North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station Research Articles

‘ND Hammond’ Brown‐Seeded Flaxseed Cultivar Developed in North Dakota

‘ND Hammond’ (Reg. no. CV‐48, PI 689751) is a brown‐seeded flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) cultivar developed at North Dakota State University (NDSU) and released by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station in 2018. ND Hammond was tested as the experimental line NDFB10 in the flax breeding nursery from 2015 to 2017 and was released based on high grain yield potential and disease resistance. The 3‐yr overall mean seed yield of ND Hammond in NDSU flax breeding trials at Fargo, Casselton, and Carrington, ND, was 1860 kg ha−1, 7.7% higher than the mean of 19 flax cultivars grown in North Dakota. ND Hammond was also evaluated in the 2017 North Dakota Flax Variety Trial at Langdon, Minot, Carrington, and Williston, ND. The average seed yield of ND Hammond in the North Dakota Flax Variety Trial was 1698 kg ha−1, −0.6% lower than the mean of 20 flax cultivars grown in North Dakota. ND Hammond has been identified as resistant to Fusarium wilt and flax rust.

Registration of Sunflower Genetic Stocks TOCO B1, TOCO R1, and TOCO R2 with High Gamma‐ and Delta‐Tocopherol and Altered Fatty Acid Composition in the Seed Oil

A primary concern of oilseed sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) breeders in developing commercial hybrids is the constitution of the oil product, particularly the fatty acid composition. Over time, mutation breeding and selection have led to sunflower varieties with very high levels of oleic acid, which increases oxidative stability of the oil. This is beneficial particularly to those food industries that use vegetable oil for frying food. Tocopherols are lipophilic antioxidants that protect vegetable oils from oxidative degradation and that vary in their antioxidant activity. TOCO B1 (Reg. no. GS‐62, PI 690443), TOCO R1 (Reg. no. GS‐63, PI 690444), and TOCO R2 (Reg. no. GS‐64, PI 690445) contain mutations that increase the γ‐ and δ‐tocopherol level of the seed, leading to a more stable vegetable oil product. TOCO B1 also possesses an oil profile high in oleic acid. These lines were released by the USDA‐ARS and North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, Fargo, ND, to fill the need for novel sunflower oil products in the sunflower industry.

Registration of Three Confection Sunflower Germplasm, HA‐DM2, HA‐DM3, and HA‐DM4, Resistant to Downy Mildew and Rust

Downy mildew (DM) and rust are two destructive diseases in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) production worldwide that limit yield and reduce seed quality. Combining different disease resistance (R) genes in a single genotype of sunflower can increase the field performance due to host resistance. The confection sunflower germplasm lines HA‐DM2 (Reg. No. GP‐350, PI 687022), HA‐DM3 (Reg. No. GP‐351, PI 687023), and HA‐DM4 (Reg. No. GP‐352, PI 687024), developed using backcrossing, pedigree breeding, and DNA marker‐assisted selection, were released by the USDA‐ARS Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit in collaboration with the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station in June 2017. HA‐DM2 harbors the DM R gene, PlArg, and rust R gene, R12, both transferred from an oilseed sunflower line RHA 464. HA‐DM3 harbors the DM R gene, Pl17, and rust R gene, R13a, transferred from an oilseed line HA 458 and confection line HA‐R6, respectively. HA‐DM4 harbors the DM R gene, Pl18, and rust R gene, R13a, transferred from an oilseed line HA‐DM1 and confection line HA‐R6, respectively. Phenotypic and marker testing for DM and rust confirmed that the BC4F4–derived HA‐DM2, HA‐DM3, and HA‐DM4 germplasm each harbors DM and rust R genes in the homozygous condition and are resistant to all DM and rust races identified in North America to date. These disease‐resistant lines are a valuable contribution for breeding‐enhanced DM and rust resistance in confection sunflower in North America and globally.

