Small Grain Crops in Southwestern North Dakota

Elias Elias, Associate Professor; Jerome D. Franckowiak, Professor; Richard Frohberg, Professor; Richard D. Horsley, Associate Professor; Michael McMullen, Associate Professor; Department of Plant Sciences

North Dakota State University

Wheat, barley, and oats are the major small grain crops grown in western North Dakota. The annual value of these cereal grains grown between 1990-94 was more than $280,000,000 in the three southwestern crop reporting districts (Anonymous, 1996). Development of improved small grain cultivars is necessary to ensure that the farm income generated by grain crops, either directly by cash payment or indirectly through livestock, can be maintained or enhanced.

Cultivar comparison trials have been the foundation of yield, quality, and agronomic evaluation of crop cultivars in North Dakota. Early reports from the Agricultural Experiment Station contained data obtained from comparison trials (Hays, 1893a, 1893b). These trials still are important to obtain information for cultivar release and recommendations (Cox et al., 1988; Frohberg, 1991). Each year HRWW, HRSW, durum, barley, and oat cultivars are evaluated in comparison studies at the Dickinson Research Extension Center (DREC). These comparisons include both named cultivars and experimental lines from NDSU, and other public and private breeding programs in the U.S. and Canada. Evaluations are used to make cultivar recommendations.

Grain produced in plots from the comparison trials is used in quality evaluations in the Department of Cereal Chemistry and Food Technology at NDSU, Fargo, ND. Quality evaluations of experimental lines are compared with cultivars currently grown by producers. The quality and agronomic performance of an experimental line at various locations is one of the major bases for the recommended release of that line as a named cultivar or its removal from consideration for further testing.

Experimental lines from other state experiment stations and private plant breeding companies also are evaluated for quality. Although data from this project are not instrumental in the eventual release or rejection of lines from these sources, the data do provide information on agronomic characteristics before release and does help in cultivar recommendations.

Cultural practices including tillage and seeding, fertilization, herbicide application, and harvesting followed currently acceptable agronomic procedure for conducting cultivar comparison trials. Cultivars and genotypes of each small grain crop (HRWW, HRSW, durum, barley, and oats) were evaluated in separate experiments. Plots were arranged in a randomized complete block design with blocks replicated four times. Demonstration strips also were maintained for grower observation, crop field tours, and for a sufficient amount of seed for quality evaluations. Crop trials were conducted on both previously fallowed and continuously-cropped land. Experiments were located on both conventionally-tilled and no-tilled seedbeds.

Plant growth was monitored throughout the growing season. Variables measured on each plot at Dickinson included: days to heading, plant height, plant lodging at physiological maturity, grain yield, kernel weight, and grain volume weight. Crude protein (CP) concentration was determined by NIR reflectometry for grain of commercially available cultivars of each crop, except oats.

Data collected at off-station sites included grain yield, grain volume weight, kernel weight, and grain CP concentration for wheat. Quality characteristics for product acceptance will be determined by the Department of Cereal Science and Food Technology at North Dakota State University from grain samples provided, but are not provided in this manuscript.

Plants of all cultivars survived the winter during 1996-97 (Table 1). We attribute this level of survivability to establishment of this experiment in a no-till seedbed. Snow covered seedlings in the no-till seedbed to a greater depth, and for a longer period, than it covered seedlings planted in a conventionally tilled seedbed in the same field (data not provided). The snow insulated seedlings in the no-tillage seedbed from the cold ambient air temperatures recorded during the winter (Eriksmoen et al., 1997).

Arapahoe, CDC Kestrel, Seward, and Roughrider were among the highest yielding HRWW cultivars in 1997 (Table 1). These same cultivars, along with Elkhorn and Nekota, generated comparable or greater gross economic returns than the other commercially available cultivars evaluated in 1997: Agassiz, Alliance, and Pronghorn. Average economic returns generated by the HRWW cultivars compared favorably to those generated by the HRSW cultivars evaluated at Dickinson in 1997 (Table 2), suggesting that HRWW production may be an alternative to HRSW production in southwestern North Dakota.

HRSW

Average grain yield was 44.5 bu/acre for the 47 cultivars at Dickinson in 1997 (Table 2). Yield ranged from 26.9 bu/acre for the cultivar BacUp to 57.3 bu/acre for the cultivar ND 695, although differences were not detected at the P < 0.05 level. Uncontrolled variability, as indicated by the high coefficient of variation (C.V. %) associated with analyses of the data, explains why yield differences between cultivars were not detected. Complex soil patterns comprise most fields at Dickinson, confounding the ability of a randomized complete block design to reduce uncontrolled variability between plots. Plots will be arranged in a lattice rather than a randomized complete block in an attempt to improve our ability to detect yield differences between HRSW cultivars, beginning in 1998.

The cultivars 2375, 2398, AC Barrie, Amidon, Ernest, Keene, Russ, and Verde were among the highest yielding cultivars at Hannover (Table 3) in 1997. Of these, 2398, Amidon, and Keene, along with McNeal, have produced comparable or greater amounts of grain than other cultivars evaluated at Dickinson over the past three years (Table 2). Both 2398 and McNeal are short cultivars, while Amidon and Keene are tall.

The CP concentration of grain averaged 16.1% at Dickinson in 1997 (Table 2). The grain CP concentration was more than 15% for each cultivar at this location, except Keene. In contrast, the CP concentration of grain averaged only 13.7% at Hannover (Table 4). Environmental differences between the two locations may account for the differences in the CP concentration of grain.

