2021 Wheat Field Days Edition Agricultural Experiment Station

Technical Report TR21-3 2021 Wheat Field Days Edition Agricultural Experiment Station

College of Agricultural Sciences Department of Soil & Crop Sciences Extension Making Better Decisions

2020 Colorado Winter Wheat Variety Performance Trials Crops

Tewww.csucrops.comsting Table of Contents Authors...... 3 Overview of 2019-2020 Eastern Colorado Winter Wheat Trials...... 5 2020 Dryland Wheat Trial Management and Characteristics...... 9 Irrigated Variety Performance Trials...... 10 Summary of 2020 Dryland Winter Wheat Variety Performance Results...... 11 Rank of Variety Yield in 2020 Dryland Trials...... 12 Summary of 2-Yr (2019 and 2020) Dryland Variety Performance Results...... 13 Summary of 3-Yr (2018, 2019, and 2020) Dryland Variety Performance Results...... 14 Head-to-Head Yield Comparisons...... 15 2020 Collaborative On-Farm Test (COFT) Variety Performance Results...... 18 2020 Wheat Variety Decision Tree for Dryland Production...... 20 2020 Dryland Wheat Variety Decision Tree...... 21 Summary of 2020 Irrigated Winter Wheat Variety Performance Results...... 22 Summary of 2-year (2019 and 2020) Irrigated Variety Performance Results...... 23 Summary of 3-year (2018, 2019, and 2020) Irrigated Variety Performance Results...... 24 2019 Irrigated Variety Decision Tree...... 25 Important Variety Selection Considerations...... 26 Description of Winter Wheat Varieties in Eastern Colorado Dryland and Irrigated Trials (2020 and 2021) ...... 27 Wheat Quality Evaluations from the 2020 CSU Dryland and Irrigated Variety Trials...... 32 Wheat Stem Sawfly in Colorado – Frequently Asked Questions...... 38 Resistance to Wheat Stem Sawfly in Wild Wheat Species...... 43 Colorado Wheat Stem Sawfly Survey...... 44 Aggressor® Herbicide Best Management Practices using CoAXium® Wheat Production System to Control Feral Rye and Jointed Goatgrass...... 46 Welcome the New Director of Seed Programs- Laura Pottorff...... 47 Be Aware of Use Restrictions on Wheat Varieties...... 48 Colorado Wheat Update...... 49 Colorado State University Field Crops Pathologist...... 51 Frequently Asked Questions about Stripe Rust...... 52 Acknowledgments...... 54

Disclaimer:

**Mention of a trademark or proprietary product does not constitute endorsement by the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station.**

Colorado State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding affirmative action requirements in all programs. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services. In order to assist Colorado State University in meeting its affirmative action responsibilities, ethnic minorities, women, and other protected class members are encouraged to apply and to so identify themselves.

2 Authors

Sally Jones-Diamond - Research Associate - Crops Testing, CSU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, Phone: 970-214-4611, E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Esten Mason - Associate Professor & Wheat Breeder, CSU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Jerry Johnson - Professor & Extension Specialist - Crop Production, CSU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, Phone: 970-491-1454, E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Scott Haley - Professor Emeritus, CSU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, E-mail: [email protected]

Ed Asfeld - Research Associate - Crops Testing, CSU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, Phone: 970-554-0980, E-mail: [email protected]

Roger Tyler - Graduate Research Assistant, Crops Testing, CSU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, E-mail: [email protected]

Danica Kluth- Graduate Research Assistant, Crops Testing, CSU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, E-mail: [email protected]

Ron Meyer - Extension Agent - Agronomy, CSU Extension, Phone: 719-346-5571 ext. 302, E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Wilma Trujillo - Area Agronomist, CSU Extension, Phone: 719-688-9168, E-mail: [email protected]

Dennis Kaan - Area Director - Agriculture and Business Management, CSU Extension, Phone: 970-345-2287, E-mail: [email protected]

Kelly Roesch - Area Agronomist, CSU Extension, Phone: 719-336-7734, E-mail: [email protected]

Kevin Larson - Superintendent & Research Scientist, CSU Plainsman Research Center, Phone: 719-324-5643, E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Kyle Douglas-Mankin - Research Leader, USDA-ARS, Central Great Plains Research Station, Phone: 970-492-7401, E-mail: [email protected]

Brett Pettinger - Research Associate, CSU Plainsman Research Center, Phone: 719-324-5643, E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Todd Gaines - Assistant Professor - Molecular Weed Science, CSU Dept. of Agricultural Biology, Phone: 970-491-6824, E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Eric Westra - Research Associate - Weed Science, CSU Dept. of Agricultural Biology, E-mail: [email protected]

3 Chad Shelton - Director - Global Proprietary Products, Albaugh, LLC, E-mail: [email protected]

Brad Erker - Executive Director - Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee, CO Association of Wheat Growers, & CO Wheat Research Foundation, Phone: 800-WHEAT-10, E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Robyn Roberts - Assistant Professor - Plant Pathology, CSU Dept. of Agricultural Biology, Phone: 970-491-8239, E-mail: [email protected]

Laura Pottorff - Director - Colorado Seed Programs, Phone: 970-491-6202, E-mail: [email protected]

Rick Novak - Director (Retired) - Colorado Seed Programs, E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Punya Nachappa - Assistant Professor - Entomology, CSU Dept. of Agricultural Biology, Phone: 970-491-6882, E-mail: [email protected]

Darren Cockrell - Research Associate - Entomology, CSU Dept. of Agricultural Biology, E-mail: [email protected]

Erika Peirce - Graduate Student, CSU Dept. of Agricultural Biology, E-mail: [email protected]

Additional Resources Colorado State University Crop Variety Testing Program: www.csucrops.agsci.colostate.edu Colorado State University Wheat Breeding Program: www.wheat.colostate.edu Colorado Wheat Variety Performance Database: www.ramwheatdb.com Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee (CWAC), Colorado Association of Wheat Growers (CAWG), and Colorado Wheat Research Foundation (CWRF): www.coloradowheat.org

4 Overview of 2019-2020 Eastern Colorado Winter Wheat Trials Jerry Johnson and Sally Jones-Diamond

Colorado State University researchers provide current, reliable, and unbiased wheat variety information to Colorado producers. Support of our research keeps public variety testing thriving in Colorado. Farmer support of public variety testing is our hope for the future. Our work in Colorado is possible due to the support and cooperation of the entire Colorado wheat industry, especially support from the Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee, the Colorado Wheat Research Foundation, seed companies who enter varieties, and Colorado farmers who donate their resources to host wheat variety trials.

We test under a broad range of environmental conditions to best determine expected performance of new varieties. We have a uniform variety testing program, meaning that all dryland varieties are tested in all eleven dryland test locations and all irrigated varieties are tested in all three irrigated trials. There were 52 varieties including experimental lines in each of the 11 dryland trials. The three irrigated trials each had 34 varieties. The variety trials included a combination of public and private varieties and experimental lines. Seed companies with entries in the variety trials included AGSECO, AgriPro Syngenta, Allegiant by CHS, CROPLAN by WinField United, Dyna-Gro Seed, Indigo Ag, Limagrain Cereal Seeds, and WestBred-Bayer. There were entries from the Colorado marketing organization, PlainsGold and the Kansas marketing organization, Wildcat Genetics. Collaborative On-Farm Test (COFT) included six varieties from PlainsGold and Dyna-Gro Seed.

All dryland and irrigated trials were planted in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Plot sizes were approximately 150 ft2 (except the Fort Collins irrigated trial, which was 80 ft2) and all varieties were planted at 700,000 seeds per acre for dryland trials and 1.2 million seeds per acre for irrigated trials. Plot sizes for the COFT ranged from 0.25 to 1.7 acres per variety in side-by-side strips with seeding rates conforming to the seeding rate used by the collaborating farmer. Yields were corrected to 12% moisture. Variety trial plot weight, test weight, and grain moisture content information was obtained from a Harvest Master H2 weighing system on a plot combine.

General conditions affecting the 2020 Colorado wheat crop Jerry Johnson and Sally Jones-Diamond

Fall 2019 wheat acreage planted was among the lowest in recent history, caused primarily by low wheat prices and drought conditions. The widespread effect of Wheat Stem Sawfly (WSS) in 2019 led to lower planted acres in NE Colorado. Persistent drought conditions led to abandonment of many planted acres in SE Colorado.Widespread high air temperatures in May and June led to lower yield and test weight. Initial stripe rust infections were stopped by high air temperatures. Adverse climatic conditions led to loss of two of eleven dryland variety trials. The average dryland trial yield was 46.6 bu/ac compared to the 2019 variety trial average yield of 73.2 bu/ac. WSS was a big problem this year, and WSS damage was widespread in eastern Colorado north of I-70. WSS will affect the planted acres and choice of arietiesv this fall. WSS tolerant varieties might diminish its effects. Wheat acreage expected to be harvested for grain is down 450,000 acres from last year to 1.55 million acres. This would be a 91-year low for harvested acres dating back to 1929. State average wheat yield is forecast to average 33.0 bushels/acre, 16 bushels below last year’s statewide record of 49 bu/ac.

5 2019 – 2020 East Central Colorado Wheat Growing Conditions RF Meyer

The 2019-2020 wheat growing season began with a struggle. Extremely dry conditions began in August of 2019, leaving wheat seed beds planned for planting with less than ideal soil moisture. Germination was affected negatively in many wheat fields within this area. As a result, early planted fields emerged best. Wheat fields planted before September 15 emerged with satisfactory stands, however, fields planted later experienced uneven emergence. Some fields west of Stratton did not emerge until spring of 2020 and then experienced reduced yield due to hot and dry conditions. Winter moisture was not plentiful which further reduced yield potential.

Spring moisture was spotty with extreme eastern locations receiving light but timely moisture, however, western and southern locations did not benefit from these moisture events. In addition, higher than normal air temperatures and winds were experienced during wheat flowering periods. These events coupled with dry soil moisture conditions further reduced wheat yields.

The result was highly depressed and variable wheat yields region-wide. One test plot near Burlington averaged 60 bushels per acre while just 20 miles west, 30-bushel yields were common. Wheat yields further west of these locations yielded 15 bushels per acre.

2019 – 2020 Wheat Growing Conditions in North Central Colorado Wilma Trujillo

2019-2020 was another challenging season for wheat producers. Most producers in Adams, Morgan, Logan, Southwest Washington, and Weld counties planted in low soil moisture from late September to mid-October. Germination and stand establishment were slow and uneven.

In general, dry and warm conditions prevailed during the fall. September was characterized by high temperatures. October and November brought sudden relief from the heat in September. Cool temperatures prevailed in November. Warm, mild, and dry conditions predominated in December, January, and February. Winter snowfall was sporadic and below normal. March and April brought some relief from the drought with isolated showers. The mid-April snowstorm brought not only rain/snow mix, but also freezing temperatures. May turned out to be exceptionally hotter than normal. Jointing was about three weeks earlier than normal due to high temperatures in late April and early May. June started with localized hail associated with several thunderstorm systems.

Low incidence and severity of stripe rust was reported in Weld County at the end of May. High temperature and lack of moisture in early June stopped further development of the disease. White heads were observed in isolated fields in Morgan and Weld Counties. This symptom was attributed to the freezing temperatures and drought conditions in mid-April. Stagonospora Leaf Blotch, Septoria and Tan Spot were also observed. These fungal diseases were present in moderate to low incidence and severity throughout fields in Logan, Weld and Adams counties.

Harvesting activities gradually began in the second week of June. In mid-July, producers made significant progress in harvesting wheat during scattered precipitation. Wheat harvest was wrapped up by the third week of July. Yield ranged from the mid 30’s to low 10’s bu/ac across

6 the area. Yield variability could be attributed to the weather pattern (hot and dry) during the growing season, hail storms, selection of adapted wheat varieties, presence of the wheat stem sawfly and fertilization management. Grain protein content was highly variable, ranging from 11% to above 15%. Test weight varied from 54 lb/bu to 60 lb/bu.

2019 - 20 Wheat Growing Conditions in Northeastern Colorado Dennis Kaan

2019-2020 was another challenging season for wheat producers. Most producers in Northern Washington, Yuma, Logan, Phillips, and Sedgwick counties planted in adequate soil moisture in early to mid-October. The area received adequate rains to initiate germination and obtain good stand establishment.

September and October were unusually warm and warm conditions continued into November. Light but very beneficial snows in January and February brought more favorable conditions for spring growth, adding to soil moisture content. That was short-lived, with March, April and May being dry, and with moisture stress being observed in several locations. Temperatures in March and April were above normal, adding to plant stress. High temperatures and strong winds persisted at grain filling stages, further adding to plant stress.

Stripe rust was not an issue in Colorado this year due to the dry conditions and lack of the disease in Texas and Oklahoma. Wheat stem sawfly affected wheat acreage and continues to expand in Washington and Yuma counties, significantly reducing yields.

Harvesting activities began in the last week of June. By mid-July, producers had mostly completed harvest activities amid hot, dry weather. Wheat harvest was wrapped up by the third week of July. Yield ranged from the low 40’s to the 10’s bu/ac across the area. Grain protein content was below the standard (11.5%). Test weight varied from 59 lb/bu to 64 lb/bu.

2019-2020 General Growing Conditions in Southeast Colorado Kelly Roesch

The 2019-2020 wheat year started with very dry conditions at planting time. Some producers in Baca County opted to take prevented planting. Some areas received isolated showers that helped but a good portion of the crop was planted in dry soil. Very little to no moisture was received during the winter months, leaving many fields with light stands and bare soil. High winds in March did considerable damage to the struggling crop. Dry conditions persisted from April through harvest in July. The dry conditions kept rust issues at a minimum and virus activity was down considerably from the previous year. Yields ranged from 10-30+ bushel/ acre across the area. Protein level was the bright spot for this year’s crop, seeing a significant increase from the previous years and ranging from 12-17+ percent.

7 8 2020 Dryland Wheat Trial Management and Characteristics 2020 Dryland Wheat Trial Management and Characteristics Akron Arapahoe Burlington Genoa Julesburg Lamar Orchard Roggen Sheridan Lake Walsh Yuma Average Yield (bu/ac) 45 35 60 26* 56 26 41 58 32 Abandoned 66

GPS Coordinates 40.1494 38.9066 39.3152 39.3577 40.8245 38.0026 40.4804 40.0842 38.5340 37.4312 40.1866 (Lat/Long) -103.1385 -102.3141 -102.2578 -103.5103 -102.3063 -102.6135 -104.1095 -104.3013 -102.4357 -102.3104 -102.6543

Location County Washington Cheyenne Kit Carson Lincoln Sedgwick Prowers Morgan Weld Kiowa Baca Yuma Kuma-Keith silt Keith-Kuma silt Fort Collins sandy Soil Type Rago Silt Loam Wiley Complex Weld silt loam Manvel silt loam Platner Loam Weld loam Wiley loam Haxtun sandy loam loam loams loam Sand-Silt-Clay % 35-46-19 25-62-13 23-62-15 27-52-21 41-42-17 31-56-13 57-22-21 35-44-21 41-44-15 21-60-19 21-60-19 Soil Organic Matter 1.5 % 1.8 % 1.7 % 1.7 % 1.4 % 1.3 % 1.2 % % 1.2 % 1.2 % 1.7 % 1.7 % Soil Soil pH 6.9 8.1 7.8 6.8 6.3 8.3 7.1 7.3 8.2 8.2 8.2

Soil Nutrients at 153-11 108-2 86-9 51-8 37-12 46-3 98-16 94-7 52-3 78-4 78-4 planting (N-P lb/ac) Applied Fertilizer in Season 8-28-0 63-28-0-4.6S 8-28-0*** 38-28-0-5S 48-28-0-5S 50.5-28-0 62.4-28-0 8-28-0 60-28-0-11S - 8-28-0 (N-P-K lb/ac) Tillage No-Till Vertical Tillage Tilled 2x Tilled Tilled No-Till No-Till No-Till No-Till No-Till Tilled Proso millet/ Oil Sunflowers/ Grain Sorghum/

Management Corn/ Chemfallow Corn/ Chemfallow Corn/ Fallow Wheat/ Chemfallow Wheat/ Chemfallow Wheat/ Fallow Wheat / Fallow Wheat / Fallow Previous Crop 2017/2018 Chemfallow Fallow Chemfallow Planting Date 19-Sep-2019 13-Sep-2019 12-Sep-2019 25-Sep-2019 17-Sep-2019 13-Sep-2019 17-Sep-2019 25-Sep-2019 13-Sep-2019 18-Sep-2019 18-Sep-2019 Harvest Date 2-Jul-2019 3-Jul-2020 8-Jul-2020 18-Jul-2020 7-Jul-2020 1-Jul-2020 30-Jun-2020 10-Jul-2020 1-Jul-2020 - 3-Jul-2020 Heading Date (Avg) 24-May-2020 19-May-2020 18-May-2020 3-Jun-2020 29-May-2020 14-May-2020 25-May-2020 26-May-2020 17-May-2020 - 22-May-2020

Days from Planting to 248 249 249 252 255 244 251 244 247 - 247 Development Heading (Avg)

barley yellow dwarf Heavy sawfly ---virus, tan spot, - Severe sawfly - - - - Biotic Stress pressure cephalosporium stripe

Freeze** Freeze** Freeze** Freeze** Freeze** Heat and Drought Heat and Drought Freeze** Drought stress in Drought - April Moderate hail in stress in early May stress in early May Drought Freeze** Drought - moderate Freeze** Severe Drought Freeze** Abiotic Stress early spring and worsening through May and worsening into and worsening into by end of May worsening into June June June June Environment Total Rain: 4.1 in 4.5 in 6.4 in 4.8 in 1.6 in 3.6 in 2.1 in 2.1 in 3.2 in - 3.1 in April 1 to Harvest Days temp reached above 90 F (April 1 - 17 26 26 17 26 30 26 32 28 - 26 Harvest) *Data not used for analysis due to drought, patch stands, and poor emergence. **Freeze April 12-14 caused leaf damage across the growing region. Damage was severe to moderate leaf burn. Due to the timing of the freeze little damage to the developing wheat head was found. ***Only includes fertilizer applied at planting. Additional fertilizer applied by cooperator data not available.

