2004 Collaborative On-Farm Tests (COFT)

Introduction

Over half of Colorado's 2004 wheat acreage was planted to winter wheat varieties that have been tested in the COFT program which is in its' seventh year of testing. With on-farm testing, wheat producers get to evaluate new varieties on their own farms before seed of the new varieties is available on the market to all farmers. On-farm testing directly involves agents and producers in the variety development process, thereby speeding adoption of superior, new varieties.

Colorado State University Cooperative Extension agents have a large responsibility for the success of this program - recruiting volunteer growers, delivering seed, planning test layout and operations, helping with planting, keeping records, coordinating visits, communicating with growers and campus coordinators, coordination of weighing plot and measuring yields and collecting grain samples for quality analyses. COFT would not be possible without the collaboration of so many dedicated wheat producers throughout eastern Colorado.

In the fall of 2003, twenty-three eastern Colorado wheat producers planted collaborative on-farm tests (COFT) in Baca, Prowers, Kiowa, Cheyenne, Lincoln, Kit Carson, Phillips, Sedgwick, Logan, Morgan, Adams, and Weld counties. Working alongside local Extension agents, each producer/collaborator received 100 pounds seed of each variety and planted the five varieties in side-by-side strips. The objective was to compare performance and adaptability of newly-released varieties. Comparisons of interest were:

 Compare high yielding KSU hard white wheat, Trego, with CSU sister line selection, Avalanche.

• Ascertain relative performance and adaptability of high yielding CLEARFIELD* wheat variety, Above.
• Ascertain relative performance and adaptability of high yielding RWA resistant hard red winter wheat variety, Ankor.
• Ascertain relative performance and adaptability of high yielding AgriPro hard red winter wheat variety, Jagalene.

Results

Only seventeen of the twenty-three tests planted in the fall of 2003 were harvested this summer due to the widespread and prolonged effects of drought during last fall and winter. The effective window for planting to achieve satisfactory plant stands last fall was just too small for many eastern Colorado growers. It is estimated by our state agricultural statistics services that approximately 23% of planted wheat acreage in the state was abandoned and our rate of COFT failure was 26% (17/23). In general, low overall yields (27.5 bu/ac) can be attributed to poor stand establishment in the fall followed by droughty winter and spring conditions further causing reduced stands, reduced tillering, small plants, and abnormally early maturity. Disease and insect pests were generally not problematic this year but late rains (and hail) beginning in mid-June and continuing through harvest did little to improve yields but led to rapid weed development and grain sprouting in the head. This was the only year in the last 10 years that sprouting has been an issue in Colorado. Sprouting seemed to result from the coincidence of early wheat maturity (10 days to 2 weeks earlier than normal) and unusual mid- and late-June and early July (pre-monsoon) rains. With the wet harvest weather and shorter-than-normal wheat, producers had a hard time getting combines into their fields and getting the wheat to dry down before the next rain shower arrived and the weeds grew even taller. We really need to work with our biotechnologists to see if we might be able to transfer some of those genes from Russian thistle to wheat or corn.

However, even with a lower-than-target COFT success rate, only 74% when we can generally expect an 80% success rate or better, and below average yields, we were still able to make some meaningful variety comparisons, especially in northeastern Colorado (see 2004 COFT Results Table).

Avalanche vs Trego: The White Wheat Variety Comparison. There was no significant difference between these two in the SE/FR and Overall groups. Avalanche was significantly higher yielding than all varieties in the NE group where Trego was significantly higher yielding than Avalanche in 2003. Our conclusion is that there is no predictable superiority in yield for one of these varieties over the other. Perhaps the most important difference is in maturity with Trego heading, on the average, 1-3 days later than Avalanche. This becomes important for producers seeking to reduce their overall risk to drought, freeze, and hail damage by planting varieties of different maturities. Avalanche would be considered a medium maturing variety like Ankor while Trego would be considered a medium-late maturing variety. Since, for all intents and purposes they are equal yielding under dryland conditions, choosing one or the other would depend on whether the producer already has a medium maturing variety or a medium late maturing variety and then he/she would select the maturity group that is missing and reduce the overall risk.

Adaptability of high yielding CLEARFIELD* wheat variety, Above. Something to remember when looking at the performance of varieties in the COFT trials is that these five varieties are among the top all-time top yielding varieties in the state. Unfortunately, there is not a low yielding variety in the group so the fact that no significant performance differences were found among them is not unexpected. For Above, it means that there is no yield penalty to be paid for incorporation of the CLEARFIELD* trait and, of course it is our most powerful tool to combat the deleterious effects of winter annual grasses like jointed goatgrass, downy brome, and volunteer rye. Above has shown consistently high yields the last few years in Colorado and would even be a good choice for high yields in areas that have lower risk of grassy weed infestation - and remember, there is no requirement to spray Above with Beyond herbicide in the event that weeds are not a problem. Above is early-maturing and could fill the early-maturing variety niche for producers seeking to reduce overall risk by planting varieties of different maturities. However, Above seed must be purchased annually and cannot be saved for use on the farm or sale to neighbors.

Adaptability of high yielding RWA resistant hard red winter wheat variety, Ankor. Stand up! Isn't Ankor a beautiful variety? Ankor has held it's own through thick and thin environmental conditions and, when compared to Akron, has showed a 2-3 bu/a yield advantage in CSU trials as well as trials in Kansas and Nebraska. Lack of significant differences among COFT varieties this year means that Ankor will yield along with top performers under droughty, low yield conditions and was significantly higher yielding than some varieties last year under average yield conditions. It is important that Ankor is medium maturing and should be considered by all Colorado producers in this medium role with an early and a later-maturing mix of varieties. As producers are not able to determine which biotype of RWA will infest their fields, the RWA resistance bred into Ankor will continue to be a useful management tool for RWA infestation in the near future.

Adaptability of high yielding AgriPro hard red winter wheat variety, Jagalene. This the first year that Jagalene has been in the COFT program and appears to have done better relative to other varieties in the NE group where it topped three tests in Logan and Morgan counties. Again, Jagalene yielded along with the best yielding varieties in Colorado and would fill the early maturity category for producers trying to spread their risk by planting varieties of different maturities.

Note: We are not planning to conduct the COFT program in 2004/2005 but will start it again in the fall of 2005 with exciting new releases from CSU and from private companies, if available. Thanks to all our cooperators who have so selflessly given time, land, and equipment to make this a success and to our agents above who have just been great collaborators!

Colorado Collaborative On-Farm Test (COFT) results in 2004.

Eastern Colorado Cooperative Extension Wheat Educators and On-Farm Test Coordinators