Registration of Oilseed Sunflower Germplasms RHA 461, RHA 462, RHA 463, HA 465, HA 466, HA 467, and RHA 468 with Diversity in Sclerotinia Resistance, Yield, and Other Traits

Sclerotinia head and stalk rots are among the most devastating diseases in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Breeding for resistance to these diseases while maintaining or improving yield and quality is complicated by the quantitative inheritance of the resistance, for which there are few genes of major effect. The objective of this work was to provide new diversity to sunflower breeding organizations for yield and Sclerotinia resistance, together with other useful agronomic and end user traits. Four restorer germplasms, RHA 461 (Reg. No. GP‐337, PI 655012), RHA 462 (Reg. No. GP‐338; PI 655013), RHA 463 (Reg. No. GP‐339; PI 655014), and RHA 468 (Reg. No. GP‐341; PI 667184), and three maintainer germplasms, HA 465 (Reg. No. GP‐342; PI 670488), HA 466 (Reg. No. GP‐340; PI 667183), and HA 467 (Reg. No. GP‐343; PI 670489) were developed by the USDA‐ARS and the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, Fargo, ND. Testcrosses with these germplasms had yield similar to high‐yielding commercial checks and Sclerotinia resistance similar to the highly resistant check ‘Northrup King 277’. Some of the lines also have high oleic acid in the seed oil, downy mildew resistance, and tolerance to imidazolinone herbicides. The lines are available for sunflower breeders to integrate into their breeding programs for additional diversity.

Registration of Non‐Stiff Stalk Maize Germplasms: Increasing Short‐Season Genetic Diversity with the EarlyGEM Program

NDEarlyGEM4 (Reg. No. GP‐600, PI 675375), NDEarlyGEM5 (Reg. No. GP‐601, PI 675376), NDEarlyGEM22a (Reg. No. GP‐602, PI 675381), NDEarlyGEM22b (Reg. No. GP‐603, PI 675382), and NDEarlyGEM26 (Reg. No. GP‐604, PI 675383) are new non‐Stiff Stalk maize (Zea mays L.) populations from the EarlyGEM program. The designation “ND” represents North Dakota for national registration to recognize efforts of germplasm adaptation and improvement at North Dakota State University, Fargo. “EarlyGEM” was added to also recognize all Germplasm Enhancement Maize (GEM) network efforts that made original GEM germplasms available for adaptation to short‐season environments. The North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station released these populations on 17 Jan. 2014. The North Dakota maize breeding program is the sole genetic provider of EarlyGEM genetic materials. The objective of the EarlyGEM program is to increase the genetic diversity of short‐season hybrids with unique sources of germplasm currently not available in the northern US industry. Seven EarlyGEM inbred lines have been developed from these released populations and have been shared with industry exclusively.

Registration of Sunflower Oilseed Maintainer Genetic Stocks HOLS1, HOLS2, HOLS3, and HOLS4 Possessing Genes for High Oleic and Low Saturated Fatty Acids and Tolerance to Imidazolinone Herbicides

One of the primary goals for the oilseed sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) industry is to provide novel oil products for human consumption. One oil profile of particular interest is high oleic and low saturated fat, because it combines high oxidative stability of the oil with a reduction in the fatty acids that are detrimental to human health, namely saturated and trans‐fats. In addition, traits that contribute to ease of production, such as tolerance to common herbicides, are also required in modern cultivars. We describe the development of lines that combine imidazolinone herbicide tolerance and a favorable genetic background with a high oleic, low saturated fat profile in the seed oil. HOLS1 (Reg. No. GS‐58, PI 678787), HOLS2 (Reg. No. GS‐59, PI 678788), HOLS3 (Reg. No. GS‐60, PI 678789), and HOLS4 (Reg. No. GS‐61, PI 678790) are maintainer inbred genetic stocks that were developed using backcross and pedigree methods, with testing of each generation for fatty acid composition in the seed oil and confirmation of imidazolinone tolerance in later generations. These lines were released by the USDA‐ARS and the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, Fargo, to fill the urgent need for useful variation in fatty acid composition in oilseed sunflower.

Registration of an Oilseed Sunflower Germplasm HA‐DM1 Resistant to Sunflower Downy Mildew

HA‐DM1 (Reg. No. GP‐335, PI 674793) sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) germplasm was developed and released cooperatively by the USDA‐ARS, Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit and the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station in 2015. HA‐DM1 is a BC2F4–derived oilseed maintainer line from the cross HA 89*2/NMS HA 89/Helianthus argophyllus PI 494573, selected for resistance to downy mildew (DM) [caused by Plasmopara halstedii (Farl.) Berl. et de Toni], a destructive disease in sunflower. The DM resistance in HA‐DM1 originated from wild H. argophyllus accession PI 494573 and is conditioned by a single dominant gene designated Pl18. Pl18 has been mapped to linkage group 2 of the sunflower genome and is independent of all known identified DM resistance genes in sunflower. HA‐DM1 has resistance to all P. halstedii races identified in the United States to date, providing a potential new source for resistance to emerging virulent races of P. halstedii in sunflower in North America and around the world.

