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New lentil varieties for 2008

Clearfield lentils lead the way in new varieties widely available in 2008. But in addition to these new herbicide tolerant types, other new red and lentil varieties also are breaking down yield, disease resistance and quality barriers.

This new line-up of lentil varieties comes for the Crop Development Centre (CDC) at the University of Saskatchewan and was partially funded by the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Association.

CDC Impact is a new small red lentil available with the Clearfield trait. Photo By Bruce Barker.

New red lentil varieties
In 2008, there will be adequate supplies of CDC Redberry which has a seed size slightly larger than CDC Blaze, but is still in the small red category. It has high yield and is ascochyta resistant with a good rating against anthracnose Race 1.

CDC Rouleau has a seed size similar to CDC Redberry and is also high yielding with ascochyta resistance and a good rating against anthracnose Race 1.

CDC Rosetown fits into the extra small category, with a slightly larger seed size than CDC Robin. It has higher yields than CDC Robin and CDC Imperial, as well as good ascochyta and anthracnose resistance.

In 2008, adequate supplies of two Clearfield red lentil varieties will be available. CDC Imperial falls into the extra small red category and has yields similar to CDC Robin with good ascochyta and anthracnose resistance.

CDC Impact is the other Clearfield red lentil available this year and falls into the small red category. While its yields are lower in co-op and regional trials, improved weed control may allow CDC Impact to yield as well as, or better than other varieties under heavy weed pressure. It has good ascochyta blight resistance, but poor anthracnose resistance.

Three new red lentils were released in 2007 and are currently in the seed increase stage for 2008:
• Line 1308M-7 (proposed name is CDC Red Rider) is a consistently high yielding red with a gray seed coat and a seed size slightly larger than CDC Redberry.
• Line 3110 (proposed name CDC Impala) is a Clearfield type that most closely resembles CDC Rosetown.
• Line 3114 (CDC Maxim) is also a Clearfield type lentil that is similar to CDC Redberry.

New green lentil varieties
In the small green category, CDC Viceroy has established itself as the variety of choice. The next variety to be available in this category will be a small green Clearfield variety that will potentially be released to select seed growers in 2009, with commercial availability several years later.

For medium green lentil, CDC Meteor will be available in some quantity for 2008. It has high yields and good ascochyta resistance.

A Clearfield medium green line with the proposed name of CDC Impress (Line 2471) was released in 2007 and a small amount of seed may be available in 2008.

In the large green lentil category, CDC Improve is a large green Clearfield variety most similar to CDC Sedley. The seeds are large and maturity is on the early side. It may be available in 2008.

CDC Greenland is the second new large green lentil that growers may be able to get their hands on in 2008. It is high yielding with slightly larger diameter seeds compared to CDC Plato. In trials during the past five years, it has shown better green colour retention compared to all other large green varieties.

The CDC is planning to release a Clearfield variety (IBC-188) in the French green market class in the spring of 2008. The seed is slightly larger than CDC LeMay.

Looking further down the road, the CDC is working on improving green colour for green lentil seed. The CDC recently completed a research project that clearly shows that breeders can make consistent genetic improvement for brighter green colour retention. This improved colour characteristic will provide higher seed quality and increased value. -end-