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The Development of Improved Spring Triticale Cultivars for Alberta
Purpose
To develop adapted spring triticale and wheat cultivars with early maturity, sprouting resistance and seed development, while retaining high levels of seed and forage yield under a range of Alberta environments.
Procedure
To develop new cultivars with improved agronomic performance compared to Pronghorn via the use of conventional and interspecific plant breeding methods.
a. To develop new cultivars with shorter days to maturity based on crosses incorporating early genes from spring wheat.
b. To develop improved levels of sprouting resistance through the use of available germplasm as well as crosses involving sprouting resistant spring wheats.
c. To continue screening for improved seed type yield and silage yield.
d. To develop cultivars with reduced awn expression.
Reason for project and impact
Spring triticale has shown great potential as a drought resistant feed crop under dryland conditions on the Canadian prairies. It has also proved to be an excellent silage alternative to barley and oats in the parkland zone. Consequently it provides potentially viable complement to the production of other cereal species as an animal feed. The spring triticale cultivar ‘Wapiti’ was released in 1987 and ‘Pronghorn’ in 1996.
Summary of results
New spring triticale lines are entered into Western Triticale Co-operative Tests with the potential for registration. A partnership with Progressive Seeds Ltd. has been formed to enhance the research toward variety development and to develop the markets for the new varieties of spring and winter triticale. Since Pronghorn is a significant improvement in maturity with good seed and forage yield, it has become the primary check cultivar in the breeding program.
Awnless or near-awnless types are focused to enhance usage in conserved forage production. All lines currently in the registration trials are of this type.
Two new spring triticale lines, T181 and T182, were supported for registration in February 2005. T181 carries FHB resistance similar to Pronghorn. In 2006, T181 (named Bunker) has been released to FarmPure Seeds Ltd. and T182 (Tyndal) has been released to SeCan for market development.
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The Introduction, Development and Evaluation of Germplasm in Spring Triticale
Purpose
To introduce, develop, and evaluate improved germplasm for genetic diversity, quality, maturity, seed development and sprouting resistance.
Procedure
Unique germplasm from on-going programs in Europe, the USA, Mexico (CIMMYT) and other Canadian programs are introduced and evaluated for adaptation potential. Furthermore, new germplasm involving adapted wheat germplasm is utilized in the production of new triticale germplasm via interspecific hybridization. Introduced and newly created germplasm is evaluated for maturity, height, lodging resistance, seed type, sprouting resistance, and subjected to a full plant description prior to its utilization in the breeding program.
Reason for project and impact
Although triticale has shown great potential in the brown soil zones for seed and in the black soil zones for forage, a number of deficiencies such as late maturity and sprouting susceptibility have limited progress. Improvements in these traits have not been incorporated in the presently adapted cultivars. Consequently, introduction and evaluation of new germplasm and the development of new triticale types through incorporating genes from adapted wheats should improve the degree of genetic variability and the chances of developing vastly improved cultivars. The development of reduced awn types are presently being evaluated.
Summary of results
Reduced-awn types, early maturity, and sprouting resistance has been successfully incorporated into the triticale germplasm and crossed into the material for variety development. Although feed and fodder is the primary concern of the program, lines with improved bread-making potential are being evaluated as germplasm.
Crosses have been produced introgressing solid stem from spring wheat sources. The moderate resistance to FHB in Pronghorn is a major component of the breeding process. T181 (Bunker) will be included in the crossing program in 2006.
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The Development of Improved Cultivars of Winter Wheat and Winter Triticale
Purpose
To develop cultivars with improved adaptation to the traditional winter cereal production areas as well as the high yielding areas of the black soil zone.
Procedure
To develop cultivars of winter wheat and winter triticale through the use of conventional and interspecific hybridization (where appropriate) for the black as well as the brown soil zones of Alberta.
a. To develop winter wheat cultivars with earlier maturity and improved lodging resistance (semi-dwarf) and disease resistance in the black soil zone.
b. To develop winter triticale cultivars with earlier maturity, improved lodging resistance, shorter stature, improved seed type and improved sprouting resistance.
c. To evaluate advanced triticale lines for grazing potential prior to cultivar release.
Reason for project and impact
Efficient land utilization and erosion control are a few of the many advantages of winter cereals that are frequently quoted for the traditional production areas. However, in the black soil zones winter cereals provide an additional means of crop diversification. In particular they are generally earlier in maturity than their spring counterparts. However, cultivars presently adapted to the Canadian prairies are late maturing and susceptible to lodging under cool/high rainfall growing conditions. Furthermore, winter cereals are demonstrating a new potential as a source of grazing when spring planted (8,000 acres 1997) in both the brown and black soil zones. Pika, released in 1990, is the primary winter triticale grown on the prairies.
Summary of results
Winter wheat advanced lines are currently under testing in the Western Cooperative Winter Wheat Trial. Reduced-awn winter triticale lines are in the advanced stages of testing. New support for this project has been achieved through a partnership with Progressive Seeds Ltd. for the triticale and the Western Grains Research Foundation for the winter wheat.
The reduced-awn winter triticale ‘Bobcat’ was registered in 1999 and under pedigreed seed production during 2000. Bobcat is being well accepted by producers, as is Pika. In 2006, three reduced-awn winter triticales will be in the 3rd year of Coop testing.
In the winter wheat program, doubled haploids are being used as one of the tools to rapidly advance lines for variety release in both red-seeded and white-seeded types. Work is on going to develop a doubled haploid system that will work in triticale.
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The Introduction, Evaluation and Development of Winter Wheat and Winter Triticale Germplasm
Purpose
To introduce, evaluate and develop new winter cereal germplasm prior to its utilization in the breeding program.
Procedure
Introductions from Europe, the USA, and Asia are evaluated for adaptation. New germplasm lines in both species are created via interspecific hybridization to transfer traits from adapted wheats and rye into triticale, as well as using triticale as a bridge-cross in the transfer of cold tolerance from rye to winter wheat. All new introductions as well as genetic recombinants are evaluated for cold tolerance, maturity, seed type, quality, plant height and a range of specific plant characteristics prior to being used in the breeding program.
Reason for project and impact
Although both winter wheat and winter triticale are adapted to the severe winter conditions in the traditional winter wheat growing areas of the brown soil zone, they do not have the levels of cold tolerance similar to rye. Consequently the transfer of improved cold hardiness into both species is a benefit. Furthermore the transfer of earlier maturity from both the winter wheat and rye into triticale is important.
Summary of results
Reduced awn, sprouting resistance and winter hardiness have been improved in the triticale germplasm. Hardiness and seed colour have been the significant changes in the winter wheat germplasm.
An effort is currently underway to expand the winter wheat germplasm base by incorporating stronger gluten from spring types as well as new sources of resistance to powdery mildew, bunt and FHB. Approximately 39 crosses in the winter wheat carrying FHB resistance are in the system. |
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