9 Irrigated Variety Performance Trials

Fort Collins, Larimer County: Planted on 9/25/2019 and harvested 7/13/2020. Trial planted into moisture and irrigation applied within a few days of planting to ensure good emergence. Some fall growth, trial was dry in early March but some rain received later in March and field was irrigated in early April. A mid-April hard freeze caused moderate damage to heads and leaves. Trial received timely rain and supplemental irrigation throughout spring and early summer. Fungicide applied on May 30 (MiCrop at 12 oz/ac). GPS: 40.652947, -104.99922

Holyoke, Phillips County: Planted 10/8/2019 following corn harvest and harvested on 7/11/2020. Planted after corn harvest into tilled corn stalks. Stand establishment was excellent and trial was watered within a few days of planting. In late-April trial was about a week from jointing and had decent soil moisture from irrigation. A mid-April hard freeze caused moderate damage to heads and leaves. GPS: 40.55708, -102.28748

Burlington, Kit Carson County: Planted 10/7/2019 after corn harvest and harvested on 7/8/2020. Planted after corn harvest into tilled corn stalks. Stand establishment was excellent and trial was watered within a few days of planting. In late-April trial was about a week from jointing and had good soil moisture due to recent irrigation. Stopped watering in mid-June. A mid- April hard freeze caused moderate damage to heads and leaves. GPS: 39.38035, -102.15222

10 Summary of 2020 Dryland Winter Wheat Variety Performance Results

2020 Individual Trial Yielda 2020 Multi-Location Average Sheridan Test Brand/Source Varietyb Akron Arapahoe Burlington Julesburg Lamar Orchard Roggen Lake Yuma Yield Yield Weight Headingc bu/ac bu/ac % of avg lb/bu days from avg. PlainsGold Snowmass 2.0 53.5 40.2 72.6 59.3 30.0 48.3 63.0 39.2 76.5 53.6 115% 57.0 -1 PlainsGold Langin 52.7 40.8 70.4 56.7 32.3 44.1 64.8 37.8 75.7 52.8 113% 56.6 -3 PlainsGold Sunshine 49.5 41.0 67.8 61.8 34.1 42.9 62.9 43.4 71.6 52.8 113% 56.5 -1 PlainsGold Whistler 45.2 46.6 69.3 60.7 40.8 40.9 59.4 34.0 68.1 51.7 111% 55.0 1 Indigo Ag Langin Trt 2 53.9 37.4 64.3 62.7 23.7 43.8 62.5 34.5 74.4 50.8 109% 56.8 -2 PlainsGold Avery 47.5 40.7 68.8 59.6 28.6 42.0 61.4 37.0 71.1 50.7 109% 55.9 1 CROPLAN by WinField United CP7017AX 49.6 39.0 67.5 57.5 29.7 43.4 59.2 40.1 66.8 50.3 108% 56.7 -1 CROPLAN by WinField United CP7869 49.0 35.9 69.6 57.4 28.1 46.6 55.1 41.5 69.0 50.2 108% 57.5 -2 Indigo Ag Langin Trt 1 48.1 36.4 64.3 60.3 28.6 46.1 59.2 33.7 72.1 49.9 107% 56.7 -2 Wildcat Genetics KS Silverado 50.1 30.5 67.6 57.8 24.2 46.7 58.9 33.1 77.1 49.6 106% 58.4 -2 PlainsGold Kivari AX 46.9 40.4 68.0 58.2 25.0 42.6 60.0 29.2 72.9 49.3 106% 55.9 1 PlainsGold Monarch 48.1 35.3 58.8 59.6 26.3 45.6 58.7 39.7 71.3 49.2 106% 56.9 1 PlainsGold Byrd 49.5 39.0 64.2 58.0 29.6 41.1 61.6 33.8 66.0 49.2 106% 56.3 -1 Wildcat Genetics KS Dallas 44.8 36.4 64.5 58.9 27.8 47.9 59.9 33.9 67.2 49.0 105% 56.8 0 Colorado State University exp. CO16SF070 48.2 36.8 63.2 57.6 29.8 42.5 57.3 34.8 69.5 48.8 105% 56.2 0 PlainsGold Byrd CL Plus 49.8 35.4 61.0 53.8 30.7 39.9 60.3 37.6 69.4 48.7 104% 56.6 0 PlainsGold Guardian 43.1 40.8 63.1 54.9 33.8 38.3 60.0 39.2 63.8 48.5 104% 57.5 1 PlainsGold Brawl CL Plus 48.0 30.9 58.9 58.3 27.6 44.7 61.8 36.3 69.9 48.5 104% 57.4 -2 PlainsGold Breck 47.7 34.5 62.6 55.5 32.6 42.5 57.7 35.7 67.5 48.5 104% 57.6 1 Colorado State University exp. CO16SF065 48.7 36.5 60.6 55.8 27.5 42.8 58.5 35.7 67.7 48.2 103% 56.0 0 Limagrain Cereal Seeds LCS Helix AX 49.1 32.8 68.6 54.5 27.0 42.7 57.6 31.3 68.4 48.0 103% 57.6 0 Colorado State University exp. CO16SF028 45.4 39.2 66.1 58.3 23.3 44.9 54.4 29.8 67.8 47.7 102% 57.0 1 WY Crop Research Foundation Steamboat 45.2 39.5 63.5 62.5 22.3 41.4 56.9 25.1 71.9 47.6 102% 57.5 2 PlainsGold Denali 45.1 37.2 56.2 55.0 30.9 42.1 58.5 35.1 67.5 47.5 102% 57.0 2 PlainsGold Canvas 43.2 37.2 68.0 54.2 26.8 40.6 57.3 30.1 66.4 47.1 101% 56.3 1 PlainsGold Fortify SF 47.8 32.4 59.8 52.6 34.6 39.8 56.3 34.2 65.8 47.0 101% 57.5 0 Wildcat Genetics KS Western Star 43.2 32.6 57.6 57.5 28.6 43.1 61.9 35.6 62.2 46.9 101% 56.8 -1 Dyna-Gro Seed Long Branch 43.4 37.7 59.6 57.0 25.5 41.2 56.4 37.5 63.2 46.8 100% 55.6 -1 AgriPro SY Rugged 43.3 34.3 65.8 53.0 26.8 38.0 57.5 33.6 69.0 46.8 100% 55.7 -1 Allegiant EXP 303 42.4 34.9 49.8 60.5 29.4 40.8 62.4 32.0 67.5 46.6 100% 57.5 2 CROPLAN by WinField United CP7909 45.0 29.2 52.2 57.6 22.5 48.7 63.0 31.9 67.5 46.4 99% 56.8 -2 AgriPro SY Wolverine 46.9 31.3 65.7 56.0 25.3 38.9 55.7 29.2 65.5 46.1 99% 56.5 0 Colorado State University exp. CO17128C 42.1 37.4 61.0 63.1 19.3 43.1 58.7 23.5 65.8 46.0 99% 56.5 3 CROPLAN by WinField United CP7050AX 48.3 30.0 58.1 49.5 26.1 44.1 52.4 35.2 66.1 45.5 98% 58.3 -3 WestBred - Bayer Crop Science WB4595 48.2 29.8 47.0 54.6 29.6 39.6 61.3 34.8 63.4 45.4 97% 56.8 2 PlainsGold Crescent AX 45.6 31.4 52.5 53.9 28.3 42.5 57.6 30.4 65.3 45.3 97% 56.9 0 Colorado State University exp. CO14A136-135 41.6 38.7 63.1 56.1 20.0 38.4 56.3 21.5 67.9 44.8 96% 55.8 3 WestBred - Bayer Crop Science WB-Grainfield 41.8 30.0 61.1 54.8 21.3 40.4 53.9 28.1 71.0 44.7 96% 56.5 -2 Colorado State University exp. CO16SF032 44.5 33.6 56.8 55.2 18.9 41.7 56.6 27.6 65.9 44.5 96% 56.9 1 Colorado State University exp. CO16SF026 41.8 34.3 55.7 54.1 20.2 47.1 58.1 24.3 63.1 44.3 95% 56.7 2 AgriPro SY Monument 43.3 30.3 58.3 55.8 24.0 36.9 52.1 34.9 63.3 44.3 95% 55.9 3 PlainsGold Hatcher 42.6 29.8 64.1 50.5 18.8 38.9 56.6 31.3 65.0 44.2 95% 56.5 1 AgriPro SY Legend CL2 42.9 31.8 56.9 50.8 23.0 40.5 54.7 31.4 64.1 44.0 94% 56.6 -1 Colorado State University exp. CO16SF027 42.9 35.2 54.9 54.6 19.8 40.0 56.1 23.7 62.1 43.3 93% 56.5 2 PlainsGold Snowmass 36.9 33.1 58.9 47.4 27.0 34.4 53.1 32.2 59.2 42.5 91% 56.5 0 AGSECO TAM 114 40.7 29.3 49.0 58.1 20.0 41.4 52.0 29.4 62.1 42.4 91% 57.1 0 Colorado State University exp. CO16SF067 44.8 31.5 51.7 55.0 22.8 35.6 52.1 24.3 57.9 41.7 89% 56.5 3 AgriPro Spur 38.7 30.0 43.4 52.7 19.9 39.2 57.5 25.2 61.3 40.9 88% 53.8 6 Colorado State University exp. CO16SF075 37.9 34.0 50.5 52.9 23.3 34.8 53.8 23.1 54.9 40.6 87% 56.3 3 Colorado State University exp. CO16SF074 35.7 33.9 50.7 52.9 22.4 35.0 50.8 27.0 54.3 40.3 86% 56.0 3 PlainsGold Incline AX 38.7 29.7 53.5 51.1 21.2 29.3 52.2 33.3 52.6 40.2 86% 54.7 3 Colorado State University exp. CO16SF049 31.7 23.4 38.5 51.5 15.8 33.9 49.6 17.2 53.1 35.0 75% 54.8 5 Average 45.1 34.8 60.1 56.1 26.1 41.4 57.6 32.2 66.3 46.6 56.6 5/21/2020 dLSD (0.30) 2.4 2.0 2.5 2.3 2.5 1.7 2.5 2.6 2.5 aVarieties in the top LSD yield group in each location are in bold. bVarieties ranked according to average yield across eleven trials in 2020. cVarieties with positive values headed later than the trial average and varieties with negative values headed earlier than the multi-location trial averages. dIf the difference between two variety yields equals or exceeds the least significant difference (LSD) value then they are significantly different. FFarmers selecting a variety based on yield should use the LSD (.30) to protect themselves from false negative decisions.

11 Rank of Variety Yield in 2020 Dryland Trials

Rank of Variety Yield in 2020 Trials

2020 Multi-Location Average 2020 Individual Trial Rank Yuma Burlington Roggen Julesburg Akron Orchard Arapahoe Sheridan Lake Lamar Avg Yield Rank Variety 66.3 60.1 57.6 56.1 45.1 41.4 34.8 32.2 26.1 (bu/ac) Varieties Ranked By Yield 1 Snowmass 2.0 53.6 KS Silverado Snowmass 2.0 Langin CO17128C Snowmass 2.0 CP7909 Whistler Sunshine Whistler 2 Langin 52.8 Snowmass 2.0 Langin Snowmass 2.0 Steamboat Langin Snowmass 2.0 Sunshine CP7869 Fortify SF 3 Sunshine 52.8 Langin CP7869 CP7909 Sunshine KS Silverado KS Dallas Langin CP7017AX Sunshine 4 Whistler 51.7 Kivari AX Whistler Sunshine Whistler Byrd CL Plus CO16SF026 Guardian Monarch Guardian 5 Avery 50.7 Steamboat Avery EXP 303 EXP 303 CP7017AX KS Silverado Avery Snowmass 2.0 Breck 6 CP7017AX 50.3 Sunshine LCS Helix AX KS Western Star Avery Sunshine CP7869 Kivari AX Guardian Langin 7 CP7869 50.2 Monarch Canvas Brawl CL Plus Monarch Byrd Monarch Snowmass 2.0 Langin Denali 8 KS Silverado 49.6 Avery Kivari AX Byrd Snowmass 2.0 LCS Helix AX CO16SF028 Steamboat Byrd CL Plus Byrd CL Plus 9 Kivari AX 49.3 WB-Grainfield Sunshine Avery KS Dallas CP7869 Brawl CL Plus CO16SF028 Long Branch Snowmass 2.0 10 Monarch 49.2 Brawl CL Plus KS Silverado WB4595 CO16SF028 CO16SF065 Langin Byrd Avery CO16SF070 11 Byrd 49.2 CO16SF070 CP7017AX Byrd CL Plus Brawl CL Plus CP7050AX CP7050AX CP7017AX Brawl CL Plus CP7017AX 12 KS Dallas 49.0 Byrd CL Plus CO16SF028 Kivari AX Kivari AX CO16SF070 CP7017AX CO14A136-135 Breck Byrd 13 CO16SF070 48.8 SY Rugged SY Rugged Guardian TAM 114 WB4595 KS Western Star Long Branch CO16SF065 WB4595 14 Byrd CL Plus 48.7 CP7869 SY Wolverine KS Dallas Byrd Monarch CO17128C CO17128C KS Western Star EXP 303 15 Guardian 48.5 LCS Helix AX KS Dallas Whistler KS Silverado Brawl CL Plus Sunshine Canvas CP7050AX KS Western Star 16 Brawl CL Plus 48.5 Whistler Byrd CP7017AX CO16SF070 Fortify SF CO16SF065 Denali Denali Avery 17 Breck 48.5 CO14A136-135 Hatcher KS Silverado CP7909 Breck LCS Helix AX CO16SF070 SY Monument Crescent AX 18 CO16SF065 48.2 CO16SF028 Steamboat Monarch KS Western Star Avery Kivari AX CO16SF065 CO16SF070 CP7869 19 LCS Helix AX 48.0 CO16SF065 CO16SF070 CO17128C CP7017AX SY Wolverine Crescent AX KS Dallas WB4595 KS Dallas 20 CO16SF028 47.7 Denali Guardian Denali CP7869 Kivari AX Breck CP7869 Fortify SF Brawl CL Plus 21 Steamboat 47.6 CP7909 CO14A136-135 CO16SF065 Long Branch Crescent AX CO16SF070 Byrd CL Plus Whistler CO16SF065 22 Denali 47.5 EXP 303 Breck CO16SF026 Langin CO16SF028 Denali Monarch KS Dallas Snowmass 23 Canvas 47.1 Breck WB-Grainfield Breck CO14A136-135 Whistler Avery CO16SF027 Byrd LCS Helix AX 24 Fortify SF 47.0 KS Dallas Byrd CL Plus Crescent AX SY Wolverine Steamboat CO16SF032 EXP 303 SY Rugged SY Rugged 25 KS Western Star 46.9 CP7017AX CO17128C LCS Helix AX CO16SF065 Denali TAM 114 Breck Incline AX Canvas 26 Long Branch 46.8 Canvas CO16SF065 Spur SY Monument CP7909 Steamboat CO16SF026 KS Silverado Monarch 27 SY Rugged 46.8 CP7050AX Fortify SF SY Rugged Breck KS Dallas Long Branch SY Rugged Snowmass CP7050AX 28 EXP 303 46.6 Byrd Long Branch Canvas CO16SF032 CO16SF067 Byrd CO16SF075 EXP 303 Long Branch 29 CP7909 46.4 CO16SF032 Brawl CL Plus CO16SF070 Denali CO16SF032 Whistler CO16SF074 CP7909 SY Wolverine 30 SY Wolverine 46.1 Fortify SF Snowmass Steamboat CO16SF067 Long Branch EXP 303 CO16SF032 SY Legend CL2 Kivari AX 31 CO17128C 46.0 CO17128C Monarch Hatcher Guardian SY Rugged Canvas Snowmass LCS Helix AX KS Silverado 32 CP7050AX 45.5 SY Wolverine SY Monument CO16SF032 WB-Grainfield SY Monument SY Legend CL2 LCS Helix AX Hatcher SY Monument 33 WB4595 45.4 Crescent AX CP7050AX Long Branch WB4595 Canvas WB-Grainfield KS Western Star Crescent AX CO16SF075 34 Crescent AX 45.3 Hatcher KS Western Star Fortify SF CO16SF027 KS Western Star CO16SF027 Fortify SF Canvas CO16SF028 35 CO14A136-135 44.8 SY Legend CL2 SY Legend CL2 CO14A136-135 LCS Helix AX Guardian Byrd CL Plus SY Legend CL2 CO16SF028 SY Legend CL2 36 WB-Grainfield 44.7 Guardian CO16SF032 CO16SF027 Canvas SY Legend CL2 Fortify SF CO16SF067 TAM 114 CO16SF067 37 CO16SF032 44.5 WB4595 Denali SY Wolverine CO16SF026 CO16SF027 WB4595 Crescent AX SY Wolverine CP7909 38 CO16SF026 44.3 SY Monument CO16SF026 CP7869 Crescent AX Hatcher Spur SY Wolverine Kivari AX CO16SF074 39 SY Monument 44.3 Long Branch CO16SF027 SY Legend CL2 Byrd CL Plus EXP 303 SY Wolverine Brawl CL Plus WB-Grainfield Steamboat 40 Hatcher 44.2 CO16SF026 Incline AX CO16SF028 SY Rugged CO17128C Hatcher KS Silverado CO16SF032 WB-Grainfield 41 SY Legend CL2 44.0 KS Western Star Crescent AX WB-Grainfield CO16SF074 CO16SF026 CO14A136-135 SY Monument CO16SF074 Incline AX 42 CO16SF027 43.3 TAM 114 CP7909 CO16SF075 CO16SF075 WB-Grainfield Guardian WB-Grainfield Spur CO16SF026 43 Snowmass 42.5 CO16SF027 CO16SF067 Snowmass Spur CO14A136-135 SY Rugged Spur Steamboat CO14A136-135 44 TAM 114 42.4 Spur CO16SF074 CP7050AX Fortify SF TAM 114 SY Monument CP7050AX CO16SF067 TAM 114 45 CO16SF067 41.7 Snowmass CO16SF075 Incline AX CO16SF049 Incline AX CO16SF067 WB4595 CO16SF026 Spur 46 Spur 40.9 CO16SF067 EXP 303 SY Monument Incline AX Spur CO16SF074 Hatcher CO16SF027 CO16SF027 47 CO16SF075 40.6 CO16SF075 TAM 114 CO16SF067 SY Legend CL2 CO16SF075 CO16SF075 Incline AX CO17128C CO17128C 48 CO16SF074 40.3 CO16SF074 WB4595 TAM 114 Hatcher Snowmass Snowmass TAM 114 CO16SF075 CO16SF032 49 Incline AX 40.2 CO16SF049 Spur CO16SF074 CP7050AX CO16SF074 CO16SF049 CP7909 CO14A136-135 Hatcher 50 CO16SF049 35.0 Incline AX CO16SF049 CO16SF049 Snowmass CO16SF049 Incline AX CO16SF049 CO16SF049 CO16SF049