The HRSW experiment was damaged at Beulah by hail. Average yield was only 17.5 bu/acre for the twelve cultivars at this location (Table 3). The CP concentration of grain averaged 15.9%.

Gross economic returns averaged $147.14/acre for the 47 cultivars evaluated at Dickinson (Table 2). Differences between cultivars for economic returns were not detected. At Hannover, the cultivars 2375, 2398, Amidon, Ernest, Keene, Russ, and Verde generated comparable or greater returns than 2370, Butte 86, Grandin, and Oxen (Table 4).

Durum

Grain yield averaged 32.7 bu/acre for the 39 durum cultivars evaluated at Dickinson in 1997 (Table 5). Differences in yield were not detected between cultivars, which ranged from 21.6 bu/acre for the cultivar D931011 to 43.6 bu/acre for the cultivar D91080. No cultivar was superior to others for grain yield at Hannover (Table 6); yield averaged 38.9 bu/acre.

Grain CP concentration averaged 17.5% for commercial durum cultivars at Dickinson in 1997 (Table 5). The cultivar Vic was comparable or superior to other cultivars for grain CP concentration. Grain CP concentration averaged only 14% for six cultivars evaluated at Hannover. AC Melita produced grain with a CP concentration that was comparable or superior to grain CP concentration of other cultivars.

Gross economic returns averaged $180.79/acre for the durum cultivars at Dickinson (Table 5). Differences between cultivars for economic returns were not detected. Returns averaged $230.75/acre for the six durum cultivars evaluated at Hannover (Table 6).

Barley

Average grain yield was 76.9 bu/acre for the 18 barley cultivars at Dickinson in 1997 (Table 7). The 6-rowed barley cultivar Stander produced more grain than all other cultivars, except Baronesse and Logan. Logan was superior to five other barley cultivars for grain yield at Hannover (Table 8). Over the past three years, Logan and Stander have been comparable or superior to other barley cultivars for grain yield at Dickinson (Table 7).

Less grain was produced by the cultivar Bowman than any other barley cultivar at Dickinson in 1997 (Table 7), and at Hannover (Table 8). Kernel test weight was less for Bowman than for Conlon, Stark, and other commonly grown, two-rowed cultivars. These data, and results of other experiments (Eriksmoen et al., 1995; 1996), show that Bowman is inferior to other two-rowed barley cultivars (e.g., Conlon, Logan, Stark) for grain yield and kernel quality. Franckowiak (1997, per. comm.) suggested that Bowman is susceptible to new races of net and spot blotch and, therefore, is unable to produce as much grain as can Conlon, Logan, and Stark cultivars. We suggest that Bowman should be replaced by Conlon, Logan, and other cultivars in cropping systems in southwestern North Dakota.

Oats

The cultivar Brawn was among the highest yielding, commercially available oat cultivars at Dickinson in 1997 (Table 9). Other cultivars producing comparable yields to Brawn included Bay, Derby, Dumont, Monida, Otana, and Troy. Whitestone and CDC Boyer produced comparable or greater amounts of grain than four other oat cultivars at Hannover (Table 10). Among hulless oat cultivars, Paul was superior to AC Belmont for grain yield at Dickinson (Table 9), but not at Hannover (Table 10). Kernel test weight was heavier for Paul oats than AC Belmont oats in both experiments.

Elkhorn, Arapahoe, CDC Kestrel, Roughrider, and Seward generated comparable or higher gross economic returns than other cultivars at Dickinson in 1997. These five cultivars have good winter survival characteristics, except Arapahoe. Roughrider is superior to the other cultivars for milling and baking uses (Eriksmoen et al., 1997), and this cultivar is an excellent choice for HRWW producers in southwestern North Dakota.

HRSW

Grain production has averaged 44.5 bu/acre for cultivars evaluated at Dickinson in each of the last two years. The cultivars 2398 and McNeal have been among the highest yielding commercial cultivars grown at Dickinson over the past several years (Eriksmoen et al., 1995, 1996, 1997). Disease and grain quality problems associated with these two cultivars suggest that other high yielding, disease resistant cultivars are needed. Experimental cultivars are being developed which have shown high yield potential in southwestern North Dakota, as data in Table 2 show. Commercially available cultivars that are well adapted to growing conditions include Amidon and Keene. Of these, Amidon produces grain with superior milling and baking characteristics. Amidon also shows some tolerance to dryland root rot. For these reasons, we suggest that the cultivar Amidon is among those best adapted to growing conditions in southwestern North Dakota.

Durum

No single durum cultivar has been superior to others for grain yield or returns in the last three years at Dickinson. AC Melita, Ben, Belzer, and Munich are cultivars that have compared favorably to other cultivars for grain yield at Dickinson; all have been released for commercial production in the last five years. Lloyd, Renville, Sceptre, and Ward are older cultivars that still are competitive for grain yield and economic returns. We suggest that any of these cultivars are adapted to growing conditions in southwestern North Dakota.

Barley

Stark was the most widely grown barley cultivar in the Southwest Crop Reporting District in 1996, followed by Bowman (Anonymous, 1997). The cultivar Logan has been superior to both Bowman and Stark for grain yield at Dickinson in 1995, 1996, and 1997. Conlon is another two-rowed cultivar that has compared favorably to Bowman and Stark. We suggest that Conlon and Logan may be superior to Stark for grain yield and economic returns. Bowman is inferior to these cultivars for grain yield and sometimes grain quality.

Stander, Excel, and Foster are six-rowed barley cultivars adapted to growing conditions in southwestern North Dakota. We recommend these three cultivars in environments favorable for the production of malt quality barley.

Oats

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