I/I B RAR.Y OF THL UNIVERSITY" OF ILLINOIS" cop NON CIRCULATING CHECK FOR UNBOUND CIRCULATING COPY WINTER WHEAT VARIETY TRIALS 1940-1950 By J. W. PENDLETON, G. H. DUNCAN O. T. BONNETT, W. M. BEVER Bulletin 549 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 320 BULLETIN No. 549 [January, WINTER WHEAT ACREAGE 1939-1948 = 1,000 acres Average winter wheat acreage for the ten years 1939-1948, each dot repre- senting 1,000 harvested acres. Compare this map with Fig. 2, which shows relative yields during the same period. In areas where yields are highest, acreages are often low. (Fig. 1) 1952] WINTER WHEAT VARIETY TRIALS 321 WINTER WHEAT YIELDS 1939-1948 YIELDS EXCEEDED F 20 BU. PER ACRE NO YEARS 1-3 YEARS 4-6 YEARS 7-9 YEARS ALLTEN YEARS Number of years during 1939-1948 when the average county yield of winter wheat exceeded 20 bushels an acre. In some areas, such as Washington county, where the wheat acreage was highly concentrated, yields exceeded 20 bushels in only two of the ten years. (Fig- 2) 322 BULLETIN No. 549 [January, ACRE-YIELDS HAVE BEEN INCREASING During the fifty-one years from 1900 to 1950 the average acre- yield of winter wheat has increased considerably more in Illinois than in the country as a whole (Fig. 3). During this period the increase in Illinois yields was 36 percent, compared with 20 percent for the entire United States. Increased yields are doubtless due partly to the mechanization that has made cultural practices more timely and thorough, to the greater use of fertilizers, and to the greater use of chemicals to combat disease, insects, and weeds. Varietal improvement, however, must be credited with an important part of this increase. The way 14 - 12 1901 1905 1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1949 In Illinois and the United States wheat yields have climbed irregularly up- ward during the first half of this century. By 1949 the Illinois trend was a little over 3 bushels an acre above the trend for the United States. How much higher yields can be pushed depends on improvements in soil pro- ductivity, cultural practices, and varieties. (In this and succeeding graphs, yields are expressed as three-year mov- ing averages. This means, for example, that the yield shown for 1901 is actually the average for 1900, 1901, and 1902 and that the yield for 1949 actually includes the years 1948, 1949, and 1950.) (Fig. 3) 7952] WINTER WHEAT VARIETY TRIALS 323 in which three varieties recommended for Illinois are now outyielding Turkey and the average of all varieties on the Urbana field (Fig. 4) is but an illustration of this improvement. BUSHELS PER ACRE 48 44 40 36 32 THREE RECOMMENDED VARIETIES^ V ALL VARIETIES TURKEY- (STRAIGHT LINE TRENDS) 1905 1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1949 Turkey, which was the best variety for Illinois early in the century, is now outyielded on the Urbana field 3 bushels an acre by the average of "all varieties." This seemingly small increase applied to 1.5 to 2 million acres becomes an astounding economic factor in Illinois agriculture. The three varieties now recommended for Illinois are outyielding Turkey by 9 bushels an acre. (Fig- 4) TESTING FIELDS Location Variety trials of winter wheat were begun at DeKalb in northern Illinois in 1907, and much earlier than that at Urbana in central Illinois. From 1919 to 1949 tests were carried on at Alhambra in southern Illinois. The results of these investigations from 1904 through 1925 were reported in Illinois Bulletin 276 (1926) ; 1926-1939 results were re- ported in Bulletin 460 (1939). The present bulletin summarizes the results for the eleven years 1940 through 1950. 324 BULLETIN No. 549 [January, Soil Characteristics and Management The soil in each test field belongs to a type common in the region. The location of tests is shown in Fig. 2. While it is best to use soils of high productivity for studies of this type, it was not always possible to do so. For instance, the soil at Mt. Morris was only moderately pro- ductive throughout the testing period and that on the DeKalb field was fairly low in producing power because the fertilizer and soil- treatment program had not become established. In central Illinois, at Urbana, the producing power of the soil was high because of nearly fifty years of careful management, wise crop- rotation practices, and adequate fertilizer