‘Elgin‐ND’ Spring Wheat: A Newly Adapted Cultivar to the North‐Central Plains of the United States with High Agronomic and Quality Performance

The spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) industry and growers usually value adapted wheat cultivars with high quality attributes, an essential criteria for maintaining wheat as a competitive commodity at the national and international levels. Therefore, the goal of the breeding program is to develop wheat cultivars that meet the above criteria using appropriate breeding tools. ‘Elgin‐ND’ (CV‐1116, PI 668099), a hard red spring wheat (HRSW) developed at North Dakota State University was released by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station in 2013. Elgin‐ND, tested as experimental line ND818, was released because it is adapted to the US spring wheat growing conditions. It combines high yield potential with high protein and end‐use quality and has a good disease resistance package. This includes resistance to Fusarium head blight [caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe; teleomorph Gibberella zeae (Schwein.) Petch)]; leaf diseases including stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis Pers.:Pers. f. sp. tritici Eriks. & E. Henn) and leaf rust (caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks.); tan spot [caused by Pyrenophora tritici‐repentis (Died.) Drechs]; and bacterial leaf blight (caused by Xanthomonas translucens pv. undulosa). However, Elgin‐ND relies heavily on the major Lr21 gene that confers resistance to leaf rust. Thus, it is susceptible to the new race that overcomes the Lr21 gene. The name Elgin‐ND was chosen for ND818 after a small town in western North Dakota, where the cultivar is expected to be widely planted.

Registration of ‘Joppa’ Durum Wheat

‘Joppa’ (Reg. No. CV‐1115, PI 673106), spring durum wheat [Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf.) Husn.] was developed by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station in cooperation with USDA‐ARS and released on 1 July 2013. The original cross ‘Maier’/D97643 was made in fall 2000. Joppa was developed using the pedigree breeding method and was bulked as an F4:5 line in summer 2004. Joppa was tested as D04581 in the Uniform Regional Durum Nursery and the North Dakota Durum State Variety Trials from 2008 to 2014. Joppa was released on the basis of its high grain yield potential, disease resistance, and excellent end‐use qualities. Joppa had higher yield than the predominant North Dakota cultivar Divide. Joppa has very strong dough mixing characteristics and a high gluten index. Joppa has improved Fusarium head blight {caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe [teleomorph Gibberella zeae (Schwein.) Petch]} tolerance compared with Divide and is resistant to predominant races of stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis Pers.:Pers. f. sp. tritici Eriks. & E. Henn) and leaf rust (caused by P. tritici Eriks.).

Registration of Two Double Rust Resistant Germplasms, HA‐R12 and HA‐R13 for Confection Sunflower

Two confection sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) germplasms, HA‐R12 (Reg. No. GP‐333, PI 673104) and HA‐R13 (Reg. No. GP‐334, PI 673105), were developed by the USDA‐ARS, Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit, Fargo, ND, in collaboration with the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, and released in July 2014. Sunflower rust (caused by Puccinia helianthi Schwein.) is a major yield‐ and quality‐limiting factor for sunflower production worldwide. Because of the evolution of new rust pathotypes, it is important to combine multiple resistance genes into one sunflower genotype to overcome the newly emerging virulent races. HA‐R12 and HA‐R13 were developed by the pedigree method and DNA marker‐assisted selection. HA‐R12 harbors the rust resistance (R) genes, R2 from MC29 (AUS) and R13a from HA‐R6. HA‐R13 contains R5 from HA‐R2 and R13a from HA‐R6. Marker testing and rust resistance evaluation confirmed that HA‐R12 and HA‐R13 each separately harbors two rust resistance genes in the homozygous condition, with both lines showing high levels of resistance to rust races 336 and 777, a predominant race and one of the most virulent races currently identified in the United States, respectively. HA‐R12 and HA‐R13 will provide urgently needed rust resistance genes that can be incorporated into commercial confection hybrids, providing broad‐spectrum rust resistance.

