TRITICALE in California J. P. GUSTAFSON C. 0. QUALSET J. D. PRATO Comparison of tall triticale (left) and rhort- Y. P. PURI W. H. ISOM W. F. LEHMAN statured wheat (center) at the Tulelake Field Station in northern California (see cover also). Triticale (a wheat-rye hybrid) must compete for acreage mainly with barley and wheat. Assuming no price differential among the cereal feed grains, the yields and production costs for triticale must be equivalent or more favorable before a substantial triticale production can be anticipated in California. The results pre- sented here indicate that, under most conditions, triticale does not yield better than other feed grains. Production costs are expected to be similar for triticale, barley, and wheat except in areas where more irrigations are required for late maturing triticale varieties. RITICALE has received considerable tests reported in CALIFORNIA AGRICUL- genetic sensitivity to day length. The attention as a new feed grain in Cal- TURE, September, 1969. These varieties long days required for heading are not ifornia.T Since 1968 the potential for us- proved unadapted for production in Cal- reached in California before high tem- ing triticale in grain production has ifornia. The grain yields obtained were peratures and inadequate moisture be- been investigated in several of the major about 50% of the yields of adapted come factors limiting production. How- feed grain production areas. The vari- wheat varieties. Similar results are ob- ever, additional factors affected the per- eties studied have spring growth habits tained when wheat varieties from north- formance of triticale, including genetic and were grown under conditions known ern latitudes of the U. S. and Canada instability for seed production resulting to be favorable for barley or wheat pro- are grown in California. in a high degree of sterility (empty duction. The first triticales studied in A major factor leading to the poor florets) in the spikes and partially 1968 were developed at the University of performance of the first triticale vari- shrunken grains. The shrunken grains Manitoba. Rosner, the first triticale vari- eties tested and of the northern wheats contributed to low test weight-about 50 ety released in Canada, was included in is late maturity, resulting mainly from lbs per bushel-compared with 58 to Single copies of there publications-oxcept Manuals CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE and book-r a catalog of Agricultural Publications Progress Reports of Agricultural Research published monthly by the University of Cali: may be obtained without charge from the local office fomia Division of Agricultural Sciences. of the Form Advisor or by addressing a request to: New Agricultural Publications, University Hall, University William W. Paul . .Manager of California, Berkeley, California 94720. When order- Agricultural Publications ing sale items, pleass enclose payment. Make checks Jerry Lester . .Editor orUniversity money oforders California. payable to The Regents of the Eleanore Browning . .Aasbtant Editor I California Agriculture Publications Articles published herein may be republished or reprinted provided no advertisement for a OPERATIONAL AND COMPARI- orchard conditions. Although this publi- commercial product is implied or imprinted. ECONOMIC Please credit: University of California SON OF FORKLIFT AND TRAILER PALLET- cation is particularly concerned with Division of Agriqltural Sciences. UaZiforni4 ApricvZturC will be sent free upon BIN SYSTEMS WITH THE FIELD-BOX SYS- problems involving a lower-yield harvest, request addressed to: Editor Ualifornia AQrkUltUre, Agricultural Publi~ationsUni- TEM IN LEMON HARVESTING. Bul. 857. it should be valuable for improving har- versity of Cahfornia, Berkeley, Caliiornia vest efficiency of any tree erop. 94720. This bulletin analyzes the forklift and To simplify the information in Ualifornia Agriculturs it 18 sometimes necessary to use trailer pallet-bin systems and the conven- 1972 CROP WEED CONTROL RECOMMENDA- trade names Of products or equipment. No endorsement of named products is intended tional field-box system and compares their TIONS. University of California recom- nor is criticism jmplied of similar producta which are not mentioned, efficiency and economic feasibility. It pre- mendations for weed control in different sents criteria for getting the most effective crops. Includes application and safety 141 use from these systems under various suggestions. CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE, FEBRUARY, 1972 3 lbs per bushel commonly found with Badger, and T-lines) . The evaluations tions. Mean yields for two experiments at wheat. Grain loss due to shattering was were conducted at University of Califor- Tulelake in 1969 and 1970 showed yields