treatment. The Alhambra field was variable because of "slick spots," but it Table 1. TESTING FIELDS: Soil Characteristics and Management Practices Location and soil type Rotation and soil management Southern Illinois Alhambra, Madison county, 1940-1949 Cowden silt loam Corn, oats (sweet clover), soybeans, and wheat (sweet clover): limestone, rock phosphate, and potash applied (1940-1945) Corn, soybeans, oats, wheat, mixed clovers and alfalfa: limestone, rock phosphate, and potash applied (1946-1949) Brownstown, Fayette county, 1950 Cisne silt loam Soybeans, oats, clover, wheat and clover: lime- stone, rock phosphate, and potash applied Central Illinois Urbana, Champaign county, 1940-1950 Sidell silt loam Corn, oats, red clover, and wheat (red clover) : 13 tons manure added during each rota- tion; limestone, rock phosphate, and manure applied Northern Illinois Mt. Morris, Ogle county, 1940-1948 Muscatine and Tama silt loams .... Corn, oats, wheat (red clover) : manure, lime- stone, and rock phosphate applied DeKalb, DeKalb county, 1949-1950 Lisbon and Flanagan silt loams .... Corn, soybeans, spring grains, and wheat (red clover): rock phosphate applied, 1949 7952] WINTER WHEAT VARIETY TRIALS 325 had received a sufficient quantity of soil amendments to make it highly productive. Though not considered high in productivity com- pared with soils at Urbana, the soil at Brownstown produced con- siderably higher yields than the untreated soils in the area. General information on soil characteristics and soil management is given in Table 1. ORIGIN OF NEW VARIETIES New varieties originate chiefly from old commercial varieties and hybrids. Ilred, Kanred, Wisconsin 2, and a number of other good varieties were selected from Turkey. Prairie and Royal are selections from Illinois 2, and Newcaster is a selection from Fulcaster. While these varieties, originating from commercial varieties, are better than the parent variety in certain respects, they also share some of the weaknesses of the parent variety. For example, Prairie and Royal are resistant to mosaic, while their parent, Illinois 2, is extremely susceptible to it. But like Illinois 2, both are susceptible to loose smut and leaf rust. Hybridization offers a surer and quicker way to eliminate un- desirable characteristics. Therefore, new varieties at present originate chiefly from wheat hybrids, as a glance at the origin of each of the varieties to be described will show. Several characteristics that are wanted in a good variety earliness, stiffness of straw, resistance to disease, and ability to yield grain of high quality may often be brought together through hybridization. After selections are made from the hybrids, the selections are grown in test plantings under growing conditions that will show whether they have the characteristics that are desired. For a number of years they are tested for yield and quality. The selections that qualify are then re -selected to insure their purity; plantings are increased; and seed is distributed to wheat growers. VARIETIES TESTED Of all the hard and soft wheats grown in the Illinois variety trials at some time during 1940-1950, those described below were introduced into the Illinois tests for the first time during this period. Their yields 326 BULLETIN No. 549 [January, are reported in Tables 2 to 4. For detailed information concerning the characteristics of all the hard- and soft-wheat varieties tested dur- ing these eleven years see Table 5, pages 334-335. Hard wheats should not be grown in the soft-wheat areas of southern Illinois. Hard Wheats: Description and Performance Pawnee is a white-chaffed, early, moderately short variety of high test weight. Its straw is of medium stiffness. It has shown ability to pro- duce very high yields in central Illinois. In the eight years it was tested at Urbana, Pawnee outyielded Turkey by an average of 6.4 bushels an acre (Table 3). But during the same test period at DeKalb the average yields of the two varieties were identical (Table 4). Though its milling quality is satisfactory, Pawnee is not as strong in gluten as Turkey and some other varieties. In Illinois, it often has yellow kernels and a softer endosperm than several of the soft wheats. The kernel is very short, egg-shaped, with a large circular germ, and often has a dark shading on the back and sides near the brush. Pawnee is a