Features Agronomy Cereals
What is new in cereal varieties?

Top Crop Manager has assembled a list of new varieties that are being introduced for the 2009 growing season, or are being released in commercial quantities for the first time this year.

The information is provided by the respective canola seed companies. Growers are encouraged to talk to local seed suppliers to see how new varieties performed in local trials, or consult provincial variety seed guides for complete agronomic comparisons.

CDC Cowboy was developed by Brian Rossnagel at the Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan. All photos by Bruce Barker. Advertisement

Canadian Western Red Spring Wheat
AC Kane is an awned variety, which provides an excellent agronomic package of short strong straw, improved leaf rust resistance, high grain yield and protein, along with very good sprouting resistance. Yielded 104 percent of Superb in Manitoba sites in the 03/05 Co-op trials. Available from SeCan Association.

AC Alvena is an awnless CWRS variety with early maturity, strong straw and high yield and high grain protein potential. The variety is adapted to all areas of the Prairies but is best suited to the Parkland Region because of its early maturity and strong straw. AC Alvena yielded 106 percent of AC Barrie and CDC Teal in the Parkland co-op trials. Available from SeCan Association.

CDC Abound is compatible with the Clearfield production system. CDC Abound has excellent lodging tolerance and high yields. In the 2007 Viterra Market Development trials, CDC Abound yielded 103 percent of AC Superb, and had similar protein. Available from Viterra.

CDC Alsask has early maturity combined with consistently high yields. In the 2007 Viterra Market Development trials, CDC Alsask yielded 115 percent of AC Barrie, had 0.5 percent higher protein, and matured one day earlier than AC Barrie. Available from Viterra.

Canada Prairie Spring Red Wheat
5702PR was the highest yielding CPS wheat in 2007 Proven Performance checks. Yielding 126 percent of AC Barrie or eight percent higher than AC Crystal, 5702PR had 0.3 percent higher protein than AC Crystal and, matured one day earlier than AC Crystal. Available from Viterra.

Canadian Western Hard White Spring Wheat
AC Snowstar is an awnless variety with short strong straw, and good leaf and stem rust resistance. It has similar yield to Snowbird, with similar maturity. AC Snowstar will be launched on a Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) Identity Preserved Contract Program (IPCP) in 2009. SeCan will work closely with CWB and JRI to evaluate the market fit for the variety from 2008-2010. The program will target 80,000 acres in 2009 and 2010. The future size of the program, and future of the variety, will be dependent on the uptake from the market and the success of the CWB effort.

Tyndale triticale was developed at Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development’s Field Crop Development Centre by plant breeder Donald Salmon.

Canadian Western General Purpose – Winter Wheat
CDC Ptarmigan is a new soft white winter wheat that was available in limited quantities in 2008.  It has very high yield, the highest of all winter wheat types, but with lower protein. CDC Ptarmigan is a high starch crop that offers high tonnes of starch per acre, making it an ideal candidate for ethanol production. It is available from Western Ag Seed Innovations.

Canada Western Extra Strong
CDC Walrus was developed at the Crop Development Centre at the University of Saskatchewan. It is a softer, easier grinding wheat than Glenlea, with three to seven percent higher yield. It is a publicly available variety. 

Feed Barley
Champion is a two-row feed barley available from Viterra. Champion has superior yield potential and excellent lodging tolerance. The highest yielding feed barley available. It yielded 112 percent of AC Metcalfe in 2006-2007 Proven Performance checks, matured one day earlier, and has better lodging tolerance to AC Metcalfe (similar to Xena).

CDC Cowboy is the top silage yield variety compared to all other barley varieties. It maintains good grain and high silage yield under drought stress and lower inputs. CDC Cowboy has very large plump kernels with high-test weight and good lodging resistance. Launched with limited availability in 2008, AC Cowboy will be more widely available in 2009 through SeCan Association.

AC Jordan comes from Jennifer Mitchell-Fetch’s oat breeding program at AAFC Winnipeg.

Oats
SW Triactor is a white milling and feed oat with exceptional yield potential and a strong disease package. Suitable to all oat-growing zones, SW Triactor has similar maturity to checks and demonstrates very good lodging resistance. Available from Canterra Seeds.

AC Jordan is a crown resistant variety that delivers very high grain yield, very large, plump kernels and superior lodging resistance. Launched with limited availability in 2008, AC Jordan will be more widely available in 2009 through SeCan Association.

Souris oat is a high yielding oat variety with very good crown and smut resistance, and good resistance to stem rust. It is an early yielding variety, with short straw and good lodging resistance. Available from Seed Depot. 

Triticale
Tyndale triticale is one of the first spring triticale varieties with reduced awn length. It has high silage yield equal to AC Ultima (12 tonnes/ha). Grain yield is similar to AC Ultima, the highest yielding check cultivar.  Tyndale is especially suited for multi-purpose users:  silage, green feed or feed grain, and is well adapted to high fertility areas or heavily manured areas. Launched with limited availability in 2008, Tyndale will be more widely available in 2009 through SeCan Association.