Soft Red Winter Wheat Breeding and Variety Development for Kentucky

Sustainability: High-yielding, early maturing varieties with excellent test weight, straw strength and scab resistance increase sustainability by limiting soil erosion, reducing pesticide use and through improved profitability of the 3-crops-in-2-years rotation. Crossing: We will create new genetic variation by making crosses among advanced breeding lines and varieties to combine yield potential, test weight, early maturity, scab resistance and end use quality. These crosses become breeding populations from which lines are developed. Populations: F1 hybrids and F2, F3, F4 and F5; populations will be planted at Lexington, Woodford county, Princeton and Schochoh. In F2 and F3 populations, we will select and stabilize the populations then begin line development in F4 and F5 generations using genomic predictions as a guide. Speed breeding accelerates line development using special LED lights and 22 hour day length. Up to 3 generations per year of promising lines will be grown, which reduces the time until yield testing by at least one year. Yield Testing: Multi-year, multi-location yield testing will begin in the F6 at Lexington, Woodford Co., Princeton, and Schochoh; some of these lines are tested in other states, and all are screened for resistance in the scab nursery. A subset of lines will be sent off for milling and baking quality analysis. The best lines will be selected for another year of testing. Purification and Increase: Promising lines will be grown in headrows to purify them and then increased for possible release, pending strong results in the state variety trial. Flavor research and End Use Quality – baking of advanced lines and measurement of protein quantity and quality, test weight and flavor will be carried out at different N and S fertilizer levels. The flavor research and baking analysis will be done in collaboration with Chef Bob Perry in Dietetics and Human Nutrition. Additionally we will work with local bakers concerned about supply chain issues to identify promising wheat lines in our program.