Registration of ‘ND Henson’ Soybean

‘ND Henson’ soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (Reg. No. CV‐517, PI 675334) was first tested as ND09‐5604 and was released in January 2015 by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, North Dakota State University (NDSU), to provide producers with Maturity Group 0 conventional cultivar (relative maturity 0.0), generally adapted as a full‐season cultivar from 48 to 49° N latitude. ND Henson was evaluated by the NDSU soybean breeding program in advanced yield trials for a total of 27 location‐years that included 2011 to 2014. Testing for iron‐deficiency chlorosis (IDC) was conducted from 2012 to 2014 at a total of 10 sites located in eastern North Dakota, based on four replicates per site. Screening for resistance to races 3 and 4 of Phytophthora sojae (M.J. Kaufmann and J.W. Gerdemann) was conducted using the hypocotyl‐injection method. ND Henson was released because it has (i) resistance to races 3 and 4 of P. sojae, (ii) high yield in North Dakota environments, (iii) lodging resistance, and (iv) tolerance to IDC.

Registration of ‘ND1406HP’ Soybean

‘ND1406HP’ soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (Reg. No. CV-516, PI 673929) was first tested as ND06-4642 and was released in May 2014 by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, North Dakota State University (NDSU), to provide producers with a Maturity Group 0 conventional cultivar (0.6), generally adapted as a full-season cultivar from 45 to 48° N latitude. ND1406HP was evaluated by the NDSU soybean breeding program in advanced yield trials for a total of 32 location-years that included 2008 to 2013. Testing for iron-deficiency chlorosis (IDC) was conducted from 2011 to 2013 at a total of 11 sites located in eastern North Dakota, based on four replicates per site. ND1406HP was released because it has (i) high yield in North Dakota environments, (ii) high protein and can be used to produce high-quality tofu or soymilk, (iii) lodging resistance, and (iv) tolerance to IDC.

Registration of the Oilseed Restorer Sunflower Germplasms RHA 472, RHA 473, RHA 474, and RHA 475, Possessing Resistance to Sclerotinia Head Rot

The most significant disease threat to sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) production in most of the world is Sclerotinia head rot (HR), caused by the necrotrophic pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary. Resistance to Sclerotinia is available in some inbred lines, but no line or hybrid is immune to it and all resistance is quantitatively inherited. There is also a lack of sunflower germplasms with high yield potential, good agronomic performance, and seed quality traits with Sclerotinia resistance. Herein, we describe the development and release of four germplasm lines that each has Sclerotinia HR resistance, competitive yield and oil content, good agronomic performance, and adaptation to the northern Great Plains of the United States and similar regions. RHA 472 (Reg. No. GP-329, PI 670490), RHA 473 (Reg. No. GP-330, PI 670491), RHA 474 (Reg. No. GP-331, PI 670492), and RHA 475 (Reg. No. GP-332, PI 670493) are restorer inbred germplasms that were developed using the pedigree breeding method with early generation testing for herbicide tolerance and fatty acid composition in the seed oil, and testcross hybrid evaluation in later generations for Sclerotinia resistance, yield, oil content, and agronomic performance. RHA 473 has high oleic acid in the seed oil, and RHA 474 and RHA 475 possess tolerance to imidazolinone herbicides. These lines were released by the USDA–ARS and the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, Fargo, ND, to fill the urgent need in the sunflower industry for breeding lines with disease resistance in an elite genetic background.

Registration of ‘Carpio’ Durum Wheat

‘Carpio’ (Reg. No. CV-1103, PI 670039), spring durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum Desf.) was developed by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station in cooperation with the USDA–ARS and released on 30 Jan. 2012. The original cross ‘D95580’/’D95595’ was made in the fall of 1999. Carpio was developed using the pedigree breeding method and was bulked as an F4:5 line in the summer of 2003. Carpio was tested as D03028 in the Uniform Regional Durum Nursery from 2007 to 2013 and in the North Dakota Durum State Variety Trials from 2007 to 2013. Carpio was released based on its high grain yield potential, disease resistance, and excellent end-use qualities. Carpio (3680 kg ha−1) numerically had higher yield than the predominant cultivar Divide (3632 kg ha−1). Carpio has very strong dough mixing characteristics as estimated by mixograph score of 7.9, which was stronger than Divide (7.3). The gluten index of Carpio (93) was higher than all the North Dakota durum cultivars. Carpio had a lower Fusarium head blight (FHB) {caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe [teleomorph Gibberella zeae (Schwein.) Petch]} disease severity compared with Divide which is known to have some tolerance to the disease. The stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis Pers.:Pers. f. sp. tritici Eriks. & E. Henn) reaction of Carpio was 0 in the field and very resistant in the greenhouse, and the leaf rust (caused by Puccinia tritici Eriks.) reaction was mostly very resistant.

