

Abstract

Zealand hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed using a modified bulk breeding method at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, AB. Zealand is an apically awn-letted, hollow-stemmed cultivar with a combination of high yield potential, tall plant type, large leaves, and early maturity. In three years of testing in the Western Bread Wheat Cooperative Registration Test during 2013–2015, Zealand exhibited grain yield similar to Glenn and Carberry and 5%–6% lower than Unity and AAC Viewfield, though this difference was not significant (p > 0.05). Zealand yielded 37% greater than the highest-yielding Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) check, CDC Osler, in A-level testing at a certified organic farm. Zealand matured 1–4 d earlier and was taller than all the check cultivars, but exhibited lodging resistance better than Unity and similar to the other checks. The test weight of Zealand (79.1 kg hL−1) was lower than Glenn and similar to the other checks, while its seed mass was in the range of the check cultivars. Overall, Zealand was rated as resistant (R) to the prevalent races of leaf rust, moderately resistant (MR) to stripe rust and loose smut, intermediate (I) to stem rust and leaf spot, and moderately susceptible (MS) to common bunt and Fusarium head blight. Three years of end-use quality evaluation indicated that Zealand is acceptable for the CWRS class, with relatively few weaknesses. The tall plant type, large leaves, and early maturity render Zealand suitable for organic/high weed environments.