Plant breeders at Colorado State University are announcing the release of Avery, a new hard red winter wheat variety, that will be available in limited quantities for this fall.

The variety is the result of a cross between TAM 112 and Byrd with the original cross occurring in 2009. With a doubled haploid breeding technology, rapid progression and testing, the breeders are able to release this new variety sooner than normal.

Boosting wheat yields is important and Colordao State University is offering Avery in limited quantities this fall. (Photo courtesy Colorado State University)

This awned, medium-tall, white chaffed variety placed high in yield trials in eastern Colorado, averaging 94.7 bushels per acre under irrigation. In dryland trials, the variety yielded 42 bushels per acre across 5 southeast Colorado locations. This compares to Byrd at 40.5 bushels on average at the same sites. Overall, Avery out-yielded Byrd and Hatcher at most of the tested trial locations. Test weights are similar to Byrd, but higher than Hatcher.

This is a medium maturity variety with a medium-long coleoptile. The variety, however, is susceptible to current races of leaf rust and stem rust, and is moderately susceptible to stripe rust. However, Avery is resistant to wheat curl mite, a carrier of wheat streak mosaic and other viral diseases. It is resistant to Greenbug, tolerant to Barley Yellow Dwarf virus, and only moderately susceptible to Wheat Streak virus.

Related: Irrigated wheat needs intensive management to turn a profit

The university reports that overall milling and baking characteristics of Avery are similar to Byrd but with slightly larger kernels. Avery's milling range is good while the baking rating is listed as very good, indicating solid scores for bread baking.

Avery is a Colorado State University wheat that will be marketed by the Colorado Wheat Research Foundation under the PlainsGold brand - plainsgold.com. The PlainsGold brand was rolled out in 2012 and offers farmers new varieties such as Byrd and Brawl CL Plus in addition to trusted lines like Hatcher and Snowmass.

The brand is the result of an extensive project, which looked at ways to increase certified seed sales and boost research funding to the CSU wheat-breeding program. A task force, which included seed growers, wheat farmers, members of the CSU wheat-breeding team, CWRF staff, and marketing consultants, researched opportunities to expand the organization’s market reach and offer more of the industry-leading varieties to a larger audience of wheat farmers. All previously developed varieties along with new and future varieties developed by CSU will be marketed and sold under this brand name. Further, royalties from all PlainsGold varieties will continue to be reinvested into the CSU wheat-breeding and wheat related research programs.

Following are Colorado Seed growers who may have Avery for sale this fall.

Avery, along with other industry and Colorado State University wheat varieties will be featured at this year’s wheat field days scheduled for the first two weeks in June. Check local listings at csucrops.com for field day dates and locations. 

Source: Colorado State University