Table illustrates the stability of variety performance across the 2019 dryland trial locations. Follow any variety (top 11 are color-coded) from the left multi-location average column across to the right to see how each variety ranked at each location. Locations are listed left to right by decreasing average yield by location. 12 Summary of 2-Yr (2019 and 2020) Dryland Variety Performance Results

2-Year Averagea Market Test Plant Varietyb Brand/Source Classc Yield Yield Weight Test Weight Height bu/ac % trial average lb/bu % trial average in Sunshine PlainsGold HWW 67.4 109% 59.1 100% 31 Langin PlainsGold HRW 66.7 108% 58.7 99% 29 Snowmass 2.0 PlainsGold HWW 65.8 106% 59.4 100% 30 Whistler PlainsGold HRW 65.8 106% 57.9 98% 33 Steamboat WY Crop Research Foundation HRW 65.7 106% 60.1 102% 33 Avery PlainsGold HRW 65.5 106% 58.3 99% 32 Byrd CL Plus PlainsGold HRW 64.8 105% 58.9 100% 32 Guardian PlainsGold HRW 63.7 103% 59.9 101% 32 Monarch PlainsGold HWW 63.5 102% 59.2 100% 29 Breck PlainsGold HWW 63.3 102% 60.3 102% 31 Byrd PlainsGold HRW 63.0 102% 58.7 99% 31 Denali PlainsGold HRW 62.8 101% 59.7 101% 32 Canvas PlainsGold HRW 62.3 101% 59.3 100% 29 WB4595 WestBred - Bayer Crop Science HRW 61.9 100% 59.7 101% 30 Crescent AX PlainsGold HRW 61.8 100% 59.5 101% 31 Fortify SF PlainsGold HRW 61.5 99% 59.7 101% 30 SY Rugged AgriPro HRW 60.6 98% 58.7 99% 28 SY Monument AgriPro HRW 60.0 97% 58.4 99% 30 WB-Grainfield WestBred - Bayer Crop Science HRW 59.8 96% 59.3 100% 31 SY Wolverine AgriPro HRW 59.6 96% 58.8 100% 28 Hatcher PlainsGold HRW 59.2 96% 58.8 100% 29 Brawl CL Plus PlainsGold HRW 59.2 96% 60.0 101% 32 Long Branch Dyna-Gro Seed HRW 58.8 95% 58.4 99% 31 SY Legend CL2 AgriPro HRW 57.0 92% 59.2 100% 29 Incline AX PlainsGold HRW 55.8 90% 57.4 97% 30 Snowmass PlainsGold HWW 55.6 90% 59.2 100% 32 Average 62.0 59.1 31

aThe 2-year average yield and test weight are based on 20 trials (nine 2020 and eleven 2019 trials). Plant heights are based on 19 trials (eight 2020 and eleven 2019 trials). bVarieties ranked according to average 2-year yield. cMarket class: HRW=hard red winter wheat; HWW=hard white winter wheat.

13 Summary of 3-Yr (2018, 2019, and 2020) Dryland Variety Performance Results

3-Year Averagea Market Test Plant Varietyb Brand/Source Classc Yield Yield Weight Test Weight Height bu/ac % trial average lb/bu % trial average in Langin PlainsGold HRW 67.9 108% 59.1 100% 30 Sunshine PlainsGold HWW 67.1 107% 59.0 99% 31 Snowmass 2.0 PlainsGold HWW 66.4 106% 59.7 101% 30 Steamboat WY Crop Research Foundation HRW 66.3 106% 60.4 102% 33 Whistler PlainsGold HRW 66.2 106% 58.2 98% 33 Avery PlainsGold HRW 65.5 104% 58.8 99% 32 Byrd CL Plus PlainsGold HRW 64.7 103% 59.1 100% 32 Breck PlainsGold HWW 64.6 103% 60.7 102% 32 Monarch PlainsGold HWW 64.4 103% 59.5 100% 29 Guardian PlainsGold HRW 63.7 101% 60.4 102% 32 Denali PlainsGold HRW 63.3 101% 60.0 101% 32 Byrd PlainsGold HRW 63.0 100% 59.2 100% 31 Canvas PlainsGold HRW 63.0 100% 59.7 100% 29 Crescent AX PlainsGold HRW 62.3 99% 59.9 101% 31 SY Monument AgriPro HRW 61.5 98% 58.8 99% 30 Fortify SF PlainsGold HRW 61.3 98% 59.9 101% 31 SY Rugged AgriPro HRW 60.8 97% 58.7 99% 28 WB-Grainfield WestBred - Bayer Crop Science HRW 60.8 97% 59.4 100% 32 Long Branch Dyna-Gro Seed HRW 60.6 97% 58.7 99% 31 Brawl CL Plus PlainsGold HRW 60.1 96% 60.2 101% 32 Hatcher PlainsGold HRW 60.1 96% 59.2 100% 30 SY Legend CL2 AgriPro HRW 57.6 92% 59.5 100% 29 Snowmass PlainsGold HWW 57.2 91% 59.6 100% 32 Incline AX PlainsGold HRW 56.9 91% 57.6 97% 31 Average 62.7 59.4 31 aThe 3-year average yield and test weights are based on 29 trials (nine 2020, eleven 2019, and nine 2018 trials). Plant heights are based on 28 trials (eight 2020, eleven 2019, and nine 2018 trials). bVarieties ranked according to average 3-year yield. cMarket class: HRW=hard red winter wheat; HWW=hard white winter wheat.

14 Head-to-Head Yield Comparisons

These regressions are used to compare the predicted performance of one variety relative to another variety. The regressions use results from multiple Dryland Variety Performance Trials results over the past four years (2017 through 2020). These (or any other) yield comparisons can be made online at ramwheatdb.com, which also uses the Dryland Variety Performance Trial data. The equation shown in each graph can be used to predict the yield of a variety given a yield of the variety listed on the bottom (x-axis) of the graph. The R2 value of the regression is a statistical measure that represents how well a regression line fits the actual data. An 2R value equal to 1.0 means the regression line fits the data perfectly. It is important to point out that the comparisons are expected to be more reliable when they include results over multiple locations from different years.

The first graph compares three hard white wheat varieties with a premium at harvest.

Yield Regression of Breck, Monarch, and Snowmass 2.0 Dryland Variety Trial Results (37 location-years, 2017-20) 110 Snowmass 2.0 (dash-dot) Avg. Yield = 68.4 100 y = .998x + 2.37 R2 = 0.92 90 Monarch (dashed) Avg. Yield = 65.9 80 y = .985x + 0.77 R2 = 0.96 Breck (solid) 70 Avg. Yield = 66.2 Yield (bu/ac) Yield

40 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 Breck Yield (bu/ac)

Monarch, Breck, and Snowmass 2.0 (2018 and 2017 releases). Across all of the yield levels shown, Snowmass 2.0 is expected to yield higher than Breck and Monarch. Breck and Monarch have very similar yields, even in high-yielding conditions. If Breck yielded 60 bu/ac, it is predicted that Snowmass 2.0 would yield 62.3 bu/ac and Monarch would yield 59.9 bu/ac.

15 Yield Regression of Langin, Guardian, and Whistler Dryland Variety Trial Results (37 location-years, 2017-20) 110

100 Langin (solid) Avg. Yield = 70

90 Whistler (dashed) Avg. Yield = 69 80 y = .848x + 9.64 R2 = 0.90 70 Yield (bu/ac) Yield

60 Guardian (dash-dot) Avg. Yield = 66

50 y = .89x + 3.412 R2 = 0.87

40 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 Langin Yield (bu/ac)

The above graph compares three HRW wheats, Langin, Whistler, and Guardian. At a yield level below 60 bu/ac, it is predicted that Whistler would be higher yielding than both Langin and Guardian. At higher yield levels, Langin is predicted to yield higher than both Whistler and Guardian. If Langin yielded 60 bu/ac, it is predicted that Guardian would yield 56.8 bu/ac and Whistler would yield 60.5 bu/ac.

Yield Regression of Byrd CL plus and Brawl CL Plus from Dryland Variety Trial Results (37 location-years, 2017-20) 110

100

90 Byrd CL Plus (solid) 80 Avg. Yield = 66.2

Yield (bu/ac) Yield Brawl CL Plus (dashed) 60 Avg. Yield = 60.8 y = 0.859x + 3.893 2 50 R = 0.88

40 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 Byrd CL Plus Yield (bu/ac)

The graph above compares two double-gene Clearfield varieties, Brawl CL Plus and Byrd CL Plus. The regression line of Brawl CL Plus (dashed) is below the Byrd CL Plus line at all yield levels shown and is consistently expected to yield lower than Byrd CL Plus.

16 Yield of Fortify SF, Spur, and Langin in Sawfly and Non-Sawfly Infested Fields 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 Average of Fortify SF 35 30 Average of Spur 25 Average of Langin Grain Yield Grain(bu/ac) Yield 20 15 10 5 0 Non Sawfly Sawfly Trial Location Type

The final graph above shows the average yield of Fortify SF (semi-solid stem), Spur (solid-stem) and Langin (hollow-stem) at both non-sawfly infested trials, and trials where sawfly pressure was heavy. Both Fortify SF and Spur perform well compared to hollow-stemmed varieties such as Langin in fields with heavy sawfly pressure, and in fields where there is little to no pressure, Langin performs better than Fortify SF, which performs better than Spur.

17 2020 Collaborative On-Farm Test (COFT) Variety Performance Results Jerry Johnson, Sally Jones-Diamond, Kelly Roesch, Wilma Trujillo, Dennis Kaan, Ron Meyer, and Roger Tyler

In the fall of 2019, thirty eastern Colorado wheat producers received seed of the six varieties and planted them in side-by-side strips under the same conditions as the wheat in the rest of the field. Thirteen viable harvest results were obtained due to drought conditions and hail that occurred during the growing season. The objective of our on-farm testing program is to compare the performance of wheat varieties that are of most interest to Colorado farmers under farmer conditions. Six varieties were included in all tests. HRW varieties were Langin, Canvas, Whistler, Long Branch, and Crescent AX. Langin is an early maturing, high-yielding, and popular variety in Colorado. Canvas is a medium maturity variety with good stripe rust resistance and wheat curl mite resistance. Whistler is a later-maturing variety with good stripe rust resistance and wheat curl mite resistance. Long Branch (Dyna-Gro variety) is medium-late maturing and has good winterhardiness and moderate stripe rust resistance. A single HWW variety, Snowmass 2.0, which has excellent milling and baking characteristics and is part of the Ardent Mills Ultragrain Premium® Program, was also included. Colorado State University Extension agents oversaw all aspects of the program. The COFT program is in its 24th year and the majority of Colorado’s winter wheat acreage is planted to varieties that have been tested in the program. On-farm testing leads to more rapid replacement of older inferior varieties and wider and faster adoption of improved varieties. The varieties tested in COFT this year fit different farmer needs and readers are encouraged to study the tables in the Description of Winter Wheat Varieties in Eastern Colorado and the Dryland Decision Tree for more information.

Summary of 2020 COFT Variety Results (13 tests included) Variety Yielda Test Weight Protein bu/ac lb/bu percent Canvas 31.6 58.5 13.1 Long Branch 30.5 56.5 13.1 Snowmass 2.0 30.4 58.0 13.2 Whistler 29.3 56.5 13.6 Crescent AX 28.7 58.2 13.2 Langin 28.5 57.6 13.1 Average 29.8 57.6 13.2

LSD(0.30) 1.2 0.5 0.2 aYield corrected to 12% moisture.

18 2020 Collaborative On-Farm Test (COFT) Variety Performance Results

2020 Collaborative On-Farm Test (COFT) Variety Performance Results 2020 Varieties (ranked left to right by highest yield) Canvas Long Branch Snowmass 2.0 Whistler Crescent AX Langin COFT Average Test Test Test Test Test Test Test County/Nearest Town Yielda Weight Protein Yielda Weight Protein Yielda Weight Protein Yielda Weight Protein Yielda Weight Protein Yielda Weight Protein Yielda Weight Protein bu/ac lb/bu percent bu/ac lb/bu percent bu/ac lb/bu percent bu/ac lb/bu percent bu/ac lb/bu percent bu/ac lb/bu percent bu/ac lb/bu percent Adams/Bennett N 38.2 57.5 12.2 33.7 54.2 13.3 34.6 55.4 13.6 33.0 54.1 14.7 37.1 57.3 12.0 36.9 56.2 12.8 35.6 55.8 13.1 Adams/Prospect Valley 29.4 60.7 10.8 28.8 58.4 11.6 29.8 57.9 11.5 27.7 58.4 11.7 29.1 60.7 11.5 30.2 59.5 11.2 29.2 59.3 11.4 Kiowa/Eads 21.3 57.8 14.0 15.0 53.5 14.6 17.0 55.8 14.2 14.7 53.6 15.0 17.7 57.0 14.0 13.1 56.0 14.5 16.5 55.6 14.4 Kit Carson/Bethune 26.2 59.5 15.5 23.0 57.6 15.0 19.3 59.7 15.4 18.9 57.4 16.0 18.3 60.1 15.2 17.9 58.4 14.9 20.6 58.8 15.3 Kit Carson/Stratton 33.7 58.3 13.5 40.7 58.5 12.9 31.6 58.8 13.7 32.6 55.4 14.1 34.5 60.4 13.9 36.2 61.3 13.2 34.9 58.8 13.6 Logan/Dailey 28.9 59.1 13.5 27.2 56.5 12.6 31.5 60.0 13.1 26.8 59.0 12.7 27.1 60.2 12.9 29.4 59.0 12.5 28.5 59.0 12.9 Phillips/Haxtun 29.4 55.8 15.3 25.3 52.0 15.5 24.1 55.1 15.4 18.9 54.3 15.8 - - - 13.1 55.6 15.6 22.2 54.6 15.5 Prowers/Granada 25.2 58.7 14.6 26.3 54.7 14.2 21.9 59.2 14.1 30.6 57.9 13.9 24.7 56.1 14.5 20.6 57.1 14.9 24.9 57.3 14.4 Prowers/Lamar 21.7 61.0 13.6 21.7 59.2 12.8 20.3 60.6 13.1 24.7 59.4 12.7 18.0 58.4 13.5 19.5 58.2 13.2 21.0 59.5 13.2 Sedgwick/Julesburg 31.9 56.3 13.4 30.0 54.8 12.6 35.3 56.5 13.0 28.9 54.6 13.4 27.0 56.6 13.2 24.1 55.1 12.9 29.5 55.6 13.1 Sedgwick/Julesburg S 47.4 60.2 9.5 48.4 59.3 9.2 51.7 61.1 9.1 51.6 59.9 9.2 46.0 61.4 9.8 54.7 60.1 9.1 49.9 60.3 9.3 Weld/Roggen 30.8 57.5 14.8 29.4 57.7 15.8 33.2 56.4 15.0 32.4 57.5 14.8 28.2 54.0 15.5 28.1 54.3 15.8 30.3 56.2 15.3 Yuma/Yuma 46.5 58.1 10.2 47.3 58.0 10.0 45.0 58.0 10.5 40.1 53.0 12.7 44.4 58.9 10.5 46.9 57.8 10.1 45.0 57.3 10.7 Average 31.6 58.5 13.1 30.5 56.5 13.1 30.4 58.0 13.2 29.3 56.5 13.6 28.7 58.2 13.2 28.5 57.6 13.1 29.9 57.5 13.2 Yield Significanceb A A A, B B, C C C

LSD (P<0.30) for yield = 1.2 bu/ac

LSD (P<0.30) for test weight = 0.5 lb/bu

LSD (P<0.30) for protein = 0.2 percent aAll yield and protein data are corrected to 12% moisture. bYield significance: varieties with different letters have yields that are significantly different from one another.

