Project Title: Off-station winter wheat cultivar evaluations for the Western Golden Triangle
area of Montana
Principle Investigator: Gadi V.P. Reddy, Professor of Entomology/, Western
Triangle Ag Research Center
Personnel: John H. Miller, Research Scientist and Julie Prewett, Research Assistant, WTARC,
Conrad, MT, and Phil Bruckner and Jim Berg, MSU Plant Science Dept., Bozeman, MT.
Cooperators: Bradley Farms, North of Cut Bank, MT
Brian Aklestad, North of Devon, MT
Aaron Killion, East of Brady, MT
Inbody Farms, Northeast of Choteau, MT
Objectives: There are diverse cropping environments within the area served by Western Triangle
Agricultural Research Center (WTARC). Each off station location has its own unique
environment and soils. Producers in the various locations are interested in variety performance in
the local area. To this end the objective is to evaluate winter wheat varieties under the local
conditions with respect to yield, test weight, plant height, and seed protein. The environmental
conditions at the off station nurseries can vary greatly from those at WTARC. The research
center strives to provide growers of the western triangle area unbiased information of various
winter wheat varieties.
Methods: Off station winter wheat nurseries consist of 25 entries replicated three times, seeded
with a four row plot seeder on one foot spacing. All plots were planted on no-till chemical
fallow. Plots were trimmed, measured for length, and then harvested with a Hege 140 or a
Wintersteiger Classic plot combine. Winter wheat seed was cleaned prior to collecting data.
Wheat midge pheromone baited traps were also installed at each off station plot.
Results: Results are tabulated in Tables 1 thru 8. Table 1 is for the Choteau location, with multi-
year data presented in Table 2. The Cut Bank data are presented in Tables 3 and 4. Tables 5 and
6 are for the Devon location, with Table 7 and 8 representing the ‘Knees’ location. Table 9 is the
soil test results from each location.
Overall, the crop year temperatures where cooler than 32 year average at the research center,
May, when we could have used some cooler temperatures, was 5.2 degrees warmer than the
average. But the overall average temperature for the year from September to August was 3.8
degrees cooler than the 32 year average. The winter temperature, from September to March was
well below average, with February being 15.5 degrees colder than the 32 year average. March
and April were 9.6 and 7.1 degrees colder than the 32 year average. May was the only month that
had a temperature that was above the average with a temperature 5.2 degrees. September through
March were at or above the average precipitation for those months. Then May through August
were drier than the 32 year average. Overall, precipitation was average for the year with respect
to the 32 year average.
The winter wheat plots were seeded into soil that had good soil moisture storage from the late
summer and fall moisture in 2017. Overall, the winter wheat did not do as well at two off station
locations when compared to the five year average and did better than the long term averages at
two off station locations. A warmer and dryer May and lack of summer moisture probably
affected yield, test weight, and seed protein.
Grain yields at Choteau were about 5 bu/ac higher with test weights being the same as the five
year average. Seed protein at Choteau was also the same as the five year average. The top
yielding varieties at Choteau include the Montana State University experimental line MTS1588,
Brawl CLP and MTCS1601 at 81.8, 80.3, and 76.0 bu/ac (Table 1 and 2). Grain yields and test
weights at Cut Bank were 1.5 bu/ac higher and 1.7 lb/bu higher than the five year average. Seed
protein at Cut Bank was 0.2 percent higher than the five year average. At Cut Bank, the top
yielding winter wheat’s were Yellowstone, Loma and Keldin with yields of 87.2, 87.0, and 85.2
bu/ac (Table 3 and 4).
Grain yields and test weights at Devon were 25.1 bu/ac lower and 2.3 lb/bu lower than the five
year average. Seed protein at Devon was 0.7 percent higher than the five year average. Top
yielders at Devon include Montana State University experimental lines MT1642, MTS1588 and
Northern at 50.2, 49.2, and 46.7 bu/ac (Table 5 and 6). Grain yields and test weights at the
‘Knees’ were 17.3 bu/ac lower and 2.8 lb/bu lower than the five year average. Seed protein at the
‘Knees’ was 1.4 percent higher than the five year average. The top yielding varieties at the
‘Knees’ include Loma, Montana State University experimental lines MTCS1601 and MTS1588
at 67.7, 64.3, and 62.9 bu/ac (Table 7 and 8).