also noted. nia research facilities at Tulelake near exceeding 6,000 lbs per acre, approach- Through intensive research in plant the Oregon border (elevation 4,000 ft), ing the yield of the highest yielding breeding various public and private in- the Agronomy Farm at Davis in the Sac- wheat varieties. Wocus barley, widely stitutions have developed improved triti- ramento VaIley, the West Side Field Sta- grown for feed in the Tulelake Basin, cale varieties and made them available tion near Five Points in the San Joaquin produced higher yields than varieties of for wide-scale evaluation. These varieties, Valley, the Moreno Farm near River- common or durum wheat and triticale. along with Rosner and several other lines side, and at the Imperial Valley Field Average triticale yields at Five Points from Manitoba, have been included in Station, El Centro, near the Mexican were lower in comparison with wheat California regional performance nur- border. The tests were planted at Tule- than at other locations. This result was series for the three-year period, 1969-71. lake in April and in the winter at the obtained each year and may be due to All of the varieties tested are hexaploid other locations. The experiments were triticale’s susceptibility to the barley yel- types, recently given the scientific name replicated three to five times using plots low dwarf virus, or various root rot dis- Triticale hexaploide Lart. Hexaploid triti- 32 to 96 sq ft and standard field plot eases. cales are obtained by hybridizing tetra- techniques. The wheat varieties INIA 66, A severe frost occurred on April 29, ploid wheat with diploid rye followed by Siete Cerros 66, and Oviachic 65 (dur- 1970 at Riverside when some varieties doubling the chromosome number of the um) were included in all tests and Leeds were heading. Early-maturing varieties hybrid plants. Various triticales derived (durum) and Wocus barley were in- such as INIA 66 wheat and T-1324 triti- in this way have been intercrossed or cluded in 1969 and 1970 at Tulelake. cale, were the most severely damaged crossed with common (hexaploid) wheat. and grain yields were greatly reduced. Several generations of selection then re- Regional performance In most areas of California it is very sulted in some new varieties which were Grain yields obtained at each location dry and occasionally windy at harvest evaluated. in 1970 and 1971 are given in tables 1 time. These conditions can result in se- The triticale varieties tested were from and 2. The 1969 tests included mainly vere losses of grain by shattering. Three the University of Manitoba (UM-lines Manitoba lines and confirmed the obser- types of shattering have been observed and Rosner) , Jenkins Foundation for vations made in 1968 that yields were with triticale : loss of individual grains Research (JFR lines), International much lower than with the standard wheat from the head, breakage of the head Grains, Inc. (Graze Grain 70), and varieties. (brittle rachis) , and loss of whole heads CIMMYT, The International Maize and Triticale has performed relatively bet- (head snapping) . Those varieties having Wheat Improvement Center (Armadillo, ter at Tulelake than at the other loca- brittle rachis as observed in 1971 at TABLE 1. GRAIN YIELDS OF WHEAT AND TRlTlCALE AT FIVE TABLE 2. GRAIN YIELDS OF WHEAT, TRITICALE, AND RYE AT FIVE LOCATIONS LOCATIONS IN CALIFORNIA IN 1970 IN CALIFORNIA IN 1971 Variety Tulelake Davis Five Points Riverside El Centro Mean Variety Tulelake Davis css Riverside El Centro Mean Ibr per acre TRITICALE Ibr per acre TRlTlCALE JFR 6TA-204 7400 4940 3300 3130 3350 4420 JFR 6TA-419 5210 3710 4460 2590 5390 4270 JFR 6TA-204-33 7880 4880 2490 3030 3070 4270 JFR 6TA-204 5230 3970 3730 2320 5720 4190 JFR 6TA-418 7550 4380 2440 2730 2950 4010 JFR 6TA-205-21 5470 3960 3760 2290 5300 4160 JFR 6TA-209 6780 3430 2200 2180 41 00 3740 JFR 6TA-418 5270 3740 3450 1980 4620 3810 1-1324 4990 4660 3340 1010 3940 3590 JFR 6TA454 4780 3430 3840 2240 3180 3490 JFR 6TA-454 5350 4690 1320 3160 2930 3490 T-122 5400 3720 1660 2590 3320 3340 2240 2320 3990 3150 T-1501 4580 4700 3400 1570 3160 3480 Armadillo 1524 4150 3060 2310 2280 3440 3090 T-1524 7-1239 3890 3540 4350 4600 3620 1650 2840 3410 1-1324 4310 3360 2160 2980 2180 3000 1-1239 4560 4370 2760 1790 3500 3400 Armadillo 133 4720 3210 1790 1760 3420 2980 T-1247 4360 3360 2380 1500 2530 2830 T- 1524 4530 3230 2010 2210 2910 2980 T-1303 2900 3510 2080 1440 2200 2430 T-115 4490 2500 1420 2280 4050 2950 Rorner 5080 1990 1260 1180 1190 2140 Brcnco 90 4240 3400 2060 2350 2680 2950 T-1312 3270 2900 1430 1300 1680 2120 Rosner 3940 1800 1590 1190 3560 2400 T-1312 2880 2550 1710 1780 3090 2400 Badger 46 - 3650 3480 WHEAT Graze Grain 70 4510 - - Siete Cerror 66 7410 41 70 5390 3020 3050 4610 WHEAT INlA 66 6260 5930 6180 910 3250 4510