19 2020 Dryland Wheat Variety Decision Tree 2020 Dryland WheatVariety DecisionTree Hard White

Premium No Premium

Snowmass 2.0 Sunshine YR: 4 WSMV: 3 YR: 5 WSMV: 7 Hard Red Breck YR: 3 WSMV: 4

Monarch Herbicide No Herbicide Sawfly 1 YR: 5 WSMV: 4 Tolerant Tolerance Resistance Clearfield (Beyond) Early Medium Medium-Late Fortify SF Maturity Maturity Maturity YR: 7 WSMV: 2 Double-gene CoAXium (Aggressor) Langin Avery Whistler Spur YR: 3 WSMV: 6 YR: 8 WSMV: 2 YR: 5 WSMV: 8 Brawl CL Plus YR: 3 WSMV: 2 YR: 6 WSMV: 5 Guardian Crescent AX Denali YR: 4 WSMV: 2 YR: 3 WSMV:1 Byrd CL Plus YR: 7 WSMV: 4 YR: 8 WSMV: 5 Byrd YR: 8 WSMV: 2 SY Legend CL2 YR: 3 WSMV: 5 Canvas YR: 3 WSMV: 3 YR=Stripe rust rating (1=resistant, 9=susceptible) 1No tolerance to Beyond ® (Clearfield ® system) or Aggressor® (CoAXium ® system) herbicides WSMV=Wheat streak mosaic virus rating (1=resistant, 9=susceptible)

20 2020 Wheat Variety Decision Tree for Dryland Production Jerry Johnson and Sally Jones-Diamond

The decision tree on the following page helps Colorado growers make variety selection decisions based on important traits. Under each variety name are the scores, YR for stripe rust and WSMV for wheat streak mosaic virus, with ‘1’ being very resistant and ‘9’ being very susceptible.

HWW Snowmass 2.0, Monarch, and Breck are in the Ardent Mills Ultragrain® Premium Program. Breck is a high-yielding variety with good sprouting tolerance, and straw strength. It also has very high test weight and low polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity for improved whole grain bread and noodle quality. Snowmass 2.0, expected to replace Snowmass, is better for yield and grain protein deviation with low PPO. Monarch is well-suited for irrigated production with excellent straw strength and has good stripe rust resistance and quality like Breck. Sunshine is not eligible for the Ultragrain® Premium Program for the 2020-21 growing season, but it has good quality and sprouting tolerance.

HRW There are good choices for growers planting a two-gene Clearfield® variety. Brawl CL Plus, Byrd CL Plus and SY Legend CL2 (latter two are 2018 releases) are recommended for good control of winter annual grasses. Brawl CL Plus has good test weight, quality, grain protein content, and is early-maturing but has below-average yield. Byrd CL Plus is among the top yielding varieties in 2020 trials and very similar to the familiar Byrd parent. SY Legend CL2, from AgriPro Syngenta, provides weed control and has good overall disease tolerance while yielding 92% of 2019 trial yield average. The new CoAXium® Wheat Production System based on Aggressor® herbicide, a different mode of action from Beyond, is an option for excellent control of winter annual grasses. Crescent AX provides good weed control and is much higher yielding than Incline AX yet retains excellent control of winter annual grasses. Although there are no varieties that are fully resistant to wheat stem sawfly, there are some varieties that exhibit acceptable yield in the presence of strong sawfly pressure: Fortify SF has below-trial average yields but has a semi-solid stem and carries wheat curl mite resistance. Spur, a 2016 Montana release marketed by AgriPro Syngenta, has held up very well in fields with very heavy sawfly infestation despite having a below-average yield in the dryland trials. Most producers will plant high-yielding HRW varieties. The recommended early maturing HRW variety is Langin (2016 release) from CSU, which is a top yielder. For the high-yielding, medium-maturing varieties, there are four recommendations: Avery, Byrd, Canvas, and Guardian. Byrd is well-known and Avery is similar to Byrd with a higher yield potential, larger kernels, slightly improved quality, and above-average test weight. Like Byrd, Avery carries wheat curl mite resistance. Canvas (2018 release) is better yielding than Byrd with a complete package of disease resistance. Guardian (2019) also has excellent WSMV resistance and combined resistance to all three rusts. The recommended high-yielding medium-to-late maturity HRW varieties include a newcomer, Whistler, which has excellent yield and good stripe rust and WSMV resistance. Denali has also performed above-average and has good straw strength and moderate susceptibility to stripe rust.

21 Summary of 2020 Irrigated Winter Wheat Variety Performance Results

2020 Individual Trial Yielda 2020 Multi-Location Average Fort Test Varietyb Brand/Source Burlington Collins Holyoke Yield Yield Weight Height bu/ac bu/ac % of avg lb/bu in CP7909 CROPLAN by WinField United 56.7 130.7 67.4 84.9 113% 60.5 32 WB4595 WestBred - Bayer Crop Science 49.7 128.3 70.4 82.8 110% 59.9 32 EXP 303 Allegiant 44.5 132.3 70.1 82.3 110% 61.0 31 CP7869 CROPLAN by WinField United 53.3 124.3 65.1 80.9 108% 59.7 32 CO14A136-135 Colorado State University exp. 45.7 129.9 66.1 80.6 107% 58.8 32 KS Silverado Wildcat Genetics 50.4 123.0 66.0 79.8 106% 61.6 31 Canvas PlainsGold 42.7 133.7 62.8 79.7 106% 58.7 30 CO17128C Colorado State University exp. 39.2 128.4 69.4 79.0 105% 59.6 33 Kivari AX PlainsGold 43.7 119.2 72.0 78.3 104% 58.3 32 Crescent AX PlainsGold 50.3 121.7 62.6 78.2 104% 59.9 32 Sunshine PlainsGold 39.7 126.1 66.4 77.4 103% 58.9 33 Snowmass 2.0 PlainsGold 45.3 122.7 64.0 77.4 103% 58.7 31 Denali PlainsGold 41.4 123.6 66.5 77.2 103% 60.3 32 Monarch PlainsGold 38.2 127.3 65.7 77.1 103% 58.7 30 Long Branch Dyna-Gro Seed 43.0 125.6 58.8 75.8 101% 57.5 33 SY Wolverine AgriPro 39.8 125.0 61.6 75.5 101% 59.0 31 CP7017AX CROPLAN by WinField United 37.1 124.2 64.4 75.2 100% 58.9 32 KS Western Star Wildcat Genetics 36.0 121.9 65.0 74.3 99% 59.1 33 Steamboat WY Crop Research Foundation 37.1 120.5 64.7 74.1 99% 59.2 34 Breck PlainsGold 37.5 120.3 64.3 74.0 99% 59.6 32 CO16SF028 Colorado State University exp. 38.0 116.5 67.3 73.9 98% 59.7 31 Brawl CL Plus PlainsGold 47.5 113.0 60.7 73.7 98% 60.0 32 CO16SF070 Colorado State University exp. 39.2 119.2 62.7 73.7 98% 57.1 31 CO16SF065 Colorado State University exp. 37.1 119.2 63.8 73.4 98% 57.5 33 WB-Grainfield WestBred - Bayer Crop Science 39.5 122.7 57.6 73.2 98% 58.7 34 Guardian PlainsGold 39.6 114.5 65.3 73.1 97% 59.2 32 CO16SF032 Colorado State University exp. 39.7 111.2 60.6 70.5 94% 59.6 34 CP7050AX CROPLAN by WinField United 47.1 105.0 59.4 70.5 94% 60.3 32 CO16SF026 Colorado State University exp. 34.4 112.7 64.2 70.4 94% 58.9 33 CO16SF074 Colorado State University exp. 34.1 112.2 58.9 68.4 91% 58.3 33 CO16SF027 Colorado State University exp. 33.5 110.9 58.9 67.8 90% 59.0 32 CO16SF049 Colorado State University exp. 33.7 108.8 58.6 67.0 89% 58.3 31 CO16SF067 Colorado State University exp. 32.1 108.1 59.1 66.4 88% 58.4 32 CO16SF075 Colorado State University exp. 31.2 110.8 57.3 66.4 88% 58.1 34 Average 41.1 120.4 63.7 75.1 59.2 32 cLSD (0.30) 4.1 3.3 2.7 aVarieties in the top LSD yield group in each location are in bold. bVarieties ranked according to multi-location average yield in 2020. cIf the difference between two variety yields equals or exceeds the least significant difference (LSD) value then they are significantly different. Farmers selecting a variety based on yield should use the LSD (.30) to protect themselves from false negative decisions.

22 Summary of 2-year (2019 and 2020) Irrigated Variety Performance Results

2-Year Averagea Market Test Plant Varietyb Brand/Source Classc Yield Yield Weight Test Weight Lodging Height % trial bu/ac lb/bu % trial average avg score (1-9)d in average WB4595 WestBred - Bayer Crop Science HRW 81.9 106% 60.6 101% 1 31 Monarch PlainsGold HWW 80.8 105% 59.1 99% 1 31 Crescent AX PlainsGold HRW 79.7 103% 60.3 101% 7 33 Canvas PlainsGold HRW 79.2 103% 59.6 100% 1 30 Guardian PlainsGold HRW 79.1 102% 60.4 101% 5 30 Denali PlainsGold HRW 78.2 101% 60.0 100% 2 31 Breck PlainsGold HWW 78.1 101% 60.2 101% 2 32 Snowmass 2.0 PlainsGold HWW 77.7 101% 59.2 99% 5 30 Sunshine PlainsGold HWW 77.2 100% 59.4 99% 5 30 SY Wolverine AgriPro HRW 76.8 99% 59.2 99% 1 28 Steamboat WY Crop Research Foundation HRW 76.1 99% 59.9 100% 5 33 Long Branch Dyna-Gro Seed HRW 76.1 98% 58.1 97% 6 31 WB-Grainfield WestBred - Bayer Crop Science HRW 70.0 91% 59.6 100% 2 33 Brawl CL Plus PlainsGold HRW 70.0 91% 60.3 101% 1 31 Average 77.2 59.7 31 aThe 2-year average yield and test weight are based on five trials (three 2020 and three 2019). Plant heights are based on four trials (two 2020 and two 2019 trials). Lodging scores based on three trials (one 2020 and two 2019 trials). bVarieties ranked according to average 2-year yield. cMarket class: HRW=hard red winter wheat; HWW=hard white winter wheat. dLodging score: 1 equals no lodging and 9 is severe lodging

23 Summary of 3-year (2018, 2019, and 2020) Irrigated Variety Performance Results

3-Year Averagea Market Test Plant Varietyb Brand/Source Classc Yield Yield Weight Test Weight Height bu/ac % trial average lb/bu % trial average in Monarch PlainsGold HWW 83.7 104% 59.1 99% 31 Canvas PlainsGold HRW 82.8 103% 59.8 100% 30 Crescent AX PlainsGold HRW 82.4 102% 60.5 101% 33 Denali PlainsGold HRW 81.9 102% 59.9 100% 32 Guardian PlainsGold HRW 81.8 101% 60.4 101% 31 Breck PlainsGold HWW 81.4 101% 60.4 101% 32 Snowmass 2.0 PlainsGold HWW 81.2 101% 59.2 99% 31 Steamboat WY Crop Research Foundation HRW 81.1 101% 60.0 101% 34 Sunshine PlainsGold HWW 80.4 100% 59.3 99% 31 Long Branch Dyna-Gro Seed HRW 80.2 100% 58.2 97% 32 WB-Grainfield WestBred - Bayer Crop Science HRW 75.4 94% 59.6 100% 33 Brawl CL Plus PlainsGold HRW 74.7 93% 60.5 101% 32 Average 80.6 59.7 32 aThe 3-year average yield and test weight are based on eight trials (three 2020, three 2019, and two 2018 trials). Plant heights are based on six trials (two 2020, two 2019, and two 2018 trials). bVarieties ranked according to average 3-year yield. cMarket class: HRW=hard red winter wheat; HWW=hard white winter wheat.

24 2020 Irrigated Wheat Variety Decision Tree

Hard White Hard Red

Maturity Herbicide Tolerant – Premium CoAXium (Aggressor)

Breck YR: 3 Straw Strength: 3 Medium Med-Late Crescent AX Maturity Maturity YR: 4 Straw Strength: 5 Snowmass 2.0 YR: 4 Straw Strength: 3 WB4595 YR: 4 Straw Strength: 3 Denali YR: 7 Straw Strength: 2 Monarch YR: 5 Straw Strength: 1 Canvas YR: 3 Straw Strength: 1

Long Branch YR: 3 Straw Strength: 5

Straw Strength (1=very good, 9=very poor) YR = Stripe rust rating (1=resistant, 9=susceptible)

25 Important Variety Selection Considerations Jerry Johnson and Sally Jones-Diamond

It is not possible to accurately predict which variety will perform best in each field every year. However, there are some selection guidelines to improve the ability to select superior varieties. The variety performance summary tables and decision trees in this report provide useful information to farmers for improving variety selections. Other guidelines that improve selections are below.

Focus on multi-year and location yield summary results when selecting a variety – use results from the three-year variety performance trials and from the collaborative on-farm tests.

Pay attention to ratings for maturity, plant height, coleoptile length, disease and insect resistance, and end-use quality characteristics. Refer to the Description of Winter Wheat Varieties in Eastern Colorado Dryland and Irrigated Trials (2020-2021) for variety-specific information.

Use the wheat variety database, a great resource to aid in variety selection. Individual variety information is available in addition to multiple methods of comparing varieties: http://ramwheatdb.com/

Some other factors that influence the success of a wheat crop that should not be neglected: Control volunteer wheat and weeds to avoid loss of valuable soil moisture and to avoid creating a green bridge that could lead to serious virus disease infections vectored by the wheat curl mite (wheat streak mosaic virus, high plains wheat mosaic virus, and triticum mosaic virus) or vectored by aphids (barley yellow dwarf virus and cereal yellow dwarf virus).

Be aware of current ratings for stripe rust resistance as well as the potential of new races of stripe rust to develop unexpectedly. If variety susceptibility, market prices, expected yield, and fungicide and application costs warrant an application, consult the North Central Regional Committee on Management of Small Grain Diseases (NCERA-184) fungicide efficacy chart. Updates to this chart can be found on the CSU Wheat Breeding Program “Wheat Links” page (wheat.colostate.edu/links.html).