selection from the cross Kawvale X Tenmarq. It was made at the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station and released to Kansas growers in 1942. It was first certified in Illinois in 1945. Westar is a white-chaffed, medium-early variety which has a record of high yield for the years it has been grown in central and northern Illinois. During the five years that Pawnee and Westar have been tested at Urbana, their yields have been approximately the same (Tables 3 and 4). Westar is midtall with a medium-stiff straw and a medium test weight. Westar was developed at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station from a selection of the cross Kanred X (Hard Federation 25007 X Ten- marq). It was released in Texas in 1944 and first tested in Illinois in 1946. Thus far Westar seems to have enough winter-hardiness for Illinois. Wichita is midtall, of medium test weight, and has somewhat weaker straw than Pawnee. It has generally been below Pawnee and Westar in yield (Tables 3 and 4). One of its desirable traits is earliness. The original selection of Wichita was made at the Kansas Agricul- tural Experiment Station from a cross of Early Blackhull X Tenmarq, and first released to growers in 1944. Comanche was dropped after six years of testing, not because it per- formed poorly, but because Pawnee, Westar, and Wichita seemed to be 7952] WINTER WHEAT VARIETY TRIALS 327 better adapted to Illinois conditions (Tables 3 and 4). It resulted from a cross of Oro X Tenmarq and was released in 1942 by the Kansas Station. It is very susceptible to scab and loose smut. Minter and Marmin, two Minnesota varieties, have shown more winter-hardiness than any other varieties recently tested in northern Illinois. Both are tall, white-chaffed, with a straw of medium strength. Minter has indicated the capacity to produce high yields in northern, but not in central, Illinois (Tables 3 and 4). It resulted from a backcross of (Hope X Minturki) X Minturki and was released by Minnesota in 1948. Marmin was selected from a cross of Minturki X Marquis. Triumph has been tested for only two years (Tables 3 and 4); no reliable predictions concerning its yield are therefore possible. It is a white-chaffed, short-strawed variety of very early maturity. In 1949 clover stands were notably better on harvested strips of this variety than they were on the strips where tall, later wheats had been grown. Triumph was developed by Joseph Danne of El Reno, Oklahoma, and is of unknown origin. Cache and Wasatch are two recent introductions from Utah which have not shown promise for Illinois. Cache resulted from a cross of Ridit X Utah Kanred and Wasatch from a cross of Ridit X Relief. Soft Wheats: Description and Performance Royal is white-chaffed and midtall. It matures in midseason. It has a medium-stiff straw and a higher test weight per bushel than any of the wheats now being tested. Its yield has compared favorably with that of hard-wheat varieties grown in central Illinois and it has proved superior on mosaic-infested ground. Though Royal is not in the very-soft-texture class, as is Trumbull, its milling and baking qualities are acceptable. During the period it was being tested and since its release in 1948, Royal has performed well throughout central and southern Illinois (Tables 2 and 3). Royal was originated at the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station as a head selection from mosaic-resistant plants found in a field of Illinois 2 grown on the Ralph Allen farm at Delavan, Illinois. Vigo is a tall, white-chaffed variety with a straw of medium strength. It matures in midseason. Throughout the soft-wheat area of Illinois, Vigo's yield has been high. It originated at the Indiana Agricultural Experiment Station as a selection from a cross of Trumbull X Fultz. Thus far in the tests, the yields of Vigo and Royal have been very (Turn to page 336) 328 BULLETIN No. 549 [January +j (Q s m .com in^in -0 o ..;.. OO>0 43 ^ IH 01 <> r - -ooto O -OCO CDtooo -co -CM co .... CO .... co -m o CMCMCMCM 1 CD 00 -cs CO 'CO CM too * CMCOCO -CM CD CO t^ CM O o - co .... 