Registration of Two Confection Sunflower Germplasm Lines, HA-R10 and HA-R11, Resistant to Sunflower Rust

Two confection sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) germplasm lines, HA-R10 (Reg. No. GP-327, PI 670043) and HA-R11 (Reg. No. GP-328, PI 670044), developed by the USDA–ARS Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit in collaboration with the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station were released in December 2013. Both lines have resistance to sunflower rust (caused by Puccinia helianthi Schwein.), which is an emerging production issue for confection sunflower in North America due to the spread of new rust races and the lack of resistance sources. HA-R10 is a BC3F3–derived BC3F4 maintainer line of confection sunflower selected from the cross CONFSCLB1*4/HA-R2, and HA-R11 is a BC4F3–derived BC4F4 restorer line of confection sunflower selected from the cross CONFSCLR5*5/HA-R3. The rust resistance genes R5 in HA-R10 and R4 in HA-R11 were introduced from oilseed lines HA-R2 and HA-R3, respectively, with the two confection sunflower genetic stocks CONFSCLB1 and CONFSCLR5 as the recurrent parents. Greenhouse testing of rust resistance and DNA marker-assisted selection were used during development and progeny testing of the germplasm lines. HA-R10 and HA-R11 are morphologically similar to the recurrent parents but possess the rust resistance gene(s) transferred from oilseed sunflower. These sources will afford confection sunflower breeders an opportunity to incorporate rust resistance genes into their parental lines, thus facilitating the development of disease-resistant hybrids.

‘Velva’ Spring Wheat: An Adapted Cultivar to North-Central Plains of the United States with High Agronomic and Quality Performance

Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growers and industry value adapted wheat cultivars with high quality attributes, essential criteria for maintaining wheat as a competitive crop in the spring wheat growing region of the United States. To address this goal, the breeding program at North Dakota State University (NDSU) aims to develop modern wheat cultivars using both traditional and modern breeding tools. Among these cultivars, ‘Velva’ (Reg. No. CV-1090, PI 665417) hard red spring wheat (HRSW) was developed at NDSU. It was released by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station in 2012. Velva was tested as experimental line ND811 and was released because it is well adapted to the wheat growing conditions of North Dakota. It combines high yield potential with good end-use quality and has a good disease resistance package including Fusarium head blight (FHB) [caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe (teleomorph Gibberella zeae (Schwein.) Petch)] and leaf diseases including stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis Pers.:Pers. f. sp. tritici Eriks. & E. Henn.), leaf rust (caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks.), and leaf spotting diseases. Velva has the Lr21 gene that confers resistance to leaf rust. However, 2011 field observations showed that Velva is susceptible to the new race that overcomes the Lr21 gene. The name Velva was chosen after a small town in central North Dakota where Velva performed very well.

Registration of F1025, F1026, and F1027 Sugarbeet Genetic Stocks with Low Concentrations of Sodium, Potassium, or Amino Nitrogen

F1025 (Reg. No. GS‐9, PI 665408), F1026 (Reg. No. GS‐10, PI 665409), and F1027 (Reg. No. GS‐11, PI 665410) sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) genetic stocks, which were selected for low concentrations of sodium, potassium, and amino nitrogen, respectively, in the roots, were released by the USDA‐ARS and the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, North Dakota State University, Fargo, on 29 Aug. 2011. Sodium, potassium, and amino nitrogen are naturally occurring constituents of sugarbeet roots that prevent processors from extracting a portion of the sucrose in the root. F1025, F1026, and F1027 were selected from a common parental population formed by crossing a cytoplasmic male‐sterile monogerm breeding line with plants from a heterogeneous multigerm population that included some B. maritima L. in its parentage. The 8‐yr average sodium concentration of F1025 was 57% of the average sodium concentration of the parental population; the average potassium concentration of F1026 was 73% of the potassium concentration of the parental population; and the amino nitrogen concentration of F1027 was 76% of the parental population. Compared with the parental population, the sodium concentration rose 11% and the potassium concentration fell 6% in conjunction with the reduced amino nitrogen concentration of F1027. Selection for low sodium or potassium concentrations did not affect the other two impurity components. The average sucrose concentration of F1025 exceeded that of the parental population by 4 g kg−1. Selecting for low potassium or amino nitrogen concentration had no affect on sucrose concentration.

