Two New Varieties of Winter Wheat

Wheat growers in the Central US have learned about new Winter Wheat that will hit the market in 2015.

In a recent story by Agriculture.com, Syngenta announced the launch of SY Clearstone CL2 for Montana and Western North Dakota.  Also, Kansas State University's KanMark will be marketed to Kansas and the surrounding states.

"SY Clearstone CL2 is an ideal option for planting this fall because it excelled in a broad range of yield trials in this area and combines excellent yield potential with the agronomics growers have been looking for," said Corey Dathe, Northern Plains cereals key account lead, Syngenta.  "As certified seed, it provides growers with added assurance for consistent performance and high quality."

A hard red variety, it is a taller, semi dwarf variety with good test weight and can stand up to harsh winters.  It has high protein content with a two-gene herbicide tolerance.  It gives growers better weed management options while still offering a high yield.

KanMark is more suited for the central Plains.

It is from Kansas State's wheat breeding team.  It features reliable yield potential even under low precipitation ideal conditions, according to wheat breeder Allen Fitz.

It's targeted primarily for western Kansas but can also be used in central Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas, and eastern Colorado.

Fitz warns it is moderately susceptible to acidic soils and scab, so farmers would have to take necessary precautions.

KanMark boasts resistance to stripe rust, leaf rust, and soil-borne mosaic virus.  However, it is susceptible to Hessian fly and moderately susceptible to powdery mildew and tan spot.  It contains multi-gene resistance to leaf and stripe rust, and tends to yield towards the top of the yields chart.

KanMark is the product of a three way cross and was originally bred for resistance from leaf and stripe rust.  Its pedigree includes Parula, Pastor and Karl 92.  Fitz added that this is a very short-statured, upright variety and that producers may not see much of a canopy.  But he warns not to judge it until it comes across the scale.

"I always thought this was an ugly duckling wheat," said Fitz.  "But we're not here to release bouquet wheat, we're here to release varieties that will make money for producers, and I think it will do that."

KanMark is named to honor Mark Carleton, who was a wheat researcher at Kansas State.  He brought back varieties from Russia and used them to breed Kanred nearly a century ago.  Carleton was also the first president of American Society of Agronomy.  His contributions to the American wheat industry were substantial.