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(For precautions to observe when interpreting the yield figures in this table, see page 344.) to to m * co *co > -CM ' m CTl en -CM m 'in r- &>' .eo * -co -co to to tOI^ %+ CM m o * CO coco * CO CM CO coco CO co co CO CO * . .0 O) in CM CO CO CO -CM m CO tO CM CO CM to -CO- CM -o* -CM CO -O CO in CM CM CO -CM ^^ . t^ in -co ... -CO ... -to o -01 CO -CM o CO in CO CM CO CO CO co co * CM -CMCM 010CT10 CM CM -CM CM CMCMCM in in eo c- oo -CM CMCM ooeouc'ao to CM CM CM ** CMCM CM m CMCM CM -f 0> All varieties Average yield 30 Difference between varieties necessary for significance 1 " to !n o m rt K CMCMcn mmi CMCMCM in o*> r* in -t^CM CM -CMCO r-* co in CMCMCMtO o -co CM -CO in -CM CM :1 3c5 coco m * cocj) to to r^ co 01 Varieties grown one 01 1 Seneca 2 Butler 3 Illinois 43-1 13 4 Illinois 43-1 11 5 Purdue 39 172A5- 11-2- 1-1. . 6 Illinois 45-501 6 Purdue A399A2-2-2-6 8 Illinois 43- 102 9 Illinois 45-553 10 Fulhard 10 Cornell 595 10 Purdue 7 13 Triumph 14 Red Rock 15 Illinois 41-678 16 Michigan Amber 17 Illinois 41-809 18 Minter 19 Illinois 33-2095 20 Nittany 21 Missouri Early Premium. . 22 American Banner 332 BULLETIN No. 549 [January, o W> O^ -t O Tf 0> OJ U X C ? c nj > ^ 'v > cd M Q ^* co i t O z t{ ^ t-J HH * tx w ffi H K O Z < ^- 0) 3 $ U J u p dz CM <> -mio co -CMt^to -anDcnco CM co * .2 m -CM i~ * .-co CD r^ CM m CM iosr> co o or*. 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"S| "E g 31 CMOO com O CM * r^ ir mtocxS cocoai -co m mco -CM comes -m CN03 - CMin CM oo CM moo CM CO O^ CTJ tO CM ^- CM CO ij" 6-3 O (Q g . . . . 3 ; : : : 7 : : : B? fc I j j j : : : : f Mid CM ' ' ! '. '. ' 'CM 11 'C < -H W* . Ui S ""co ; ; 1 - B n > oid'''i . v W '5 c : a ^isii^ 2< j "o J ; g- %J3 '-2 ^J=-g<-O n CO > u l-fisl 3 .5 ,0 C ^ i*.! Ifs-il 3 3 3^50 *> c E S |l|~| J SJcoSco S slissii lii| gjgll 3333^ Spill pSi?5 >|||^ i 336 BULLETIN No. 549 [January, close together (Tables 2 and 3). Each variety is superior to the other in some characteristics. Royal has generally given slightly higher yields in central Illinois and as far south as Enfield, while farther south Vigo has slightly surpassed Royal. In fertilizer trials at Urbana, Royal has shown greater response to high-fertility than Vigo. Prairie is brown-chaffed, midtall, has a stiff straw, medium test weight, and produces high yields on fertile soils (Tables 3 and 4), but it is not adapted to soils low in fertility. Prairie is highly resistant to the physiologic races of black stem rust which commonly occur in Illinois. It is susceptible to both loose and stinking smut. Its quality is good to excellent. Like Royal, Prairie is a selection from Illinois 2 and was released in 1943. Newcaster originated at the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station as a head selection from Fulcaster. Whereas, the straw of Fulcaster is often purple, that of Newcaster is yellow. Newcaster has generally yielded more than Fulcaster and has about the same test weight (Tables 2, 3, and 4). Unfortunately this high-yielding variety has a compara- tively weak straw. Fairfield is white-chaffed, midtall, has a straw of medium strength, and matures in midseason. Its milling and baking characteristics are good. Fairfield has shown ability to produce high yields (Tables 2, 3, and 4), but it is extremely susceptible to scab. This susceptibility has reduced its quality and been the cause of degrading so often that it has become unpopular with growers. Fairfield was developed by the Purdue Agricultural Experiment Sta- tion from a cross between Purkof and Fulhio. Seed was distributed in 1942. Blackhawk is a tall, white-chaffed variety with moderately stiff straw. Of the soft-wheat varieties being tested at present, it is the most winter- hardy. In northern and central Illinois the yield record of Blackhawk is high (Tables 3 and 4). In the soft- wheat areas of southern Illinois, how- ever, it does not seem to be as well adapted as Fulcaster, Newcaster, Royal, and Vigo (Table 2). Blackhawk is a selection made by the Wisconsin Agricultural Experi- ment Station from a Fultz X Minturki cross. Butler is a white-chaffed, red-grained wheat, with slightly shorter and stiffer straw than Trumbull. Its baking and milling qualities are good. In preliminary testing, it has shown ability to yield high in southern Illinois (Tables 2 and 3). It resulted from a cross of O.S.U. 101 X Trumbull and was released by the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station in 1947. 