J.A. Golus and Robert N. Klein. University of Nebraska, 461 West University Drive, North Platte, NE 69101
Variety selection is one of the most important decisions a winter wheat grower has to make. Right or wrong decisions can enhance or negate all other factors. When selecting seed, consider these variety characteristics: yield potential, maturity, winter hardiness, straw strength, coleoptile length, plant height, lodging and shattering, seed size, disease and insect resistance, herbicide tolerance, quality and enhanced traits. The objectives are to: teach the grower familiarity with the traits listed in variety information, relate variation in these traits with their suitability to a farmer's specific production system, evaluate data from plots based on location, and take advantage of information provided in variety trials to separate normal variability from actual differences in variety performance. Reliable field trial data is one of the best sources of information for winter wheat producers selecting seed for the next season. Presented is a method of comparing yield results and variety traits to develop a “short list” of those varieties best suited to an individual operation. The example provided uses information from the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension Circular, “Nebraska Seed Guide” EC101, although the same process could be used with variety information from other sources. (UNL Crop Variety Trial results also are available on the web at varietytest.unl.edu). Producers are shown how to adjust their farm yields with yields from the University tests or other tests. At the meeting producers are asked to select four varieties for 1000 acres of wheat and the number of acres of each and their reason for selecting those varieties.
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