A New Small Red Bean with Improved Resistance to Common Bacterial Blight: Registration of ‘Rio Rojo’

‘Rio Rojo’ (Reg. No. CV‐304, PI 666041) is a new cultivar belonging to the small red bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) market class, developed by the dry bean breeding program at North Dakota State University and released by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Rio Rojo is a medium‐early‐maturing, high‐yielding small red bean with commercially acceptable seed size, shape, and appearance. Rio Rojo is erect (Type IIb), has good lodging resistance, and exhibits good and synchronous plant drydown before harvest. Rio Rojo has shown an average seed yield increase of 257 kg ha−1 above that of ‘Merlot’, the small red cultivar most commonly grown in the United States. Rio Rojo had a higher seed yield than Merlot in 6 out of 17 environments when they were tested together. Rio Rojo has similar agronomic performance as Merlot for other traits, but Rio Rojo has a smaller seed size. In addition, a Red Variety Trial was grown in five environments in which Rio Rojo had the highest seed yield (2464 kg ha−1) across all environments. Besides the high seed yield, Rio Rojo has improved resistance to common bacterial blight (CBB). The intermediate levels of CBB resistance observed in field tests showed that Rio Rojo is better than any of the small red cultivars commonly grown in the United States and could therefore become one of the most important small red bean cultivars in the United States.

ND 803 Spring Wheat Germplasm Combining Resistance to Scab and Leaf Diseases with Good Agronomic and Quality Traits

The development of adapted wheat germplasm is essential so that breeding programs can develop superior cultivars, which was the objective of this research. ND 803 is hard red spring wheat (HRSW; Triticum aestivum L.) line that was developed at North Dakota State University (NDSU) and released by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station (NDAES). ND 803 (Reg. No. GP‐947, PI 665931 was derived from the ND2831/FO.2808 cross made at NDSU in fall 1997. ND2831 (‘Sumai3’ [PI 481542]/‘Stoa’ [PI 520297]) is a hard red spring experimental line with good resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB), or scab [caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe; telomorph Gibberella zeae (Schwein.) Petch] originating from ‘Sumai3’, which is known to possess the Fhb1 quantitative trait locus. Sumai3 is a spring wheat from China that is arguably the most widely used source of resistance to FHB in the world. Stoa is an HRSW cultivar released by NDSU in 1984. FO.2808 (‘Grandin’ [PI 531005]/3/IAS20*4/H567.71//‘Amidon’ [PI 527682]/ND674) is an HRSW line developed by the NDSU HRSW breeding program. Amidon and Grandin are HRSW cultivars released by NDAES in 1988 and 1989, respectively. IAS20*4/H567.71 is a public breeding line received from CIMMYT. ND 803 was produced from a bulk of one purified F5:6 plot selected in 2000 at Prosper, ND. ND 803 was released because it combines good agronomic and end‐use quality with resistance to both FHB and leaf diseases.

‘Prosper’: A High‐Yielding Hard Red Spring Wheat Cultivar Adapted to the North Central Plains of the USA

Providing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growers and industry with adapted wheat cultivars with high‐quality attributes is essential for maintaining wheat as a competitive crop in the spring‐wheat growing region of the USA. Therefore, our breeding program aims to develop modern wheat cultivars using both traditional and modern breeding tools. ‘Prosper’ (Reg. No. CV‐1080, PI 662387) hard red spring wheat was developed at North Dakota State University and released jointly by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station because of its good adaptation to the spring‐wheat‐growing regions in the U.S. North Central Plains. However, the high yield potential of Prosper under high rainfall conditions makes it more adapted mainly to wheat‐growing regions in eastern North Dakota, western Minnesota, and high‐rainfall regions of neighboring states. It has high yield potential and good milling and baking properties. Gene postulation shows that Prosper has the Lr21 gene, which confers resistance to leaf rust (caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks.). However, 2011 field observations show that Prosper is susceptible to a new race that overcomes the Lr21 gene. Prosper is resistant to stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis Per.:Pers. f. sp. tritici Eriks. & E. Henn) and moderately resistant to Fusarium head blight (FHB), or scab [caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe; telomorph Gibberella zeae (Schwein.) Petch].