NDSU Releases Prosper Hard Red Spring Wheat

Prosper hard red spring wheat was developed through the wheat breeding program at North Dakota State University and jointly released by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station during the spring of 2011. Registered class seed produced by the North Dakota County Seed Increase Program will be available for the first time during the spring of 2012.

General characteristics of Prosper:

• Adapted to eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota
• Very high grain yield that is similar to Faller
• Semidwarf of conventional height and medium to medium-early maturity
• Has average protein and test weight
• Good milling and baking qualities
• Good leaf disease resistance and medium resistance to scab

Prosper was developed by using several breeding methodologies, and winter nurseries were used to speed up the process and seed production.

Overall, the selection criteria was a combination of traits used to identify a superior hard spring wheat genotype adapted to North Dakota and western Minnesota wheat production that would have superior (compared with check cultivars) yield and pest resistance. Additional selection criteria included milling and bread-making properties to meet the domestic and export market requirements.

Prosper was selected particularly for its very high grain yield, good bread-making quality traits (milling and baking), as well as its good level of resistance to foliar diseases (leaf and stem rusts in particular) that are similar to Howard. Prosper also has good resistance to fusarium head blight similar to Faller.

To help ensure genetic purity, Prosper is protected under Plant Variety Protection Act Title V. Title V allows seed to be sold by variety name only and as a class of certified seed.

For additional information about Prosper or other hard red spring wheat varieties, refer to the Spring Wheat Variety Selection Guide at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/crops/guides.html or contact Mohamed Mergoum, NDSU hard red spring wheat breeder, at (701) 231-8478 or Joel Ransom, NDSU Extension agronomist, at (701) 231-7971.

If you are interested in purchasing seed, contact your county NDSU Extension agent or Crop Improvement and Seed Association.

NDSU Agriculture Communication