Plant treated seed for protection against common bunt (stinking smut) and other seed- borne diseases. Information on seed treatments is available from Kansas State University at: tinyurl.com/jgeznub

Soil sample to determine optimum fertilizer application rates. Sampling should be done prior to planting. Information on fertilizing winter wheat is available from Colorado State University Extension at: bit.ly/2Kn8egF

Plant seeds per acre and not pounds per acre. Different varieties and seed lots can vary widely in seed size. Refer to How to Calibrate Your Drill available online at csucrops.com (click on the winter wheat tab) or at this URL: bit.ly/1MS5Hdh

26 Description of Winter Wheat Varieties in Eastern Colorado Dryland and Irrigated Trials (2020 & 2021) Name/Class/Pedigree Origin HD HT SS COL** YR LRSR WSMV+ TWPRO++ MILL BAKE Comments AP Roadrunner Agripro 2020 7 6 5 2 2 3 8 4 6 -- 2 1 Agripro release (2020). First entered in CSU variety trials in 2020. Medium-late variety Hard red winter with good winter hardiness and resistance to WSMV. Good leaf and stripe rust resistance. Undisclosed

AP Solid Agripro 2021 7 5 4 -- 6 6 5 6 3 -- 3 4 Agripro release (2021). First entered in CSU variety trials in 2020. Medium-late semi- Hard red winter solid stem variety for use in managing wheat stem sawfly. Very good test weight and straw strength. Undisclosed

Avery CSU 2015 5 7 5 5 8 8 8 2 5 7 4 3 CSU release (2015), marketed by PlainsGold. Doubled haploid-derived line, similar to Hard red winter Byrd with higher yield potential, larger kernels and slightly improved quality. Carries wheat curl mite resistance from TAM 112 parent. Susceptible to stripe rust. TAM 112/Byrd

Brawl CL Plus CSU 2011 2 6 1 8 6 6 7 5 4 1 3 3 CSU release (2011), marketed by PlainsGold. Two-gene Clearfield wheat. Excellent test Hard red winter weight, straw strength, milling and baking quality. Early maturity, medium height, long coleoptile. Intermediate reaction to both stripe rust and leaf rust. Certified seed only. Teal 11A/Above//CO99314

Breck CSU 2017 4 6 3 7 3 5 2 4 1 1 2 3 CSU release (2017), marketed by PlainsGold in CWRF-Ardent Mills UltraGrain Premium Hard white winter Program. Good stripe rust resistance, sprouting tolerance, straw strength, grain protein deviation, and quality. Very high test weight, lower polyphenol oxidase (PPO) Denali/HV9W07-482W//Antero activity for improved whole grain bread and noodle quality. Certified seed only. Byrd CSU 2011 3 6 7 5 8 7 8 2 4 7 4 3 CSU release (2011), marketed by PlainsGold. Excellent drought tolerance and quality. Hard red winter Average test weight and straw strength. Moderately susceptible to stripe rust. Carries wheat curl mite resistance from TAM 112 parent. TAM 112/CO970547-7

Byrd CL Plus CSU 2018 5 7 5 4 8 5 8 5 5 7 5 5 CSU release (2018), marketed by PlainsGold. Two-gene Clearfield wheat in Byrd Hard red winter background. Highly similar to Byrd with exception of tolerance to Beyond herbicide. Has shown some non solid-stem based tolerance to wheat stem sawfly. Certified seed CO06072/4*Byrd only. Canvas CSU 2018 5 3 1 6 3 6 2 3 3 5 3 3 CSU release (2018), marketed by PlainsGold. Hard red winter, medium maturing, Hard red winter medium-short, good straw strength. Good stripe and stem rust resistance and carries wheat curl mite resistance from Byrd parent. Good test weight and milling and baking Denali/Antero//Byrd quality. CO13007-F6R CSU EXP 3 6 5 7 2 -- 4 -- 3 8 3 3 CSU experimental line, on increase for potential release. Hard red winter KS05HW122-5/Byrd

CO16SF027 CSU EXP 5 6 5 6 4 ------3 6 4 6 CSU experimental line, on increase for potential release. Semi-solid stem for partial Hard red winter resistance to the wheat stem sawfly. Bearpaw/Antero//Antero

Column Key - heading date (HD), plant height (HT), straw strength (SS), coleoptile length (COL), stripe rust resistance (YR), leaf rust resistance (LR), stem rust resistance (SR), wheat streak mosaic virus tolerance (WSMV), test weight (TW), protein (PRO), milling (MILL) and baking quality (BAKE). Rating scale: 1 - very good, very resistant, very early, or very short to 9 - very poor, very susceptible, very late, or very tall/long.

** Coleoptile length ratings range from 1=very short (~ 50 mm or ~2 in) to 9=very long (~100 mm or ~4 in). Coleoptile lengths should be interpreted for relative variety comparisons only. + WSMV ratings are based on field evaluations in Colorado under pressure from wheat curl mite transmitted viruses. Scores may reflect both resistance to the wheat curl mite and resistance to mite-transmitted viruses. ++ PRO ratings represent “grain protein deviation” (relative grain protein level accounting for differences in grain yield).

27 Description of Winter Wheat Varieties in Eastern Colorado Dryland and Irrigated Trials (2020 & 2021) Name/Class/Pedigree Origin HD HT SS COL** YR LRSR WSMV+ TWPRO++ MILL BAKE Comments CO16SF032 CSU EXP 5 8 5 6 5 ------3 5 4 6 CSU experimental line, on increase for potential release. Semi-solid stem for partial Hard red winter resistance to the wheat stem sawfly. Bearpaw/Antero//Antero

CO16SF067 CSU EXP 6 7 5 8 2 ------3 1 5 4 CSU experimental line, on increase for potential release. Semi-solid stem for partial Hard red winter resistance to the wheat stem sawfly. Antero/Judee//Antero

CO16SF070 CSU EXP 3 4 5 4 5 1 4 -- 5 4 5 6 CSU experimental line, on increase for potential release. Semi-solid stem for partial Hard red winter resistance to the wheat stem sawfly. Antero/Judee//Antero

CP7017AX Croplan 2020 5 5 3 4 3 4 1 -- 7 6 5 7 CROPLAN by WinField United release (2020). First entered into CSU trials in 2020. Hard red winter CoAXium wheat for winter annual grassy weed control. Strong yield potential, strong drought tolerance, tolerates acid soils and resistant to soilborne mosaic virus. Undisclosed Certified seed only. CP7050AX Croplan 2020 1 5 3 6 1 3 7 -- 3 1 3 5 CROPLAN by WinField United release (2020). First entered into CSU trials in 2020. Hard red winter CoAXium wheat for winter annual grassy weed control. Excellent yield potential, early maturity, strong straw, good test weight, tolerance to acid soils, good resistance to Undisclosed stripe rust and soilborne mosaic virus. Certified seed only. CP7869 Croplan 2017 8 5 3 5 1 1 1 -- 3 3 3 6 CROPLAN by WinField United release (2017). First entered into CSU trials in 2020. Hard red winter High yield potential, strong straw, good test weight. Good resistance to leaf, stem, and stripe rusts. Undisclosed

CP7909 Croplan 2018 5 7 5 5 7 5 5 6 4 7 5 5 CROPLAN by WinField United release (2018). First entered into CSU trials in 2020 Hard red winter Excellent yields and higher protein potential with very good winterhardiness, broad adaptation, and excellent soilborne mosaic resistance. Undisclosed

Crescent AX CSU 2018 2 6 5 5 4 6 -- 2 3 8 3 3 CSU release (2018), marketed by PlainsGold. CoAXium wheat for winter annual grassy Hard red winter weed control. Approximately 66% Byrd and 34% Hatcher parentage. Earlier and much improved yield and test weight relative to Incline AX. Intermediate reaction to stripe (AF28/Byrd)//(AF10/2*Byrd) rust and carries wheat curl mite resistance from Byrd parent. Certified seed only. Denali CSU 2011 7 7 2 5 7 6 3 4 4 8 4 6 CSU release (2011), marketed by PlainsGold and Kansas Wheat Alliance in Kansas. Hard red winter Excellent test weight. Medium tall, medium-late, medium-long coleoptile. Good straw strength and average quality. Moderate susceptibility to stripe and leaf rust. CO980829/TAM 111

Fortify SF CSU 2019 4 6 8 4 7 7 4 2 4 6 5 6 CSU release (2019), marketed by PlainsGold. Medium height, medium maturity. Hard red winter Carries wheat curl mite resistance from Byrd parent and semi-solid stem trait for partial resistance to the wheat stem sawfly. Certified seed only. Byrd/Bearpaw//Byrd

28 Description of Winter Wheat Varieties in Eastern Colorado Dryland and Irrigated Trials (2020 & 2021) Name/Class/Pedigree Origin HD HT SS COL** YR LRSR WSMV+ TWPRO++ MILL BAKE Comments Guardian CSU 2019 5 5 7 5 3 4 2 1 2 1 4 3 CSU release (2019), marketed by PlainsGold. Medium height, medium maturity. Hard red winter Excellent resistance to WSMV due to combination of resistance to wheat curl mite and the virus itself. Good combined resistance to all three rusts, good test weight, good Antero/Snowmass//Byrd milling and baking quality, high grain protein deviation. Certified seed only. Hatcher CSU 2004 5 4 7 5 4 7 3 6 5 8 5 4 CSU release (2004), marketed by PlainsGold. Medium maturing semidwarf. Good test Hard red winter weight, moderate resistance to stripe rust, good milling and baking quality. Develops “leaf speckling” condition. Yuma/PI 372129//TAM-200/3/4*Yuma/4/KS91H184/Vista

Incline AX CSU 2017 8 4 4 5 6 6 -- 4 9 7 8 4 CSU release (2017), marketed by PlainsGold. CoAXium wheat for winter annual grassy Hard red winter weed control. Approximately 66% Byrd and 34% Hatcher parentage. Good quality, good straw strength. Low test weight. Certified seed only. (AF28/Byrd)//(AF10/2*Byrd)

Kivari AX CSU 2020 4 5 7 5 8 8 5 3 5 8 5 3 CSU release (2020), marketed by PlainsGold. CoAXium wheat for winter annual grassy Hard red winter weed control. Higher yielding and slightly later maturing than Crescent AX. Intermediate reaction to stripe rust and carries wheat curl mite resistance from Byrd (AF28/Byrd)//(AF10/2*Byrd) parent. Certified seed only. KS Dallas KS-Hays 2019 6 4 6 6 4 2 1 2 6 6 3 3 KSU-Hays release (2019), marketed by the Kansas Wheat Alliance. First entered in CSU Hard red winter variety trials in 2020. Medium maturity, medium height, average straw strength, medium-long coleoptile, moderate to intermediate resistance to stripe rust, good leaf KS08HW112-6//TX03A0148/Danby TR rust resistance, very good wheat streak mosaic virus resistance, good quality. KS Hamilton KS-Hays 2020 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 3 4 4 5 5 KSU-Hays release (2020), marketed by the Kansas Wheat Alliance. First entered in Hard red winter CSU variety trials in 2020. Medium maturity, medium height, and good resistance to WSMV. Intermediate reaction to stripe rust and leaf rust. KS08HW176-4//Bill Brown/KS08HW61-2

KS Silverado KS-Hays 2019 2 3 3 5 4 2 2 3 2 2 3 3 KSU-Hays release (2019), marketed by the Kansas Wheat Alliance. First entered in CSU Hard white winter variety trials in 2020. Early maturity, medium-short, good straw strength, good to moderate resistance to stripe rust, leaf rust, and wheat streak mosaic virus. Good test KS05HW122-5-2//KS05HW15-2-2/KS06HW46-3 weight, good milling and baking quality, good pre-harvest sprouting tolerance. KS Western Star KS-Hays 2019 5 5 3 6 3 3 5 3 4 6 2 4 KSU-Hays release (2019), marketed by the Kansas Wheat Alliance. First entered in CSU Hard red winter variety trials in 2020. Medium maturity, medium height, good straw strength, moderate resistance to stripe and leaf rust, resistance to wheat curl mite, good test Byrd/KS05HW121-2 weight, good end-use quality. Langin CSU 2016 2 3 7 4 3 6 8 6 5 6 5 2 CSU release (2016), marketed by PlainsGold. Early maturing semidwarf. Good drought Hard red winter stress tolerance and winterhardiness, stripe rust resistance, and quality. Medium coleoptile. Carries wheat curl mite resistance from Byrd parent. Very high yield CO050270/Byrd potential for irrigation, but straw strength requires use of growth regulator. LCS Atomic AX Limagrain 2019 2 5 1 5 1 2 9 -- 4 -- 7 9 Limagrain release (2019), first entered in CSU Variety Trials in 2021. CoAXium wheat Hard red winter for winter annual grassy weed control. Excellent straw strength and resistance to stripe rust. Certified seed only. Undisclosed

29 Description of Winter Wheat Varieties in Eastern Colorado Dryland and Irrigated Trials (2020 & 2021) Name/Class/Pedigree Origin HD HT SS COL** YR LRSR WSMV+ TWPRO++ MILL BAKE Comments LCS Helix AX Limagrain 2019 4 4 3 6 7 4 2 -- 3 8 4 2 Limagrain release (2018), first entered in CSU Variety Trials in 2020. CoAXium wheat Hard red winter for winter annual grassy weed control. Broad adaptation, good resistance to stem rust and Fusarium head blight. Certified seed only. Undisclosed

LCS Julep Limagrain 2020 5 7 7 5 2 4 4 -- 4 -- 5 4 Limagrain release (2020). First entered in CSU variety trials in 2020. Medium Hard red winter maturity variety with very good stripe rust resistance and intermediate stem and leaf rust resistance. Certified seed only. Undisclosed

Lonerider OK 2017 1 3 2 2 5 5 8 9 4 5 4 5 Oklahoma State University release (2017) and marketed by Oklahoma Genetics Inc. Hard red winter Dual-purpose variety, but better intended for grain-only, under intensive management. Very early maturity and good standability. Billings/OK08328

Long Branch Dyna-Gro 2016 4 5 5 6 3 3 -- 5 6 6 5 6 Dyna-Gro release (2016). First entered into CSU Variety Trials in 2018. Medium-late Hard red winter maturing, medium-tall with good straw strength, good winterhardiness, and moderate resistance to stripe rust. T154/T158

Monarch CSU 2018 5 3 1 4 5 5 2 4 4 8 5 4 CSU release (2018), marketed by PlainsGold. Hard white winter with excellent straw Hard white winter strength and very high irrigated yield potential. Good stripe rust resistance. Quality more similar to Breck, but very low PPO. Certified seed only. CO07W722-F5/Snowmass//CO07W722-F5

Snowmass CSU 2009 5 7 9 3 7 6 2 3 5 8 6 2 CSU release (2009), marketed by PlainsGold in CWRF-Ardent Mills Ultragrain Premium Hard white winter Program. Hard white wheat. Medium-maturing, medium-tall, poor straw strength. Good WSMV resistance, moderately susceptible to stripe rust, moderate sprouting KS96HW94//Trego/CO960293 tolerance. Certified seed only. Snowmass 2.0 CSU 2018 3 4 3 5 4 5 1 3 4 4 4 1 CSU release (2018), marketed by PlainsGold in CWRF-Ardent Mills Ultragrain Premium Hard white winter Program. Hard white wheat, quality profile very similar to Snowmass but low PPO and better grain protein deviation. Good stripe and stem rust resistance and wheat streak CO07W722-F5/Snowmass//Brawl CL Plus mosaic virus resistance. Good straw strength, good test weight. Certified seed only. Spur Agripro 2016 9 3 4 6 5 4 -- 8 9 3 8 2 MT State release (2016), marketed by Crop Research Foundation of Wyoming and Hard red winter Agripro. First entered into CSU trials in 2015. Late maturity, average leaf and stripe rust resistance, very susceptible to mite-transmitted viruses. Carries solid stem trait MT02113*4/MTS0359 conferring protection against wheat stem sawfly damage. Steamboat CSU 2020 6 9 8 7 3 3 3 2 2 6 3 4 CSU release (2020), marketed by Crop Research Foundation of Wyoming. Medium Hard red winter maturing, tall, marginal straw strength. Good resistance to all three rusts and carries resistance to the wheat curl mite from Byrd. Good test weight and milling and baking TAM 114/Antero//Byrd quality. Sunshine CSU 2014 2 4 3 6 5 6 2 7 6 3 4 3 CSU release (2014), marketed by PlainsGold in CWRF-Ardent Mills Ultragrain Premium Hard white winter Program. Hard white wheat. Excellent quality, good sprouting tolerance and straw strength, intermediate reaction to stripe rust. Very susceptible to mite-transmitted KS01HW152-6/HV9W02-267W viruses. Certified seed only.

