Scientists at Oklahoma State University are giving wheat farmers new options to plant in their fields soon — five wheat varieties that build on years of research and careful selection of the best traits.
Scientists at Oklahoma State University are giving wheat farmers new options to plant in their fields soon — five wheat varieties that build on years of research and careful selection of the best traits.
Five is a large number even for OSU, which is known for its industry-shaping genetics program and nearly annual releases. However, Brett Carver, who holds the Wheat Breeding Genetics Chair in Agriculture, said optimal conditions and record yields this year allowed for a particularly large data set and several lines of research.
“There’s ultimately little crossover between these varieties,” he said. “We don’t breed a variety that addresses every problem — it doesn’t make sense; our geography is too diverse. So I wanted to make sure we knew where each of these five would do best, where each of them needs to grow.”
Each new cultivar plays up to certain strengths and traits. Carver, who was interviewed recently for the SUNUP television video series, provided a short overview.
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Image via Oklahoma State University.