7952] WINTER WHEAT VARIETY TRIALS 337 Seneca is a recently named Ohio variety which was first tested ex- tensively in 1949. It is a selection resulting from the cross Portage X Fulcaster, the same cross that produced Thome. In growth character- istics and performance it appears very similar to Thorne. In 1949 and 1950, it showed a capacity to yield high, gave a relatively low test weight, and exhibited only fair winter-hardiness (Tables 2 and 3). Saline is a very recent development of the Illinois Agricultural Ex- periment Station, resulting from a cross of Gladden X Illinois 2. In- crease of foundation seed began in 1949. In tests made during the pre- vious six years the yield record of Saline was unexcelled (Tables 2 and 3). It seems well adapted to central and southern Illinois on soils of all levels of fertility. Saline is rather tall, stiff-strawed, white-chaffed, and bearded, with large, blocky, arched heads that carry very large kernels. Its test weight and its milling and baking characteristics are above average. Seed should become generally available in the fall of 1952. MoKing is very similar to Clarkan in appearance and performance (Tables 3 and 4). It is not recommended in Illinois for two reasons: ( 1 ) it is extremely susceptible to mosaic ; and ( 2 ) its semihard kernel texture presents problems for the soft-wheat millers. It was developed by Earl G. Clark of Sedgwick, Kansas. Cornell 595 is a white wheat produced at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station. During the short period it was tested, it showed a very low yield and test weight (Tables 2 and 3). Other white wheats tested in the past have also generally been below average in performance. YIELDS OF HARD AND SOFT WHEATS COMPARED Data from long-time variety trials often point out certain trends or comparisons. Beginning in 1904 at Urbana and 1909 at DeKalb, yields of hard and soft varieties are compared in Figs. 5 and 6, pages 338 and 339. At Alhambra, in the soft-wheat area of southern Illinois, not enough hard varieties have been tested to make comparisons of hard- and soft-wheat yields possible in the way they are made for DeKalb and Urbana, but some significant comparisons can be made. Southern Illinois Fulcaster, a widely grown soft wheat, has shown a long-time advantage in yield over Ilred and Brill, two outstanding hard wheats 338 BULLETIN No. 549 [January, of the Turkey type. From 1909 through 1944 Fulcaster yielded an average of 2.5 bushels more an acre a year than the hard varieties. Because their high yields in other places have been widely publi- cized, new hard-wheat varieties have recently been brought into this soft-wheat area. In 1949 Pawnee, the most widely grown hard wheat in Illinois, was seeded with 43 soft wheats at three locations in southern Illinois. Pawnee not only yielded below the best soft-wheat varieties, but was below the average for all varieties at all three locations. Central Illinois Since 1904 tests have been made each year at Urbana. For forty- five years, 559 yields of hard-wheat varieties were compared with 463 yields of soft-wheat varieties. In each test the average yield of all hard varieties was compared with the average yield of all soft varieties. The ratio of hard to soft varieties varied slightly within tests, but in no case was an average of fewer than six varieties of a class used for comparison. 32 28 1905 1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1949 In recent years the soft wheats on the Urbana field have equaled and even surpassed the hard wheats in yield per acre. (Shaded areas indicate years of crop failure.) (Fig. 5) 7952] WINTER WHEAT VARIETY TRIALS 339 20 1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1949 At DeKalb an even more drastic shift has taken place between the hard and soft wheats than at Urbana. (Shaded areas here indicate years when fewer than four varieties of soft wheats were grown.) (Fig. 6) In the 45 tests, soft wheats outyielded hard wheats 16 times. For the period, the average yield of the hard wheats was 38.4 and of the soft wheats 36.6 bushels an acre. But during this period the straight- line trend of the soft wheat varieties showed an increase of 5.5 bushels an acre, while that of the hard varieties remained constant ( Fig. 5 ) . Northern Illinois From 1909 to 1950 soft- and hard-wheat varieties were compared in 31 tests at DeKalb (Fig. 6). On this field the ratio of hard to soft varieties was almost 2 to 1. (Many tests were omitted in