30 Description of Winter Wheat Varieties in Eastern Colorado Dryland and Irrigated Trials (2020 & 2021) Name/Class/Pedigree Origin HD HT SS COL** YR LRSR WSMV+ TWPRO++ MILL BAKE Comments SY Legend CL2 Agripro 2018 4 3 5 2 3 3 -- 5 4 2 6 5 Agripro release (2018), first entered in CSU trials in 2018. Two-gene Clearfield wheat. Hard red winter Good overall disease tolerance. Stewardship Agreement requires no saved seed. Certified seed only. Agripro Exp/AP503 CL2 sib

SY Monument Agripro 2014 7 5 4 4 2 3 2 8 6 5 4 1 Agripro release (2014). First entered in CSU Variety Trials in 2014. Good drought Hard red winter tolerance, winterhardiness, and resistance to both leaf and stripe rust. Excellent end- use quality. Very susceptible to mite-transmitted viruses. BC991149-11/00x0090-4

SY Rugged Agripro 2017 5 1 4 5 2 5 3 8 6 5 2 3 Agripro release (2016), first entered in CSU Variety Trials in 2017. Dryland adapted, Hard red winter good stripe rust resistance, good milling and baking quality. Very susceptible to mite- transmitted viruses. Greer/Doans

SY Wolverine Agripro 2019 4 2 2 5 4 2 2 4 5 2 2 6 Agripro release (2019), first entered in CSU trials in 2019. Good overall disease Hard red winter resistance, good straw strength. Similar to SY Wolf in reaction to wheat streak mosaic virus. Undisclosed

TAM 114 TX-Amarillo 2014 3 5 3 5 2 4 7 6 2 5 4 1 Texas A&M release (2014), marketed by AGSECO. First entered in CSU trials in 2015. Hard red winter Good resistance to leaf and stripe rust and Hessian fly. Good test weight, grain protein deviation, and baking quality. TAM 111/TX98A0050

Warhorse MT 2013 9 4 3 5 3 7 4 -- 5 5 7 2 Montana State University release (2013). First entered in CSU Variety Trials in 2014. Hard red winter Carries solid stem trait conferring some protection against wheat stem sawfly damage. High stem solidness rating (21.6). High PPO variety. MT9908//Nuplains/MTS9862

WB-Grainfield Westbred 2012 2 6 3 1 4 6 2 8 4 6 3 6 Westbred release (2012). First entered into CSU Trials in 2013. Early maturing tall Hard red winter semi-dwarf. Good leaf and stripe rust resistance, shorter coleoptile. Very susceptible to mite-transmitted viruses. G982231/G982159//KS920709W

WB4418 Westbred 2017 4 2 1 2 4 4 -- 5 6 6 8 4 Westbred release (2017), first entered in CSU trials in 2018. Medium short plant Hard red winter height, medium maturity, with excellent straw strength. Average to above average fungal and viral disease package. Has shown some non solid-stem based tolerance to XA4402 wheat stem sawfly. Grower Agreement requires no saved seed. Certified seed only. WB4595 Westbred 2018 5 5 3 4 4 4 -- 4 3 9 4 9 Westbred release (2018), first entered in CSU trials in 2019. Medium plant height, Hard red winter medium maturity, with very good drought tolerance and standability, so a good fit for either irrigated or dryland acres. Very good fungal and viral disease package. Very Undisclosed poor baking quality. Grower Agreement required, no saved seed. Certified Seed Only. Whistler CSU 2018 8 7 9 5 3 6 1 2 6 5 7 3 CSU release (2018), marketed by PlainsGold. Hard red winter, later maturing, tall, Hard red winter marginal straw strength. Good stripe and stem rust resistance and carries wheat curl mite resistance from Byrd parent. Very good milling and baking quality. CO08W218/Snowmass//Byrd

31 Wheat Quality Evaluations from the 2020 CSU Dryland and Irrigated Variety Trials John Stromberger, CSU Wheat Quality Lab Manager Esten Mason, CSU Wheat Breeder Scott Haley, CSU Wheat Breeder (retired) Jerry Johnson, CSU Extension Agronomist Introduction End-use quality maintenance and improvement is an important objective of virtually all wheat breeding programs. Grain milling and product manufacturing industries have become increasingly sophisticated in both domestic and export markets and, while wheat producers may not always be rewarded for improved functional quality, technological advancements promise to increase the ability of the grain trade to identify and source good quality and discount poor quality wheat.

Breeding for wheat end-use quality is relatively complex in comparison to many other breeding objectives. Quality is a function of variety interacting with climate and agronomic practices and Colorado’s harsh and variable climatic conditions often negatively impact quality. Quality assessment is commonly done through evaluation of multiple traits with many underlying genetic factors controlling their expression. Most experimental quality tests only approximate average quality needs of product manufacturers and don’t exactly match specific requirements of different wheat product types and processes. For hard winter wheat, high grain protein content is an important criterion for baking quality but may be indicative of varieties with lower yield if yield differences at a given location are not taken into account (through “grain protein deviation”). Finally, wheat quality testing must accommodate the reality of large sample numbers and small sample sizes that are typical of all wheat breeding programs. Despite these challenges, standard testing methodologies have been developed that are consistent, repeatable, and can be done on large numbers of relatively small samples. These analyses provide reliable assessments of functional quality characteristics for a broad array of potential product types and processes.

Our objective with providing quality data and summaries for entries in the CSU Dryland and Irrigated Variety Trials is to characterize the quality of public and private trial entries that are currently or have the potential to be marketed in Colorado. We hope that the data and resulting ratings will be included among the criteria by which wheat producers choose their varieties. At the very least, we encourage producers to carefully consider avoiding varieties that have lower wheat quality when other agronomically acceptable varieties with better quality are available.

Testing Methodology In 2020, grain samples were collected from each of the dryland (UVPT) and irrigated (IVPT) variety trial locations. Preliminary small-scale quality analyses were carried out to determine suitability of each location for full-scale analyses, with the selection criteria including grain protein content not too far below or above 11.5%, sound grain free of visual defects, and good discrimination among samples at a given location for experimental dough mixing properties (using the Mixograph). In this process of sample selection, the following locations were retained for full scale testing:

UVPT – Arapahoe, Burlington, Roggen, Sheridan Lake IVPT – Burlington, Holyoke

32 Using standard protocols, analyses were done in the CSU Wheat Quality Laboratory on samples from the remaining locations. These tests, reported in the attached tables, include the following:

Milling-Related Traits • Test weight: obtained by standard methodology on a cleaned sample of the harvested grain. • Grain protein and protein recovery: obtained using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRs) with a Foss NIRS™ DA1650 Feed and Forage analyzer. Grain protein is reported on a standard 12% moisture basis. High grain protein content is associated with higher water absorption of flours and higher loaf volumes in the bakery. Protein recovery represents the numerical difference between grain and flour protein content and a value closer to zero is most desirable by the milling industry. • Single kernel characterization system (SKCS): the Perten SKCS 4100 provides data on kernel weight and hardness of a grain sample. From 100-300 kernels are analyzed to provide an average value and a measure of variability for each trait. Millers prefer a uniform sample with heavier (>30 grams per 1000 kernels, or <15,133 seeds per pound) kernels for improved milling performance. Hardness should be representative of the hard winter wheat class (60- 80 hardness units). • Flour yield: obtained using a modified Brabender Quadrumat Milling System. Flour yield represents the percentage of straight grade flour obtained from milling a grain sample (approximately one pound). In general, millers prefer high flour extraction alues.v Due to variation among different milling systems, valid comparison of values from different mills and establishment of a single target value is not possible.

Baking-Related Traits • Mixograph mixing time and tolerance: obtained using a National Manufacturing Computerized Mixograph. The Mixograph measures the resistance of dough during the mixing process. Bakers generally prefer flours with moderate mixing time requirements (between 3 and 6 minutes) and good tolerance to breakdown of the dough with over-mixing (subjective score >3). Some varieties with exceptionally long mixing times (i.e., Snowmass) may not compare favorably with other varieties in conventional evaluations but have unique characteristics that merit handling in an identity-preserved program such as with the CWRF Ardent Mills Ultragrain® Premium Program. • Pup loaf bake test: using a 100-gram straight-dough test, data on bake water absorption, mixing time, loaf volume, and crumb characteristics are obtained. In general, bakers prefer higher water absorption (> 62%), high loaf volume (> 850 cubic centimeters), and higher crumb grain and crumb color scores (score > 3). The crumb grain and color scores are subjective assessments of the color and size, shape, and structure of the small holes in a slice of bread.

Composite Scores Because none of the traits measured can be used alone to represent overall milling or baking quality, development of a composite score has proven useful as a means to differentiate and characterize overall quality of different samples. The development of a composite score also has the advantage of accounting for differences in environmental conditions from year to year and utilizing all of the data generated on the samples collected at a given trial location. Composite scores are generated through a two-step process. First, each trait is ranked from high to low (or “very good” to “very poor”) at individual locations and a score from 1=very good to 9=very bad is assigned to each variety for each trait depending on the optimal orientation of the

33 trait. Second, these individual-trait scores are used to generate a composite score that weights the trait scores by the relative importance of that trait to overall milling or baking quality. The weights that we have used are similar to those developed by the USDA-ARS Hard Winter Wheat Quality Laboratory for the Wheat Quality Council evaluations. These weights are as follows:

Milling – test weight 30%, grain protein content 10%, protein recovery 10%, kernel weight 20%, grain hardness 10%, flour yield 20% (100% total)

Baking – bake absorption 20%, Mixograph mixing time 20%, Mixograph tolerance 20%, loaf volume 20%, crumb color 10%, crumb grain 10% (100% total)

34 Summary of composite milling and baking quality scores from four 2020 Uniform Variety Trial (UVPT) locations. Entries are ranked in ascending order (from 1=good to 9=poor) by the average baking quality score across all four trial locations. Baking Quality Scores Milling Quality Scores Entry Araphahoe Burlington Roggen Sheridan Lake Average Araphahoe Burlington Roggen Sheridan Lake Average KS Dallas 1 1 1 1 1.0 1 1 3 1 1.5 Snowmass 1 1 1 1 1.0 5 5 5 8 5.8 Snowmass 2.0 1 1 1 1 1.0 5 4 4 4 4.3 TAM 114 1 1 1 1 1.0 6 5 4 4 4.8 Byrd 2 1 2 1 1.5 3 3 4 4 3.5 SY Monument 1 2 2 1 1.5 6 7 6 4 5.8 KS Western Star 1 3 2 3 2.3 1 1 4 2 2.0 Spur 2 1 2 4 2.3 9 9 6 6 7.5 Crescent AX 4 2 3 2 2.8 5 4 5 5 4.8 Whistler 3 3 2 3 2.8 4 7 5 7 5.8 Brawl CL Plus 2 3 5 2 3.0 2 1 3 2 2.0 Guardian 3 3 3 3 3.0 3 3 5 3 3.5 Langin 3 2 3 4 3.0 4 5 4 4 4.3 Canvas 2 4 4 3 3.3 4 4 5 5 4.5 SY Rugged 4 3 3 3 3.3 3 3 3 3 3.0 CO16SF067 4 3 4 3 3.5 7 5 3 6 5.3 Kivari AX 3 5 3 3 3.5 3 4 3 5 3.8 Avery 4 4 4 3 3.8 4 5 5 6 5.0 Incline AX 3 3 4 5 3.8 7 6 7 5 6.3 Monarch 4 2 4 5 3.8 5 4 5 2 4.0 Breck 5 4 3 4 4.0 3 1 2 3 2.3 Byrd CL Plus 5 4 3 4 4.0 5 4 5 5 4.8 KS Silverado 4 4 5 3 4.0 4 1 1 1 1.8 LCS Helix AX 3 5 4 5 4.3 4 4 6 4 4.5 SY Legend CL2 4 3 6 4 4.3 4 5 6 5 5.0 Hatcher 5 5 3 5 4.5 3 4 3 4 3.5 CP7050AX 4 3 8 4 4.8 4 3 3 3 3.3 SY Wolverine 6 5 6 2 4.8 4 3 3 4 3.5 CO16SF032 5 5 6 6 5.5 4 4 3 5 4.0 Fortify SF 6 6 5 5 5.5 6 4 4 4 4.5 Sunshine 5 5 5 7 5.5 2 4 4 3 3.3 CO16SF027 7 5 7 4 5.8 4 4 3 4 3.8 Long Branch 4 4 8 8 6.0 5 4 5 4 4.5 CO16SF070 6 6 7 6 6.3 5 5 6 5 5.3 CP7869 7 6 5 7 6.3 3 2 3 3 2.8 WB-Grainfield 6 5 8 6 6.3 3 4 4 4 3.8 Denali 7 8 7 5 6.8 4 5 3 5 4.3 CP7909 5 7 9 7 7.0 7 6 4 4 5.3 CP7017AX 7 7 8 7 7.3 5 5 3 6 4.8 WB4595 9 7 9 7 8.0 3 4 3 4 3.5

35 Summary of composite milling and baking quality scores from two 2020 Irrigated Variety Trial (IVPT) locations. Entries are ranked in ascending order (from 1=good to 9=poor) by the average baking quality score across both trial locations. Baking Quality Scores Milling Quality Scores Entry Burlington Holyoke Average Burlington Holyoke Average Snowmass 2.0 1 1 1.0 5 5 5.0 Crescent AX 1 2 1.5 2 3 2.5 Monarch 1 2 1.5 8 7 7.5 Guardian 1 3 2.0 4 5 4.5 KS Western Star 1 3 2.0 3 2 2.5 CP7050AX 3 2 2.5 1 2 1.5 Kivari AX 1 4 2.5 3 2 2.5 Breck 3 3 3.0 5 2 3.5 Canvas 3 3 3.0 5 4 4.5 KS Silverado 3 3 3.0 1 1 1.0 CO16SF067 3 4 3.5 5 5 5.0 SY Wolverine 4 3 3.5 5 5 5.0 Brawl CL Plus 3 6 4.5 2 3 2.5 CO16SF027 5 4 4.5 5 5 5.0 CO16SF070 4 5 4.5 6 6 6.0 CP7869 5 6 5.5 1 3 2.0 Sunshine 4 7 5.5 7 6 6.5 WB-Grainfield 5 6 5.5 4 6 5.0 WB4595 6 6 6.0 3 4 3.5 CO16SF032 6 7 6.5 3 4 3.5 CP7017AX 7 6 6.5 5 3 4.0 CP7909 7 7 7.0 4 4 4.0 Long Branch 7 7 7.0 7 8 7.5 Denali 7 8 7.5 3 4 3.5

36 Grain protein values (12% moisture basis) of Irrigated Variety Performance Trial (IVPT, left) and Uniform Variety Performance Trial (UVPT, right) locations that were not used for complete milling and baking quality analyses. Data for the UVPT entries represent the average of the first two replications.

IVPT Entry Fort Collins UVPT Entry Akron Julesburg Lamar Orchard Yuma Brawl CL Plus 13.2 Avery 13.8 8.6 12.5 14.7 9.5 Breck 14.0 Brawl CL Plus 13.4 9.8 14.0 14.5 10.9 Canvas 12.7 Breck 13.8 9.0 13.0 15.5 9.8 CO16SF027 13.6 Byrd 13.2 9.4 13.2 14.2 10.8 CO16SF032 13.9 Byrd CL Plus 13.7 8.8 13.1 14.5 9.6 CO16SF067 14.7 Canvas 13.8 8.8 13.1 14.6 10.7 CO16SF070 13.5 CO16SF027 13.3 9.1 13.2 15.2 10.8 CP7017AX 12.9 CO16SF032 13.5 9.1 13.5 15.2 9.9 CP7050AX 13.7 CO16SF067 14.3 9.9 13.6 15.4 11.7 CP7869 12.8 CO16SF070 13.9 8.5 13.2 15.5 9.7 CP7909 12.4 CP7017AX 12.6 9.0 12.0 14.7 11.1 Crescent AX 12.6 CP7050AX 13.8 9.5 13.7 15.0 10.6 Denali 13.1 CP7869 12.6 9.3 12.9 15.7 9.6 Guardian 14.2 CP7909 12.6 8.4 13.2 13.8 10.1 Kivari AX 12.9 Crescent AX 13.2 8.8 12.4 14.9 9.4 KS Silverado 13.0 Denali 12.6 9.2 12.6 14.4 9.9 KS Western Star 12.8 Fortify SF 13.8 9.4 13.2 15.0 10.2 Long Branch 12.5 Guardian 15.0 9.0 13.0 14.7 11.0 Monarch 12.6 Hatcher 13.0 9.2 12.9 14.9 10.5 Snowmass 2.0 13.8 Incline AX 14.0 9.0 13.4 14.5 10.7 Sunshine 12.8 Kivari AX 13.1 8.8 13.3 14.5 9.4 SY Wolverine 14.1 KS Dallas 14.6 8.9 12.9 13.3 10.3 WB-Grainfield 11.9 KS Silverado 14.3 9.7 13.3 14.5 10.8 WB4595 14.0 KS Western Star 13.6 8.8 12.2 14.3 10.9 Langin 13.5 8.6 11.9 14.7 10.2 LCS Helix AX 13.1 8.8 12.6 14.2 9.5 Long Branch 13.7 9.1 12.6 13.9 9.4 Monarch 13.1 9.0 12.5 15.0 10.6 Snowmass 13.1 8.8 12.7 14.5 9.8 Snowmass 2.0 14.2 9.0 12.4 14.6 10.6 Spur 15.3 9.3 13.8 14.5 11.2 Sunshine 13.0 8.4 11.9 14.3 10.5 SY Legend CL2 14.1 9.6 13.4 14.6 11.4 SY Monument 14.1 8.8 13.5 14.3 11.1 SY Rugged 13.7 9.4 12.5 14.1 10.6 SY Wolverine 13.9 8.7 13.9 15.1 10.9 TAM 114 14.0 9.2 13.3 13.6 10.2 WB4595 13.0 9.6 12.2 14.6 10.5 WB-Grainfield 13.9 9.0 12.5 15.0 10.3 Whistler 14.0 8.8 12.0 14.2 10.4

37 Wheat Stem Sawfly in Colorado – Frequently Asked Questions Punya Nachappa, Darren Cockrell, and Erika Peirce

Q: What type of insect is wheat stem sawfly? A: Wheat stem sawfly is not a fly but a wasp! They belong to a group of insects called Hymenoptera alongside ants, bees, and wasps. These wasps cannot sting. The name “sawflies” comes from the saw-like appearance of the ovipositor, which the females use to cut into the plants where they lay their eggs. Males lack this trait.