All off station plots had some level of wheat stem sawfly cutting in the winter wheat, with
significant sawfly cutting at the Choteau and Devon locatons. Insignificant amount of adult
wheat midge were found at the off station locations.
Summary: The data from the off station plots is supported by the local producers and advisory
committee as well as the seed industry. It is planned to continue the off station variety plots at
the same locations as the environmental conditions at each location is unique to the western
triangle area.
These data should be used for comparative purposes rather than using absolute numbers.
Statistics are used to indicate that treatment or variety differences are really different and are not
different due to chance or error. The Least Significant Difference (LSD) and Coefficient of
Variability (CV) values are useful in comparing treatment or variety differences. The LSD value
represents the smallest difference between two treatments at a given probability level. The LSD
at p=0.05 or 5 % probability level is usually the statistic reported, and it means that the odds are
19 to 1 that treatment differences by the amount of the LSD are truly different. The CV value
measures the variability of the experiment or variety trial, and a CV greater than 15 % indicates a
high degree of variability and less accuracy.
Funding Summary: Office of Special Projects will provide expenditure information. No other
grants support this project.
Table 1. Off-station Winter Wheat variety trial located near the Choteau. Teton County.
Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2018.
Variety
Solid
Stem
Score
1
Yield Test Wt Height Lodging Protein
(bu/ac) (lb/bu) (inch) (%) (%)
MTS1588
**
81.8
59.2
27.2
4
15.3
Brawl CLP 80.3 62.6 25.5 23 14.3
MTCS1601 76.0 60.6 25.8 78 14.5
SY Monument 74.3 58.8 26.5 98 14.0
Loma
**
74.1
57.3
26.1
90
15.3
MT1547 74.1 57.7 28.0 99 14.5
Decade 73.8 59.4 29.9 82 15.2
MT1564 73.4 60.4 26.9 96 14.4
Northern
72.2
59.4
26.6
94
14.6
FourOsix 71.9 57.5 25.8 100 14.8
LCS Jet 71.7 55.7 25.5 96 14.7
Keldin 70.8 60.5 27.3 88 15.2
Judee
**
70.6
58.7
27.5
87
15.8
Yellowstone 70.6 57.6 27.9 98 14.8
MTW1491 68.4 58.8 28.4 97 14.5
SY Clearstone 2CL 67.5 57.4 28.1 100 14.8
Warhorse
**
66.3
58.2
26.1
12
14.9
MT1563 65.8 57.9 28.5 93 14.7
MT1642 65.5 56.7 29.2 83 15.4
SY Wolf 65.2 60.8 25.8 76 15.2
MT1265
62.7
57.2
28.8
97
15.1
Ray 62.6 56.8 31.8 99 14.4
WB4483 62.6 57.4 26.4 87 16.5
MTV1681 59.2 57.5 28.3 83 15.2
MTF1435
58.2
57.3
35.4
93
14.6
Mean 69.6 58.5 27.7 82.1 14.9
LSD (.05)
9.3
1.3
2.9
14.5
0.6
C.V. (%) 7.7 1.3 4.7 28.4 6.8
P-Value 0.0003 <0.0001 <0.0001 <0.0001 0.0001
Cooperator and Location: Inbody Farms TetonCounty.
Planted on 9/29/2017 on chemical fallow durum stubble. Harvested on 8/10/2018.
Fertilizer, actual lbs/ac: 11-22-0 with seed at planting, 30-0-20 side shot while planting. Spring top
dressing took place on 4/15/2018 with 90-0-0. For fertilizer rates a yield goal of 70 bu/ac was used.
Herbicide: Plots were sprayed on 5/15/2018 with Huskie @ 11 oz/ac and Axiel XL @ 16 oz/ac.
Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.
1
** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher - behavioral preference) in small plots.
Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.
Table 2. Five-year means, Winter Wheat varieties, Choteau area, Teton County.
2014-2018.
