Affect of Grazing on Grain Quality and Yield of Hard and White Winter Wheat Varieties.

Six hard red (2137, Jagalene, Jagger, OK101, Stanton, and Thunderbolt) and six hard white (Burchett, Lakin, NuFrontier, NuHills, NuHorizon, and Trego) winter wheat varieties were evaluated for grain quality and yield at Clark County and Stanton County Kansas during the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 growing seasons. Locations were in regions that commonly produce wheat in a dual purpose system (both graze and harvest grain). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with split-plot treatment arrangement. Main-plot was cattle (Bos Taurus L.) grazed and ungrazed, and subplots were wheat varieties. Varieties were selected based on regional popularity and not parentage. Grain quality components measured were test weight, protein, and sprouting. Grain yield was not affected by color. Jagalene and NuHills consistently yielded the greatest and Jagger consistently yielded the lowest. Grazing reduced yield when cattle grazed wheat past jointing. NuHorizon consistently yielded less when grazed, suggesting NuHorizon is not a good dual purpose variety. Red varieties averaged 4 kg m^-3 greater test weight than white varieties. Burchett consistently had high test weight, and 2137, OK101, and NuFrontier consistently had lower test weight. Grazing did not affect test weight. Color and grazing had no affect on protein. Jagger and Burchett consistently had high protein, and 2137, OK101, Stanton, and Lakin consistently had lower protein. Sprouting occurred at Clark County in 2005 only. White varieties averaged 48% sprouted and red varieties averaged 14% sprouted. Although white varieties had greater sprouting, Burchett averaged less sprouting than Stanton. Grazing did not affect sprouting. Both red and white wheat can be used in a dual purpose system with no adverse affects on grain quality or yield. Certain varieties responded better to grazing and environmental conditions than others, indicating producers should select varieties based on the system and environmental conditions in which wheat will be grown.