Q: How do I know if I have wheat stem sawfly in my field and what do they look like? A: Starting in early to mid-May, look for small yellow and black wasps (7-12mm) on wheat plants along the edges of the field. Resting sawflies will sit on the stem facing the ground. There are insects that are similar in appearance, but they would not have this resting posture or be abundant in field edges. In mid to late-June, stems can be cut open to look for the white, S-shaped larvae or the sawdust like material resulting from their feeding.

Q: What does wheat stem sawfly damage look like? A: Before the stems dry, you can cut open stems to look for larvae, as well as the sawdust-like material resulting from their feeding. When the larvae finish feeding, they cut the insides of the stems near the soil, making them prone to lodging, especially after strong winds. Unlike stems lodged from other causes, cut stems are no longer connected to the plant.

Q: Do we find wheat stem sawfly in all wheat-producing counties? A: Yes, as of 2020 wheat stem sawfly has been found in wheat in all wheat-producing counties in Eastern Colorado. Most damaging infestations have been found in North-Central Colorado, with a few lighter infestations occurring as far south as Baca County. Economically significant infestations are spreading to the south and east.

Q: What is the life cycle of wheat stem sawfly? A: Wheat stem sawfly has a single generation per year. Adult wheat stem sawflies emerge from previous year’s stubble from May to June and females lay their eggs inside wheat stems. Although several eggs may be laid within a stem, only a single larva survives to maturity. As the plant matures the larva moves down to the base of the stem and chews a notch around the inside of the stem. The notch usually causes the stem to break, producing a stub that remains anchored in the ground. This stub is then filled with frass, which creates a protective chamber

38 where the larva overwinters and undergoes pupation. The new adult either chews through the frass plug or the side of the wheat stub to start the cycle again.

Q: Where are the wheat stem sawflies coming from? A: The wheat stem sawfly is native to Colorado and was first discovered in 1872 on non- cultivated grasses. Many believe that the insect adapted to wheat as European settlers began large-scale cultivation of cereal crops. It has long been a threat to spring wheat production in the Northern Plains and has become a significant pest of winter wheat as well.

Q: How do weather patterns impact sawfly movement and would severe cold temperature kill off larvae? A: Dry weather favors wheat stem sawflies and excessively wet conditions tend to be detrimental to both sawfly and parasitic wasp populations and activity. Severe cold as seen during the winter storm in 2020 will not affect the wheat stem sawfly populations as they are known to tolerate much colder temperatures in Canada.

Q: Why are we starting to have wheat stem sawfly problems now? A: There is no good answer to this question, but it likely is due to some combination of the changes in the wheat stem sawfly’s preference for wheat, changes in production practices (e.g., reduced tillage), and changes in climate.

Q: What is the estimated crop loss due to wheat stem sawfly in Colorado? A: The annual economic loss in Colorado is conservatively estimated at $30M.

Q: How fast can wheat stem sawflies spread? A: According to CSU survey results, damage in wheat was mostly limited to the New Raymer area in 2012. By 2020, wheat stem sawfly was found in all eastern Colorado wheat-producing counties. As of 2020, heavily damaging populations can be found as far south as I-70, with most hotspots centering in the north-central part of the state.

39 Q: Can we predict wheat stem sawfly infestations ahead of time? A: According to Canadian guidelines, greater than 10-15% cutting in wheat stems from the previous year indicates that adjacent fields should be planted to something other than wheat or to a resistant variety.

Q: What are the hosts of wheat stem sawfly? A: The cultivated hosts of wheat stem sawfly are limited to cereal grains with similar life cycles to wheat (winter/spring wheat, triticale, barley, rye). Wheat stem sawfly is not known to reproduce in oats or flax. The list of native and non-native grass hosts of the wheat stem sawfly is extensive and includes bromegrasses, wheatgrasses, wild ryes, and many other species commonly found in the state.

Q: What rotation crops can reduce the level of wheat stem sawfly infestation? A: Common rotational crops (corn, proso millet, sorghum, sunflower) are not affected by wheat stem sawfly. It is very important to plan rotations to avoid planting new wheat immediately adjacent to stubble infested during the previous crop. Crop rotation also has disease and pest management, and soil fertility benefits.

Q: How long do I have to stay out of wheat to reduce the problem so I can go back to wheat with minimal loss of yield? A: Wheat stem sawfly infests a wheat crop in May and June and will remain in the stubble from that crop until adults emerge the next spring. At that time, adult sawflies will disperse from the field looking for new wheat to infest, so that field could be planted to wheat that fall without risk of infestation by the sawflies from the prior year. However, sawflies from adjacent fields or from even greater distances may infest this new crop, and sawfly can host in nearby native grasses.

Q: How effective is tillage in controlling the wheat stem sawfly? A: Both fall and spring tillage have been used to expose crowns containing overwintering larvae to moisture and temperature extremes, but it has not been effective. Also, tillage will negatively impact the natural enemies that also overwinter in the stubble.

Q: Are there varieties that are resistant to wheat stem sawfly? A: Yes, there are sawfly resistant varieties that have a trait called “solid stem”. Solid stem varieties of wheat have been shown to be effective in impeding larval development and movement, thus reducing larval survival. CSU has released a semi-solid variety, Fortify SF, a medium maturity variety with wheat curl mite resistance and a similar yield potential to Byrd under normal field conditions. It is not highly resistant, but it is substantially more resistant than other adapted varieties. Breeding for WSS resistance is a high priority for CSU.

Q: What is known about the consistency of expression of stem solidness, or degree of resistance conferred by the new semi-solid varieties? A: Reports from Montana and Canada suggest that certain environmental conditions, such as lower light intensity from increased cloudiness or lower elevation, may result in reduced expression of solidness. We do not yet know for certain how much of an issue this will be here in Colorado with our higher light intensities. The level of expression of semi-solidness observed has provided significant reduction in stem cutting in field trials.

40 Q: Is there a yield drag with the new semi-solid varieties? A: There is a yield drag based on the Elite trials last year, comparing the unreleased semi-solid vs. solid stemmed lines. The yield drag was about 4.5% in the absence of wheat stem sawflies. Semi-solid varieties should outyield susceptible varieties if both are infested with sawflies.

Q: Does the wheat stem sawfly have any natural enemies? A: A few insect species feed on wheat stem sawfly. The most important of these are two parasitic wasps, Bracon cephi and Bracon lissogaster, whose larvae can be found feeding on wheat stem sawfly larvae inside wheat stems.

Q: How important are these parasitic wasps in Colorado? A: To date, very few of either wasp species have been found feeding on wheat stem sawfly larvae infesting winter wheat. They are more easily found on wheat stem sawfly larvae infesting non-cultivated grasses. These wasps are considered to be important in the Northern Plains, which have a longer history of wheat stem sawfly infestations in wheat.

Q: Are there practices that will encourage the parasitic wasps to attack wheat stem sawfly? A: These parasitic wasps are expected to become more important as they adapt to wheat stem sawfly infestations in wheat. Tillage and swathing are two practices known to affect them negatively. However, if provided with sugar resources, such as flowers, adult wasps can live longer and produce more offspring. Research has shown that incorporating buckwheat into cover crop mixes could enhance parasitoid performance.

Q: Can wheat stem sawfly be controlled with insecticides? A: The egg, larval, and pupal stages are found within the stem, making them inaccessible to insecticides. To date, no insecticides have been found to be effective at controlling wheat stem sawfly, however more research into the topic is being done.

Q: Will swathing my wheat reduce losses to wheat stem sawfly? A: Wheat can be swathed before stem cutting starts. Disadvantages to swathing include the cost of an extra field operation and negative effects on the parasitic wasps that are feeding on sawfly larvae. Costs can be reduced by only swathing field margins, where infestations are usually more severe. Effects on natural enemies can be reduced by leaving the lower third of the stem intact.

41 Q: What is the best way to recover cut stems during harvest? A: Stem cutting can be reduced by swathing. Stripper headers are better at picking up cut stems than traditional headers.

Q: Can the wheat stem sawfly be eradicated? A: No. To date, we have no appropriate management methods that can eliminate this insect from even a single field. Further, this insect is native to Colorado and well adapted to our environment. Finally, you would need to eradicate them from non-cultivated grasses as well as from wheat, which would be next to impossible!

Q: How do I prevent wheat stem sawfly infestations in my wheat? A: Current preventive measures include planting semi-solid varieties, reducing the amount of wheat in your rotations to avoid planting new wheat next to previous crop stubble, and planting larger blocks to minimize the relatively severe infestations found in field edges.

Q: What research is being conducted at CSU in response to the wheat stem sawfly outbreak? A: CSU is emphasizing the development of high quality, productive wheat varieties resistant to wheat stem sawfly. Other research projects include screening for novel sources of resistance in wild wheat species, improved biological control, trap crops, new approaches to chemical control and surveys to track the spread of this pest.

Acknowledgements: Frank Peairs wrote the original document which was updated by Punya Nachappa with input from Darren Cockrell and Erika Peirce. Thanks to Frank Peairs, Scott Haley, Esten Mason, Tyler Benninghoven, Brad Erker, Assefa Gebre-Amlak, Jerry Johnson, and Sally Jones-Diamond for providing questions and for reviewing this work.

Additional Resources: https://wiki.bugwood.org/HPIPM:Wheat_Stem_Sawfly https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/wheat-stem-sawfly-a-new-pest-of-coloradowheat-5-612/ https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/landing-pages/crops/wheat-stem-sawfly-e-1479

42 Resistance to wheat stem sawfly in wild wheat species Erika Peirce and Punya Nachappa

In 2020 researchers at Colorado State University teamed up with the Wheat Genetic Resource Center (WGRC) at Kansas State University to explore potential resistance traits to the wheat stem sawfly in wild wheat relatives. Wheat breeders can use wild wheat relatives as untapped sources of genetics to enhance development of resistant varieties.

The WGRC provided six species of wild wheat (Fig. 1A). We screened each species to assess attractiveness, larval development, and infestation rates (whether larvae were present in the stem or not). Plants were grown in the greenhouse in cone-tainers as wild wheat is challenging to grow in the field (Fig. 1B and C). Then we transported the plants to the field so adult sawflies could lay their eggs within the stems. We dissected the stems at different stages of development. Using this experimental method, researchers can compare the host suitability of wild wheat species to cultivated wheat.

To complement the greenhouse experiment, the Colorado State University Wheat Breeding Program tested lines developed by the WGRC with wild wheat relatives as part of their pedigrees. Lines were planted in head rows in New Raymer, Colorado, and then were visually assessed for the number of stems cut per plot. Using this screening method, some lines that included T. turgidum and A. tauschii as part of their pedigree experienced less cutting than highly susceptible lines.

These preliminary results look promising, and T. turgidum and A. tauschii might be good candidates for further evaluation and integration into wheat breeding programs. Future plans include testing more wild wheat species and increasing the number of lines screened in the field.

Fig. 1. Screening for sources of WSS resistance in wild wheat species. A) wild wheat species, B) cone-tainer approach, and C) wheat lines being grown in the greenhouse. Picture credit: Erika Peirce.

43 Colorado Wheat Stem Sawfly Survey Darren Cockrell and Dr. Punya Nachappa

Wheat stem sawfly (WSS) has been a pest of growing concern in Eastern Colorado since it asw found in wheat fields in 2010 near New Raymer, Colorado. Adult sawflies emerge from wheat stubble in spring while the wheat crop is jointing and lay eggs over their flight period, which lasts 4-6 weeks. The eggs subsequently hatch and develop into larvae that chew the interior pith of the growing wheat stems. As the crop dries, the larvae create a chamber near the root crown and cut the stems, causing lodging before the crop is harvested. Grain yield losses from wheat stem sawfly damage in Colorado are estimated to be at least $30M (Dr. Frank eairsP and Dr. Scott Haley, personal communications).

A statewide survey of wheat stem sawfly infestation has been conducted since 2013 by CSU entomologists to determine the scope of infestations across the state, as well as to monitor any changes to the pest’s range and severity. Approximately 100 sites are surveyed each year after the adult sawfly flight has completed, with the number of sites collected from each county being proportional to the amount of wheat grown in the county. Collection sites are wheat fields directly adjacent to the previous year’s wheat stubble, and sites are a minimum of 10 miles apart. From each site surveyed, 100 tillers are collected and split to check for the presence of wheat stem sawfly larvae. The percentage of infested tillers is reported for each sample location, with low infestation being less than 10% of total tillers having WSS infestation, medium being between 11%-50%, and high infestation being any site with more than 50% of tillers infested.

From 2013 to 2020 the total number of sites infested across the state has increased steadily (Table 1). The number of sites with medium and high infestation levels also grew throughout the years, with 5 highly infested sites found in 2013 and 11 highly infested sites found in 2020 .

From 2013 to 2020 the spread of wheat stem sawfly across the state increased as ell.w In 2013 WSS were not found in Kiowa, Prowers, or Baca counties while in 2020 WSS were found in all counties sampled (Figure 1). Notably, the areas in which highly infested samples were found in 2020 sites spread as well, with highly infested sites found in as far south as the Adams/ Arapahoe county border. The survey will be repeated in 2021.

44 Full survey results can be found at: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toab015

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the work of Dr. Frank Peairs, Terri Randolph, and Erika Peirce for their methods development and authorship of the complete results, Jeff Rudolph and Laura Newhard for their technical support over the years, the numerous lab technicians that collected and processed these samples, the countless wheat growers of Colorado that these samples were collected from, and the Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee for their support in this project.

45 Aggressor® Herbicide Best Management Practices using CoAXium® Wheat Production System to Control Feral Rye and Jointed Goatgrass Eric Westra, Todd Gaines, and Chad Shelton

• CoAXium® Wheat Production System is a combination of a patented herbicide-tolerant trait, elite varieties, a new branded herbicide Aggressor®, and robust stewardship • AXigen® is a new non-GMO trait that confers tolerance to the Group 1 herbicide Aggressor® registered for use on CoAXium® wheat varieties with the AXigen® trait for winter annual grass control in wheat (jointed goatgrass, feral rye, and downy brome)

Field studies with jointed goatgrass, and feral rye were conducted in 2019-20 to further evaluate Aggressor® herbicide best management practices using the CoAXium® Wheat Production System to control these difficult species. The trial is currently being repeated in 2020-2021. Below are take away messages from the first year of the trials: • Feral Rye Best Management Practices ® o Fall applications of Aggressor (8-12 fl oz/ac) controlled most of the feral rye (>90%) o Emergence of rye in late Fall or Spring after a Fall application requires follow up Spring application o Split applications (Fall/Spring) provide best overall control by removing early Fall rye competition, and control of later emerging rye with a Spring application ® o Aggressor at 12 fl oz/ac is need for Spring control of tillering rye ® o Addition of nitrogen source at 3 gal/ac (SOL32) significantly increasedAggressor efficacy on feral rye for Spring applications • Jointed Goatgrass Best Management Practices o Relative to Feral Rye, we have observed a lower percentage of Fall germinating jointed goatgrass, which reduced the efficacy of Fall only Aggressor® applications ® o Higher Spring rates of Aggressor (12 fl oz/ac) were required for controlling tillering jointed goatgrass o Addition of nitrogen source at 3 gal/ac (SOL32) significantly increased SpringAggres - sor® application weed control efficacy on jointed goatgrass o Scout JGG Fall germination in fields to determine if Fall treatment is beneficial . If JGG is present in the Fall, (Fall/Spring) Split application of Aggressor® at 8/8 fl oz/ac is best to also control later emerging JGG in the Spring *Spray coverage is key for both species! Recommend spraying at 15, 20, or 25 gpa*

Untreated feral rye (left) and untreated jointed goatgrass (right) growth stage and density on May 1st 2021 (ARDEC Fort Collins, CO). Field studies evaluating Aggressor® BMP’s display differences in weed growth since Fall 2020 in the absence of wheat.

46 Welcome the New Director of Seed Programs- Laura Pottorff To those that I may not yet know, let me introduce myself…

I’m Laura Pottorff and I’ve been professionally supporting agriculture in Colorado since the early 1990’s. I started my career with Extension in 1988, first at Oklahoma State University and then back home to Colorado State University Extension, as a Plant Disease Diagnostician. I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from CSU in Plant Pathology. I am a protégé of the late Dr. Bill Brown. The problem solving and diagnostic skills he instilled in me still serve me well to this day and I am very grateful for his mentoring.

Most recently I have spent the last 13 years as a member of the Division of Plant Industry within Colorado Department of Agriculture. At CDA, I managed a variety of programs in seed quality regulation, plant commodity export certification, plant pest quarantine and detection, industrial hemp and field inspection. I have often been behind the scenes assisting you in making sure the seed distributed in our state is of high quality, exporting our seeds (wheat, millet, dry beans and corn) to other countries and states. I’ve also helped investigate regulatory seed complaints and conducted arbitrations when necessary.