Variety
5-Year Mean
Or
Yield
Test weight
Height
Protein
ID
(bu/ac)
(lbs/bu)
(inch)
(%)
Keldin
73.1
60.3
30.6
14.7
Loma
69.5
57.7
30.3
15.2
SY Wolf
68.4
60.6
30.0
15.0
Warhorse
65.0
57.8
31.1
14.9
Northern (MT0978)
63.2
57.8
32.0
15.0
Yellowstone
62.4
58.3
30.3
15.2
Judee
61.8
57.2
30.3
15.4
Decade
61.7
59.4
30.3
15.1
SY Clearstone 2CL
59.1
58.2
29.5
14.8
Mean
64.9
58.6
30.4
15.0
1
** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher).
Cooperator and Location: Inbody Farms, Teton County.
Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.
Table 3. Off-station Winter Wheat variety trial located north of Cut Bank, MT.
Glacier County. Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2018
Variety
Solid
Stem
Score
1
Yield
Test Wt
Height
Protein
Lodging
(bu/ac)
(lb/bu)
(inch)
(%)
(%)
Yellowstone
87.2
60.6
29.
45.4
12.5
Loma ** 87.0 61.3 23.7 3.5 12.7
Keldin 85.2 62.3 23.0 11.3 11.6
WB4483 83.9 62.0 25.3 28.7 12.4
SY Clearstone 2CL
83.4
59.7
28.0
22.8
13.0
MTS1588 ** 82.5 61.7 23.0 6.5 12.2
LCS Jet 79.3 58.6 22.7 6.2 12.1
Ray 78.6 59.2 31.3 65.4 12.8
MT1563
77.7
61.0
26.7
30.2
12.7
Judee ** 77.3 62.0 27.0 11.1 13.5
MTW1491 75.8 62.3 24.7 20.2 12.6
Northern 75.3 61.8 22.7 11.6 12.4
MTCS1601
75.0
62.1
22.7
21.9
12.8
MT1265 74.5 61.4 27.0 49.4 12.3
SY Wolf 70.1 61.9 21.7 15.5 12.7
Decade 69.3 61.8 22.7 12.7 13.8
Warhorse
**
68.8
60.6
23.0
0.0
13.5
MTV1681 67.8 60.8 23.3 33.3 13.0
FourOsix 65.8 61.8 23.7 12.7 12.9
MT1547 65.4 60.9 23.0 18.0 13.2
SY Monument
63.6
61.6
18.7
12.8
12.2
MTF1435 63.2 60.5 31.7 72.8 13.1
MT1564 62.4 61.0 21.3 25.3 12.9
Brawl CLP 62.3 63.4 20.7 35.5 14.2
MT1642 57.2 61.2 26.7 37.2 12.9
Mean
74.7 61.3 24.5 24.4 12.8
LSD (.05)
15.9 1.1 4.5 26.6 1.0
C.V. (%)
11.9 0.9 11.3 62 4.3
P-Value
<0.0119 <0.0001 <0.0001 0.0018 0.0065
Cooperator and Location: Bradley Farms, northern Glacier County.
Planted on 10/12/2017 on chem-fallow. Harvested on 9/11/2018.
Fertilizer, actual lbs/ac: 11-22.5-0 with seed at planting,
30-0-20 side shot while planting. Top dressed with
130-0-0 on 4/17/2018. For fertilizer rates a yield goal of 70 bu/ac was used.
Herbicide: Sprayed with Huskie @ 11 oz/ac and Axial XL at 16.4 oz/ac on 5/2/2018.
1
** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher). * = Less preferred by sawfly
(behavioral preference) in small plots.
Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.
Table 4. Five-year means, Winter Wheat varieties, Cut Bank area, northern Glacier County.
2014-2018.
Variety
Solid
5-Year Mean
Or
Stem
Yield
Test weight
Height
Protein
ID
Score
1
(bu/ac)
(lbs/bu)
(inch)
(%)
Keldin
83.2
60.2
29.3
12.6
Warhorse
**
76.8
59.2
29.0
12.5
Loma
**
76.3
59.5
28.5
12.4
SY Wolf
75.2
60.4
28.4
12.7
Yellowstone
73.6
59.0
32.1
12.8
Northern
72.1
59.6
30.0
12.7
Judee
**
71.2
60.3
29.8
12.8
Decade
68.3
59.2
29.1
12.8
SY Clearstone CL2
62.3
58.6
32.4
13.1
Mean
73.2
59.6
29.8
12.6
1
** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher).
Cooperator and Location: Bradley Farms, Glacier County.
Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.
Table 5. Off-station Winter Wheat variety trial located near the Devon. Toole County.
Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2018.
Variety
Solid
Stem
Score
1
Yield
Test Wt
Height
Lodging
Protein
(bu/ac) (lb/bu) (inch) (%) (%)
MT1642
50.2
57.8
23.3
26.6
12.6
MTS1588
**
49.2 60.2 19.2 1.2 12.3
Northern
46.7 58.9 20.9 31.8 12.6
Loma
**
45.1 58.5 20.4 10.4 12.8
MTW1491
44.6
58.3
22.6
40.0
12.5
Yellowstone
44.2 58.0 23.6 23.5 12.5
MT1563
43.8 58.5 23.3 38.6 12.3
LCS Jet
43.1 55.4 19.5 21.8 12.0
Judee
**
41.7
60.1
23.0
00.6
12.9
WB4483
41.6 58.4 20.8 13.3 13.1
FourOsix
41.3 58.4 22.3 30.0 12.3
MTCS1601
41.1 59.8 20.9 13.0 12.3
Warhorse
**
41.0
59.4
23.6
1.4
13.3
SY Clearstone 2CL
40.9 57.7 23.0 41.9 12.4
MT1265
39.9 57.7 23.8 36.7 12.9
Keldin
39.9 59.5 20.1 26.8 11.9
MT1547
39.8
58.3
24.1
40.3
12.6
MTV1681
39.2 57.4 20.2 21.8 13.0
MT1564
38.8 58.8 19.5 15.1 13.2
Decade
37.8 58.9 21.3 15.0 12.7
Ray
37.6
56.0
29.9
33.6
12.6
SY Wolf
36.9 59.6 20.0 21.4 12.8
MTF1435
36.3 57.7 28.5 29.9 12.6
SY Monument
33.9 57.0 20.7 25.0 12.6
Brawl CLP
32.5
61.5
18.5
13.0
13.4
Mean
41.1 58.5 22.1 23.4 12.7
LSD (.05)
5.0
0.8
2.6
12.8
0.7
C.V. (%)
6.6 0.8 6.6 32.7 3.1
P-Value
<0.0001 <0.0001 <0.0001 0.0183 0.5443
Cooperator and Location: Brian Akelstad, Toole County.
Planted on 9/27/2017on chem-fallow. Harvested on 8/9/2018.
Fertilizer, actual lbs/ac: 11-22-0 with seed at planting, 30-0-20 side shot while planting. Spring
topdressing took place on 4/30/2018 with 130-0-0. For fertilizer rates a yield goal of 70 bu/ac was used.
Herbicide: Sprayed with Huskie @ 11 oz/ac and Axial XL @ 16.4 oz/ac on 5/21/2018.
1
** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher). * = Less preferred by sawfly
(behavioral preference) in small plots.
Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.
Table 6. Five-year means, Winter Wheat varieties, Devon area, Toole County, MT.
2014- 2018.
Variety
Solid
5-Year Mean
Or
Stem
Yield
Test weight
Height
Protein
ID
Score
1
(bu/ac)
(lbs/bu)
(inch)
(%)
Yellowstone
69.8
60.2
28.4
11.8
Northern
69.6
60.7
26.2
12.0
Loma
**
68.3
60.4
25.4
12.0
Keldin
68.2
61.4
26.4
11.6
Decade
66.1
60.9
26.9
11.8
SY Wolf
65.4
61.9
25.6
11.9
SY Clearstone 2CL
64.7
60.0
28.7
11.7
Judee
**
62.5
61.2
26.4
12.4
Warhorse
**
61.4
60.8
26.5
12.5
Mean
66.2
60.8
26.7
12.0
1
** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher).
Cooperator and Location: Aklestad farms, Toole County.
Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.
Table 7. Off-station Winter Wheat variety trial located near the Knees. Chouteau County. Western
Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2018.
