Vesper

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'BW410', 'Superb', 'Unity' and 'Waskada'

Summary: The intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the coleoptile in 'Vesper' is absent or very weak while it is medium in 'Superb' and 'Waskada' but strong in 'Unity'. 'Vesper' has a weak to medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the auricles of the flag leaf while it is absent or very weak in 'BW410' and 'Unity'. 'Vesper' heads earlier than 'Superb'. The spike of 'Vesper' is slightly longer than 'BW410', 'Unity' and 'Waskada'. 'Vesper' is shorter at maturity than 'Waskada' but taller than 'Superb'. The lower glume of 'Vesper' is glabrous while it is pubescent in 'BW410' and 'Unity'. 'Vesper' has a short beak of the lower glume while it is medium length in 'Superb'. 'Vesper' matures earlier than 'Superb'. At maturity, the straw of 'Vesper' has no anthocyanin colouration while 'Unity' does. Like 'Unity', 'Vesper' is resistant to wheat midge while 'Waskada' is moderately resistant and 'BW410' and 'Superb' are susceptible.

Description:

PLANT: spring type, common wheat, semi-erect growth habit at the 5-9 tiller stage, medium to strong glaucosity of the culm at heading, high frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves

SEEDLING (4 leaf stage): absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the coleoptile, glabrous sheaths and blades of the lower leaves

FLAG LEAF: weak to medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the auricles, medium glaucosity of the sheath, glabrous blade and sheath

STRAW (AT MATURITY): thin pith in cross-section, no anthocyanin colouration
SPIKE: medium to strong glaucosity at heading, parallel to semi-clavate profile, medium density, awns present, awns shorter than the length of the spike
SPIKE AT MATURITY: white, whitish awns, erect attitude, very sparse to sparse hairiness of convex surface of apical rachis segment
LOWER GLUME: narrow to medium width shoulder, straight, medium length and width, glabrous, short slightly curved beak, very sparse to sparse extent of internal hairs
LOWEST LEMMA: slightly curved beak

KERNEL: hard red type, medium red colour, medium size, medium length, medium width, ovate, rounded cheek shape, medium length brush hairs, medium to large sized round to oval germ, narrow crease width, medium crease depth

AGRONOMY: good resistance to shattering, fair resistance to pre-harvest sprouting

QUALITY: good bread making

DISEASE REACTION: resistant to Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina) and Stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici), moderately resistant to Fusarium head blight (Fusarium graminearum), moderately resistant to moderately susceptible to Loose smut (Ustilago tritici) and moderately susceptible to Common bunt (Tilletia caries, Tilletia foetida)

PEST REACTION: resistant to wheat midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana)

Origin & Breeding History: 'Vesper' (experimental designation BB21-GV5, BW415) derives from the cross Augusta / Hard White Alpha // *3 AC Barrie / 6 / BW150*2 // Tp/Tm/3/2* Superb / 4 / 94B35-R5C / 5 / Superb. The last cross was made in 1999 at the Cereal Research Centre, AAFC, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Augusta is the source of the Sm 1 gene that provides resistance to wheat midge for this variety. Hard White Alpha derives from AC Foremost / Alpha 16, with Alpha 16 as a leaf rust resistant reselection of Alpha. BW150 derives from Katepwa*6 / RL4509 and is the source of the leaf rust resistance gene Lr21. 94B35-R5C derives from Grandin*2 / Caldwell. Spike selections were made only at the F3 generation following observations of agronomic type and disease resistance. Following 2 years of testing in multi-location yield trials in 2005 and 2006, BB21-GV5 was entered as BW415 into the Central Bread Wheat Coop Trials in 2007.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials were conducted during the summers of 2009 and 2010 in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. Plots consisted of 5 rows with a row length of 4.3 meters and a row spacing of 23 cm. There were 4 replicates arranged in a RCB design.

Comparison tables for 'Vesper' with reference varieties 'BW410', 'Superb', 'Unity' and 'Waskada'

Means are based on the average of the two years

Days to heading (days from planting to when 50% of heads fully emerged from boot)

Plant height at maturity (including awns) (cm)

Days to maturity

Spike length (excluding awns) (cm)