I look forward to continuing to work with all of you to provide high quality seed certification and foundation seed programs which help advance Colorado wheat and other crops. Most importantly, I will be making sure areas of concern for Seed Growers Association and the Colorado Seed Industry are addressed as quickly as possible and that we build collaborations with diverse audiences. The more knowledge everyone has about seed production, the better off all Colorado communities and Ag industries will be.

47 Be Aware of Use Restrictions on Wheat Varieties Rick Novak

The Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA) was first signed into law in 1970 and then amended in 1994 in order to conform to an international treaty regarding intellectual property rights of plant breeders. PVP restrictions give plant breeders a level of patent-like protection for 20 years that ensures a revenue stream to recover the costs of developing new crop varieties. This protection has encouraged private breeders and universities to invest in research to develop varieties with new traits, improved quality, and increased yield potential. Intellectual property rights to plants may also be secured under a plant patent or a utility patent. Farmers have a responsibility to understand the various restrictions that come with the seeds that they buy.

Most varieties that farmers are planting currently have plant variety protection. The PVPA in many cases will allow a farmer to save harvested seed to be replanted the following season on his or her own farm, but the farmer cannot sell or trade this seed to someone else for planting purposes. This is true for most current varieties, but not all varieties.

Some wheat varieties have a patented herbicide resistance trait and come with a plant-back restriction. Varieties with the Clearfield® or CoAXium® names were developed for specific control of grassy weeds. When choosing one of these varieties, keep in mind that these are patented technologies accompanied with restrictions. Farmers who plant varieties with these technologies can sign license agreements on AgCelerate at www.AgCelerate.com.

Finally, some varieties now carry a no-save-seed restriction. These varieties are labeled as CSO, Certified Seed Only. The farmer cannot save harvested seed to plant the following season. Colorado State University’s new wheat variety for managing wheat stem sawfly, called Fortify SF, is being sold with the CSO restriction.

The category known as Certified Seed remains as in the past, genetically pure, with a specified percentage of viable seed, and a specified weed seed content.

I am retiring, but our Seed Growers Association office will continue to stress to all of you the importance and real value of planting field inspected Certified Seed each season. With improved varieties released regularly from Colorado State University and private companies, we should see a consistent use of Certified wheat seed in Colorado every year.

You can easily access CSU variety performance trial information through the CSU Crops Testing website at https://csucrops.agsci.colostate.edu/. With this information farmers can quickly make wise variety selection decisions.

Good luck to all of you and have a successful season. Director of Seed Programs, retired, Rick Novak

48 Colorado Wheat Update Brad Erker – Executive Director

The staff at Colorado Wheat continued to work for the wheat farmers of Colorado through the COVID-19 pandemic, in the many different aspects it takes to be successful growing wheat in our state. The three organizations that make up Colorado Wheat work together for the wheat farmer, with direction from the elected Boards, through the research, education and promotional activities of the Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee (CWAC), the variety/ trait business of the Colorado Wheat Research Foundation (CWRF) and the PlainsGold® brand, and the legislative work of the Colorado Association of Wheat Growers (CAWG).

Colorado wheat producers planted 2.05 million acres to wheat in the Fall of 2020, up 150,000 acres from Fall of 2019. Langin, a hard red winter variety released by CSU in 2016, was the top planted variety for the second year in a row with 20.7% of the acreage (NASS Winter Wheat Seedings by Variety Survey, 2021). Avery took second place at 14.2%, followed by Byrd at 13.1%, Crescent AX at 5.5%, and Hatcher at 4.8%. Of varieties reported by name, 89% of the state was planted to varieties supported by the 2-cent/bushel wheat assessment (those released by CSU and marketed by PlainsGold®). Colorado producers also reported that 47.6% percent of their seed planted was Certified wheat seed.

Colorado Wheat was sorry to see renowned CSU Wheat Breeder Dr. Scott Haley retire at the end of 2020, but was excited to see Dr. Esten Mason come in to take over the program. Dr. Haley served the growers of Colorado exceptionally since 1999, greatly improving both the yield and quality of varieties grown in the state. He nearly doubled the percentage of CSU- developed varieties being grown in the state, from 45% in 1999 to 89% in 2021. He was involved in a great many changes over that time, from the rise and fall of Russian wheat aphid, to the development of Clearfield® wheat, advent of the CWRF/Ardent Mills UltraGrain® Premium Program, development of the PlainsGold® brand, expansion of PlainsGold® genetics into other states, and rise of the wheat stem sawfly problem. Dr. Mason comes into the program with a solid foundation but plenty of his own challenges to address. He comes to us after being the wheat breeder at the University of Arkansas, gaining valuable experience breeding soft wheats and utilizing the latest technological advancements. Colorado Wheat is excited for the next chapter under his leadership.

CWRF released one new PlainsGold® variety last fall, a new CoAxium® variety called ‘Kivari AX’. Kivari AX is higher yielding and slightly later in maturity than Crescent AX. Like all CSU varieties, it is the result of increased funding provided to the CSU Wheat Breeding and Genetics Program from the CWAC assessment and royalty funds collected on the sale of Certified seed.

The Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee provides regular funding to the Entomology program at CSU in the Department of Agricultural Biology for a wheat stem sawfly (WSS) survey and other WSS work. The WSS has become the primary concern for wheat production in Colorado. See the article by Darren Cockrell and Dr. Punya Nachappa for detailed information on the survey. CWRF is aggressively increasing seed of two new hard red winter wheat varieties that may complement Fortify SF and other semi-solid wheat varieties in the near future to combat WSS. These varieties have the experimental numbers CO16SF027 and CO16SF070; both have increased levels of stem solidness that should provide greater resistance to lodging caused by WSS than Fortify SF. If they are released, Certified seed could be available in limited supply in Fall 2022 and full supply in Fall 2023.

49 In 2008, Colorado wheat growers initiated a novel trait development project with CSU that led to the CoAxium® Wheat Production System, which provides control of winter annual grassy weeds in wheat through tolerance to Aggressor® herbicide. CoAxium® acres continue to grow in Colorado and surrounding states. There are six keys to success that growers should follow to get the best performance: • Wheat stage of growth for Aggressor® applications – apply from 4-leaf up to stem elongation. • Aggressor® rate by weed species – use 8-10 oz/acre for cheatgrass or downy bromegrass, use 10-12 oz/acre for feral rye and 12 oz/acre for jointed goatgrass. For heavy infestations use a split application of 8 oz/acre (fall) + 8 oz/acre (spring). • Surfactant use by weed species – feral rye and jointed goatgrass require the use of methylated seed oil for adequate control (4 quarts/100 gallons); cheatgrass and downy bromegrass can be controlled with either non-ionic surfactant or methylated seed oil. • Volume of application – Coverage is critical with Aggressor®. Colorado is an arid environment and Aggressor® needs 15 gallons of water/acre (minimum) to provide the best control. High density and large weed size require 20 gallons. • Crop and weed growth activity – plants must be actively metabolizing to get good control of weeds and for tolerant wheat varieties to metabolize the chemistry; allow 3 days before and after a frost event before application of Aggressor® herbicide. • Weed stage of growth – to maximize return on investment, use the proper rate for the growth stage of the weeds and apply before weeds compete with the crop for space, nutrients, and water.

CWRF/Ardent Mills UltraGrain® Premium Program: CWRF continues to partner with Ardent Mills to provide Hard White Winter wheat varieties with sound agronomics and superior quality to farmers throughout the region, along with variety and protein premiums. Ultragrain® flour delivers whole grain nutrition in mainstream foods with the taste, texture and color consumers prefer. It starts with exclusive varieties of white wheat for a sweeter, milder flavor that is uniquely milled to the granulation of white flour. This is one of the largest and most successful identity preserved grain programs in the country.

For the 2021 crop year, five varieties are included in the program (Snowmass, Snowmass 2.0, Breck, Monarch, and Thunder CL). CSU continues to put significant breeding effort into hard white wheat. Certified seed is required on Ardent Mills contracts, and use of glyphosate for pre-harvest crop desiccation is prohibited.

Ardent Mills is currently paying premiums as shown below for the 2021 crop. Future year contracts are subject to market conditions and may change. For 2021, all varieties are paid at the same premium levels: $0.20/bushel base grower premium, regardless of protein level $0.35 @ 11.0%-11.4% protein $0.40 @ 11.5%-11.9% protein $0.50 @ 12.0%-12.9% protein $0.60 @ 13.0 or higher protein For more information on any of the work being done by Colorado Wheat, stay in touch with us: Phone: 970-449-6994 | Email: [email protected] | Web: coloradowheat.org and plainsgold.com

50 Colorado State University Field Crops Pathologist

My name is Robyn Roberts and I am the new field crops pathologist and assistant professor at Colorado State University. I joined CSU in August 2020 and am excited to be connected to the strong wheat community here in Colorado! I completed my B.S. degree in Biology at Indiana University where I studied plant-microbe interactions and gained an interest in plant pathology. I then went to the University of Wisconsin and completed my Ph.D. in Plant Pathology, where I researched the replication of a wheat-infecting virus, Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV). After graduate school, I moved to the Boyce Thompson Institute on the Cornell University campus where I studied plant immunity for my postdoctoral research.

My research at CSU combines my past experiences in virology, microbiology, and plant immunity with a goal of better understanding the biology behind plant-pathogen interactions to improve the wheat immune system. My lab is currently screening wheat varieties with viral, fungal, and bacterial pathogens to better understand resistance and susceptibility, search for resistance, and understand how the pathogens infect wheat.

I also publish the Wheat Disease Newsletters every two weeks during the growing season. These newsletters have been a tradition for decades and I am excited to continue the articles. If you would like to join the email listserv to be notified of the new issue, please email me: [email protected]. You can also find them on the Colorado Wheat website: https:// coloradowheat.org/category/news-events/wheat-pest-and-disease-update/.

51 Frequently Asked Questions about Stripe Rust Robyn Roberts

Q: What is stripe rust, and what does it look like? A: Stripe rust (also called yellow rust) is a disease caused by the fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici. The pathogen infects leaves of wheat, other cereals, and grasses. The fungal spores appear bright orange to yellow, and emerge in lines or ‘stripes’ on leaves along leaf veins (Figure 1). The stripes may be less apparent in younger plants, as the veins are typically less defined. Figure 1. Stripe rust symptoms Q: Where does the stripe rust pathogen come from? on wheat. Yellow-orange A: The inoculum overwinters in the Gulf Coast. In the spring, spores appear in lines or ‘stripes’ along leaf veins. during cool, wet weather, the overwintering spores (aeciospores) Photo: Erica Arcibal. germinate. These overwintering spores give rise to a different spore (urediniospores) that can reinfect hosts many times throughout the year and are the primary driver of epidemics. The overwintering spores do not survive well in Colorado so they are not thought to be a significant driver of stripe rust disease here. When there is severe disease in Colorado’s neighboring states, spores can migrate to Colorado through wind currents and infect susceptible wheat under the proper weather conditions. However, the urediniospores can oversummer in Colorado, so in years where spring infection and disease is severe, there is a risk of re-infection in the new crop in the fall.

Q: When does stripe rust appear? A: Stripe rust has appeared as early as April in Colorado. The fungus is dependent on cool, wet weather, so in years that the weather is conducive to disease development and there is a significant source of inoculum in neighboring states, disease may appear. If the eatherw is right, spores can germinate in less than 3 hours on a susceptible host, but symptoms appear 7-10 days post infection.

Q: How do I know if I have stripe rust in my field? A: Scout wheat fields regularly and look for symptoms throughout the entire canopy, especially on older leaves where symptoms typically appear first.

Q: Are there weather conditions that favor stripe rust? A: The stripe rust pathogen requires cool, wet weather to cause disease.

Q: Is stripe rust a problem every year? A: No. It is only a problem in years where the disease is severe in Colorado’s southern neighbors (i.e., Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas), and the weather is cool and wet. The spores blow up in wind currents and infect susceptible hosts in Colorado during cool, wet weather conditions. Historically, stripe rust was not a major concern in Colorado until the year 2000.

52 Q: Why has stripe rust been a problem in Colorado only in recent decades? A: There is evidence that the pathogen is adapting to warmer, drier climates, and that stripe rust has become more virulent in recent years. Strains in North America are likely becoming more aggressive, and there may be some genetic recombination between strains that results in better adaptation to Colorado’s climate.

Q: Can we predict stripe rust epidemics? A: There is currently no effective model to predict stripe rust epidemics in Colorado. Models have been difficult to develop due to the complexity of the disease, the variable aggressiveness of the pathogen, and the variable wheat genetic resistance. It is therefore essential that growers regularly scout fields for disease. Tracking the severity of the disease in the southern neighboring states and paying attention to Colorado weather can help us anticipate epidemics.

Q: How do I prevent stripe rust infections in my wheat? A: Planting varieties with stem rust resistance is the best preventative solution. The Colorado Wheat Variety Database provides the most up-to-date information about variety performance and resistance. Proper row spacing can also encourage air flow to prevent moisture from accumulating on leaf surfaces. Pesticides can be used when cost-effective. In irrigated fields, manage irrigation water to minimize the amount of time dew is present on leaves.

Q: Should I spray my fields with pesticides that offer protection against stripe rust? A: The decision to spray a fungicide should depend on the level of disease, the susceptibility of the wheat variety, the growth stage of wheat, and the weather conditions. Keep in mind that the stripe rust fungus can develop new races, so resistant varieties can become susceptible if a new race emerges. Before you decide to spray a fungicide, be sure to consider the yield potential and price of wheat. The best time to apply a fungicide is when the flag leaf has emerged, which is the biggest yield determinant. Stripe rust symptoms appear 7-10 days after infection, so if you observed stripe rust symptoms 1-2 weeks before flag leaf emergence you may consider a fungicide application to protect the flag leaf. Earlier fungicide application is only recommended in severe cases. Be sure to consult the NCERA-184 Fungicide Efficacy table when planning your treatment strategy.

Additional resources: 1. The North Central Regional Committee on Management of Small Grain Diseases (NCERA-184) Fungicide Efficacy for Control of Wheat Diseases Table: https://crop- protection-network.s3.amazonaws.com/publications/fungicide-efficacy-for-control-of- wheat-diseases-filename-2021-04-21-154024.pdf

2. Wheat Variety Database: https://wheat.agsci.colostate.edu/database/

3. Wheat Disease Newsletters and Wheat Entomology Newsletters:https://coloradowheat. org/category/news-events/wheat-pest-and-disease-update/

4. Plant Diagnostic Clinic: https://plantclinic.agsci.colostate.edu/

53 Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for support received from Colorado State University and for the funding received from the Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee and the Colorado Wheat Research Foundation who provide substantial financial support to CSU for wheat breeding and wheat-related research. We are thankful to Kierra Jewell (CSU Extension); Emily Hudson- Arns, Scott Seifert, and Victoria Anderson (Wheat Breeding Program); Karl Whitman and Mark Collins (Agricultural Research, Development and Education Center, Fort Collins); Cody Hardy, Dave Poss, and Paul Campbell (USDA-ARS Central Great Plains Research Center, Akron); and Laura Newhard and Dr. Frank Peairs (Field Crops Entomology), for their work and collaboration that make these trials and this report possible.

The authors are thankful for the cooperation and selfless contributions of land, labor, and equipment made by the following Colorado wheat farmers who consented to having winter wheat variety performance trials conducted on their farms: Stulp Farms (Lamar, Prowers County), Scherler Farms (Brandon, Kiowa County), Dennis and Matt Campbell (Arapahoe, Cheyenne County), Barry and Michael Hinkhouse (Burlington, Kit Carson County), Carlson Farms (Julesburg, Sedgwick County), Sprague Farms (Holyoke, Phillips County), Cooksey Farms (Roggen, Weld County), Steve and Gary Beedy (Genoa, Lincoln County), Wickstrom Farms (Orchard, Morgan County), Mike Dorman (Burlington, Kit Carson County), Jason Kramer (Burlington, Kit Carson County), and Andrews Brothers Farms (Yuma, Yuma County). We recognize valuable assistance provided by the CSU Extension agents who work with eastern Colorado wheat producers in all aspects of the COFT program. We are very thankful for the efforts and sacrifices made by Colorado wheat producers who contributed time, land, and equipment to the success of the Collaborative On-Farm Test (COFT) program. We appreciate the Tempel Grain (Wiley, CO) and CHS, Inc. (Otis and Sterling, CO) elevators for analyzing COFT grain samples for protein. We thank Syngenta Crop Protection for their generous donation of seed treatment product.

Colorado State University is very grateful to the Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee for printing this report.

**Mention of a trademark proprietary product does not constitute endorsement by the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station. **Colorado State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding affirmative action requirements in all programs. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services. In order to assist Colorado State University in meeting its affirmative action responsibilities, ethnic minorities, women, and other protected class members are encouraged to apply and to so identify themselves.

54 55 Department of Soil and Crop Sciences 1170 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523-1170

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