Variety
Solid
Stem
Score
1
Yield Test Wt. Height Lodging Protein
or (bu/ac) (lb/bu) (inch) (%) (%)
ID
Loma
**
67.7 58.2 23.3 35.9 13.7
MTCS1601
64.3 58.5 26.8 42.6 13.5
MTS1588
**
62.9
57.0
23.8
0.0
13.5
MT1642
62.8 55.4 27.5 57.7 13.8
Judee
**
62.3 56.8 25.3 66.8 14.3
Ray
62.3 54.3 31.3 82.4 13.3
MT1564
61.7
57.0
25.0
50.4
13.2
Brawl CLP
60.5 60.1 24.7 13.9 14.1
WB4483
60.2 56.6 23.0 37.2 14.4
Keldin
60.2 57.7 23.8 36.6 14.3
Warhorse
**
60.1
57.4
23.3
1.6
14.3
Northern
59.1 56.3 27.2 83.8 13.9
MT1563
57.3 56.9 28.0 61.3 13.2
MTW1491
56.8 56.2 27.2 78.0 13.5
SY Wolf
56.5
58.9
24.2
26.7
13.9
Yellowstone
56.5 55.1 25.7 73.6 13.7
SY Monument
56.3 55.8 23.3 45.8 12.8
SY Clearstone 2CL
55.9 55.1 28.5 80.1 13.4
MT1265
54.7
55.0
27.3
63.8
13.7
LCS Jet
54.2 53.6 20.0 77.9 13.4
FourOsix
54.0 55.5 25.0 66.4 13.6
MTF1435
53.0 55.3 33.7 75.7 13.5
Decade
52.2
57.4
23.0
45.2
14.6
MTV1681
50.7 58.0 24.3 32.0 14.1
MT1547
50.7 55.9 23.3 68.1 13.6
Mean
58.1 56.6 25.5 52.1 13.7
LSD (.05)
7.9 1.8 3.0 23.8 0.5
C.V. (%)
7.5 1.8 7.2 26.0 1.9
P-Value
0.0034 <0.0001 <0.0001 0.0001 <0.0001
Cooperator and Location: Aaron Killion, western Choteau County.
Planted on 9/28/2017 on chem-fallow. Harvested on 8/8/2018
Fertilizer, actual lbs/ac: 11-22-0 with seed at planting, 30-0-20 side shot while planting. Spring
topdressing took place on 4/15/2018 with 130-0-0. For fertilizer rates a yield goal of 70 bu/ac was used.
Herbicide: Pre-plant sprayed with RT3 @ 40 oz/ac 9/28/2017. The plots were sprayed on 5/26/2018 with
Huskie @ 11 oz/ac and Axial XL @ 16.4 oz/ac.
1
** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher).
Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.
Table 8. Five-year means, Winter Wheat varieties, Knees area, Chouteau County, MT. 2014
2018.
Variety
Solid
5-Year Mean
Or
Stem
Yield
Test weight
Height
Protein
ID
Score
1
(bu/ac)
(lbs/bu)
(inch)
(%)
Keldin
84.8
60.2
29.2
11.0
SY Wolf
77.9
61.1
29.4
11.8
Yellowstone
76.8
58.4
29.9
12.3
Loma
**
76.6
58.9
30.3
12.4
SY Clearstone 2CL
75.9
58.2
31.9
12.3
Judee
**
74.6
60.3
29.4
13.0
Northern
72.4
58.7
29.6
12.7
Warhorse
**
69.7
59.5
27.8
12.8
Decade
69.5
59.7
28.6
12.8
Mean
75.4
59.4
29.6
12.3
1
** = Solid stem sawfly-resistant (solid stem score of 19 or higher).
Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.
Table 9. Soil test values for off-station and on-station plots, 2018.
Location
N
(lbs/ac)
1
Olsen-P
(ppm)
K (ppm) pH OM (%)
EC
(mmhos/cm)
Cut Bank
19.1
13
449
7.9
2.7
0.55
Devon 5.1 21 400 6.4 1.2 0.19
Knees
23.8
19
568
7.4
3.4
0.55
Choteau 57.8 10 556 8.1 2.7 0.75
WTARC-Var
Fall
21.1 17 257 8.1 2.8 0.29
WTARC-N
Fall
15.5 30 421 7.5 2.6 0.57
WTARC
Spring
15.9 30 528 7.4 2.6 0.36
1
Nitrogen soil samples were to a depth of four feet in one foot increments. All other soil tests
were for zero to six inches in depth.
WTARC- Western Triangle Ag. Research Center