this study because fewer than four soft varieties were included.) In 7 of the 31 tests the soft varieties outyielded the hard. The average yield for all hard varieties was 32.3, for soft varieties 27.9 bushels an acre. During this period the straight-line trend of the soft varieties showed an increase of 6.3 bushels, that of the hard varieties a loss of 3.1 bushels, and the lines crossed about 1944, two years later than they crossed at Urbana ( Fig. 5 ) . In early tests the yields of soft 340 BULLETIN No. 549 [January, wheats at DeKalb were much lower than the yields of hard wheats. This was also true at Urbana, though the differences at Urbana were not so great as at DeKalb. Soft Wheats Forging Ahead The above comparisons bring out the relatively greater improve- ment that has been made in the soft wheats than in the hard wheats in Illinois. In the early tests the soft wheats were yielding well below the hard wheats on each test field, but in the last decade the newer soft wheats have equaled and even surpassed the hard wheats. For the first half of the testing period the wheat-breeding program at the Illinois Station was directed toward improving hard wheat; but since 1923 the improvement of soft wheat has been its primary objective. SOFT WHEAT BEST FOR SOUTHERN ILLINOIS It was not by accident that Illinois got a reputation for soft wheat of high quality. Neither was it by accident that southern Illinois has always grown soft wheat in preference to hard wheat. Southern Illinois is historically a soft-wheat production area. Its weather conditions and soil types are ideally suited to soft wheat. Its abundant rainfall and soils relatively low in nitrogen both contribute to producing wheat with a low protein content, one of the requirements for soft wheat. A second requirement of soft wheat is that it have a relatively weak gluten. Both characteristics are demanded of a soft- wheat flour that is to be used in cakes and pastries. The varieties that possess the relatively weak gluten are much better adapted to the conditions of southern Illinois than the varieties of the western hard-wheat section. In fact, they are so much better adapted to the soils and climate of southern Illinois that their per- formance is normally superior to that of the hard-wheat varieties. Though hard wheats are used in bread products that demand a high protein content and a strong gluten, hard wheat grown in southern Illinois will have no higher protein content than soft wheat. For still another reason hard wheats should not be grown in southern Illinois. Whether they make soft- or hard-wheat flour, millers do not like to mill a mixture. The two kinds of wheat require differ- 1952] WINTER WHEAT VARIETY TRIALS 341 ent handling in the milling if the greatest amount of flour is to be obtained from them. The cost of milling a mixed wheat is therefore greater than that of milling an unmixed wheat. The introduction of hard wheat into southern Illinois can consequently create serious marketing problems. BEARDED VARIETIES OR SMOOTH? Wheat growers are often prone to choose one variety over another because of some particular plant characteristic. One characteristic that has influenced their choice in the past, and that is still widely discussed, is the type of head - whether bearded ( awned ) or smooth ( awnless ) . It seemed worth while, therefore, to compare the yields of these two types in long-time tests, admitting that such data will show only trends and that the varieties are limited. At Urbana the average yield of all bearded varieties from 1904 to 1950 was 39.2 bushels an acre, while that of all smooth-headed varieties was 36.2 bushels. In 35 out of the 45 yearly tests, the bearded varieties yielded more than the smooth; at present straight-line yield trends show an advantage of 1.5 bushels an acre for the bearded varieties (Fig. 7). The ratio of bearded to smooth-headed varieties varied some- what within the tests but was generally 2 to 1. At DeKalb the bearded (awned) varieties outyielded the smooth- headed (awnless) varieties in 21 of 29 tests; and the average yield of all bearded varieties in these particular tests was 1.4 bushels an acre more than the average of all smooth-headed varieties. The straight-line trends for this characteristic indicate, however, that recently the smooth-headed varieties have improved and their yield is now equal to that of the bearded varieties ( Fig. 8 ) . The number of smooth-headed entries at DeKalb was small. As comparisons were made only when four entries or more of both bearded and smooth wheats were included in the test, data from several tests were not used. Preference for smooth varieties not justified. In the past many growers have preferred smooth-headed wheats because the handling of bearded wheats caused so much discomfort. With the wide use 342 BULLETIN No. 549 [January, 36 32 28 1905 1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1949 On this field the bearded varieties of wheat have only slightly outyielded the smooth varieties. (Shaded areas indicate years of crop failure.) (Fig. 7) 28 24 1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1949 Here at DeKalb the smooth varieties have forged slightly ahead of the bearded varieties in yield. (Shaded areas indicate years when fewer than four varieties of soft wheats were grown.) (Fig- 8) 7952] WINTER WHEAT VARIETY TRIALS 343 of combines, however, preference on such grounds is no longer justified. In evaluating and choosing new varieties, growers would do well to base their decisions on the ability of the varieties to give good yields and on such plant characteristics as winter-hardiness, strength of straw, height, maturity, resistance to diseases and insects, tendency to shatter, compatibility with legumes, and response to the fertility level of the soil. Whether they are smooth-headed is not important. SUMMARY During the first half of the present century the acre-yield of winter wheat has increased 36 percent in Illinois as against 20 percent for the country as a whole. An important factor in this increase has been the improvement of varieties through testing and breeding. Varieties which proved superior in the Illinois tests and became widely grown during 1940-1950 were Pawnee, Fairfield, Blackhawk, Vigo, and Royal. Saline, Seneca, and Butler are soft varieties which appear promising for the future. Among the hard varieties, Westar, Minter, and Triumph have shown promise in recent tests. In long-time comparisons in southern Illinois soft varieties have yielded better than hard varieties. In central and northern Illinois the hard varieties have yielded slightly better than the soft varieties; but the general trend of the soft varieties has been toward higher yields, whereas the hard wheats have tended to remain constant in their yields or to slip downward. In the last ten years the newer soft wheats have equaled and in some years have even surpassed the hard wheats in both central and northern Illinois. In 56 of 74 tests, covering forty-five years at Urbana and twenty- nine years at DeKalb, bearded (awned) varieties yielded higher than the smooth (awnless) varieties. In recent tests the yields of bearded and smooth varieties have not been significantly different. With mod- ern methods of harvesting wheat there is no longer any good reason for preferring one variety to another on the basis of this characteristic. (Note concerning Tables 2, 3, and 4 on pages 328-333) When comparing the year-by-year yields of different varieties in these tables, these two things must be kept in mind : 1. Small differences in any one year do not necessarily indicate that one variety is inherently superior to another. For the amount one variety must outyield another before it can be considered better, see the difference-necessary-for-significance figures given at the bottom of these tables. (These figures are calculated on a 5-percent basis, which means that the odds are 19 to 1 against differences as great as or greater than these resulting from mere chance.) 2. Tests covering three or more years (upper parts of Tables 2, 3, and 4) give more reliable results than those cover- ing a shorter period. The "comparable average yield" given in bold type in each of these tables is a figure that results from an effort to wipe out differences in yield that might be due to the different seasons in which the varieties were grown. It is not practicable to ascertain how much difference there must be between these figures to suggest true varietal differences. The best we can say is that in evaluating varieties, small differences in these "com- parable average yields" should be disregarded. 12,0501-5247818 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBAIW