Research in the Klamath Basin
2009 Annual Report
Wheat and Barley Variety Screening
in the Klamath Basin, 2009
Richard J. Roseberg and Rachel A. Shuck1
Introduction
1
Associate Professor and Faculty Research Assistant, respectively, Klamath Basin Research & Extension
Center, Klamath Falls, OR.
Acknowledgements: These trials were conducted in cooperation with, and were partially supported by, the
OSU wheat genetics program (Dr. Jim Peterson, PI), and the OSU barley genetics program (Dr. Pat Hayes,
PI).
Reference to a product or company is for specific information only and does not endorse or recommend
that product or company to the exclusion of others that may be suitable.
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2009 Annual Report
Grain is produced on upwards of 100,000 acres in the Klamath Basin, including
nearly 50,000 acres within the Klamath Reclamation Project. Susceptibility to late spring
frosts has historically limited winter cereal production and spring cereals have accounted
for the majority of production. Starting in 2003, acres seeded to winter wheat (primarily
hard red winter types) have gradually increased, mainly on upland soils that remain
drained during the winter. With few late spring frosts and frost-free summers, most of the
winter wheat crops produced reasonably good yield and quality in the past few years.
Klamath Basin Research & Extension Center (KBREC) cereal variety evaluation
efforts have focused on spring cereal varieties in the past, but with the increased acreage
of commercial winter wheat, and grower requests for more winter wheat information, we
began conducting winter wheat trials at the station in the fall of 2004. While the first year
(2004-05) included only the Oregon State University (OSU) Oregon Winter Elite Trial
(OWEYT), in 2005-06 and 2006-07 we also seeded the Western Regional Soft Winter
Wheat and Hard Winter Wheat trials on the KBREC site mineral soil. However, in 2008
and 2009, the only winter grain trial we conducted was the OWEYT trail at KBREC due
to decreased funding and lack of staff.
In 2009, spring-seeded small grain variety trials were conducted on-site at
KBREC on a mineral soil, on an off-site location on mineral soil provided by a local
grower (Noonan site), and at a Lower Klamath Lake (LKL) site on a silty clay loam
muck (high organic matter) soil. The OSU Oregon Spring Elite Yield Trial (OSEYT) was
conducted only at the KBREC site. The Western Regional combined Soft and Hard
Spring Wheat Nursery was seeded at the LKL site. We began a new Forage Barley
Variety Trial in 2009, which was conducted at both the KBREC site and the Noonan site.
These two forage barley trials were done to evaluate the seed yield potential of these
varieties (not their forage production), with the hope that commercial seed production of
these forage barley types would be a viable option here.
The 2009 OWEYT trial was eventually abandoned in the spring due to excessive
grazing by migrating birds, preventing the collection of any useful crop growth or yield
data. Foraging geese are typical in the Klamath Basin in late winter, but in 2009 the high
density of geese and lack of other nearby forage resulted in nearly complete annihilation
of the winter wheat plants. The Western Regional Soft and Hard Spring Wheat Nursery
resulted in a failure due to excessive weeds early in the season. This trial was conducted
in a certified organic production field, and thus herbicides were not available. We have
conducted small grain trials in the field in several previous years without a significant
weed problem. Thus there was no meaningful collected from these two trials, so they
won’t be discussed further.
Procedures
KBREC Site
KBREC small grain variety trials were conducted on Poe fine sandy loam soil
following potatoes grown in 2008. Both trials were arranged in a randomized complete
block design. The OSEYT trial had three replications, and the Forage Barley Variety
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Trial had two replications. Seed was drilled one inch deep at 30 seeds/ft2 with a Kincaid
(Kincaid Equipment Mfg.) plot drill. The OSEYT trial was seeded on April 24, and the
Forage Barley Variety Trial on April 10. The plots were 20.0 by 4.5 ft, (9 rows at 6-inch
spacing), with a harvested area of 13.5 by 4.5 ft.
The OSEYT plots were fertilized with 62 lb/ac N, 62 lb/ac P2O5, 62 lb/ac K2O,
and 78 lb/ac S banded at seeding (applying 12-12-12 fertilizer at 518 lb/ac). The Forage
Barley Variety Trial was fertilized with 95 lb/ac N, 27 lb/ac P2O5, and 103 lb/ac S banded
at seeding (applying a custom-blended 19.7-5.6-0-21.5 fertilizer at 480 lb/ac). On May
28, both trial areas were treated with a tank mixture of Harmony Extra® (thifensulfuron +
tribenuron) applied at 0.75 oz/ac (0.38 oz. a.i. /ac), Rhomene® (MCPA) applied at 1.25
pint/ac (0.58 lb a.i./ac), and Starane® (fluroxypyr) applied at 0.5 pint/ac (0.1 lb a.i. /ac)
herbicides, using a conventional ground sprayer. An additional 63 lb/ac N and 72 lb/ac S
were applied to the OSEYT trial (as granular ammonium sulfate topdressed at 300 lb/ac)
on June 3.
The trial areas received 0.75 inch of precipitation in April, 1.74 inch in May, 1.84
inch in June, 0.17 inch in July, 0.20 inch in August, and zero in September. Solid-set
sprinklers arranged in a 40- by 40-ft pattern were used for irrigation. Irrigation rates were
based on crop water use estimates calculated from the US Dept. of Reclamation
Agricultural Meteorological (AgriMet) weather station at KBREC (US Bureau of
Reclamation, 2009). Due to timely early spring rains and cool weather at the time of
seeding and germination, neither trial needed irrigation during April. The OSEYT and
Forage Barley Variety Trial areas received the following amounts of irrigation during the
rest of the season: 3.43 inch in May (4 dates); 2.57 inch in June (3 dates); 6.08 inch in
July (6 dates); 0.86 inch in August (1 date) and none in September. Plots were harvested
using a Hege (Hans-Ulrich Hege) plot combine with a 4.5-ft-wide header. The OSEYT
trial was harvested on September 4, except for one entry that matured much later, which
was harvested on September 15. The Forage Barley Variety Trial was harvested on
August 26.
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Grain yield, test weight, lodging percentage, plant height, and maturity (date of 50
percent heading) were measured for all trials. Percent bird damage was also measured for
the barley trial. All measured parameters were analyzed statistically using SAS® for
Windows, Release 9.1 (SAS Institute, Inc.) software. Treatment significance was based
on the F test at the P=0.05 level. If this analysis indicated significant treatment effects,
least significant difference (LSD) values were calculated based on the student’s t test at
the 5% level.
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Noonan Site
The Forage Barley Variety Trial was also conducted on a mineral soil site owned
by the grower who funded the trial. The trial was seeded on a Harriman loam soil
following alfalfa grown in 2008. The trial was arranged in a randomized complete block
design with two replications. Plots were seeded one inch deep at 30 seeds/ft2 with a
Kincaid (Kincaid Equipment Mfg.) plot drill on April 7. The plots were 20.0 by 4.5 ft, (9
rows at 6-inch spacing), with a harvested area of 13.5 by 4.5 ft.
All plots were fertilized with approximately 80 lb/ac N disked into the soil before
seeding (applying chicken manure at 2 ton/ac), followed by 64 lb/ac N and 80 lb/ac P2O5
banded at seeding (applying 16-20-0 fertilizer at 400 lb/ac). The plots were irrigated by
the grower during the season with a wheel line that was used for the entire field (about 60
acres), based on his judgment of water need. Plots were harvested using a Hege (HansUlrich Hege) plot combine with a 4.5-ft-wide header on August 25.
Grain yield, test weight, percent bird damage, lodging percentage, plant height,
and maturity (date of 50 percent heading) were measured for all trials.
All measured parameters were analyzed statistically using SAS® for Windows,
Release 9.1 (SAS Institute, Inc.) software. Treatment significance was based on the F test
at the P=0.05 level. If this analysis indicated significant treatment effects, least significant
difference (LSD) values were calculated based on the student’s t test at the 5% level.
Results and Discussion
Soil moisture was good during seedbed preparation, and resulting germination
and stand density were good. There was good availability of irrigation water and
relatively few hot days during the season until late July (well after heading was
complete). During and soon after germination there were a few days of below-freezing
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nightly low temperatures, but the plants did not appear damaged and temperatures were
well above freezing during pollination. Overall, yields tended to be comparable to yields
of similar trials conducted in the past.
OSU Oregon Spring Elite Yield Trial
Thirty entries were grown in this trial at the KBREC site only, including 14
named varieties and 16 experimental lines. Differences in yield, test weight, height, and
50% heading date were all statistically significant at the P=0.05 level (Table 1). Yields
ranged from 3,240 to 6,120 lb/ac with a mean of 4,836 lb/ac. Yields were somewhat
higher overall in 2009 than a similar trial in 2007. Seed test weights were greater than the
60 lb/bu industry standard for almost all entries, indicating good moisture, fertility, and
weather conditions during the seed-filling phase. The overall mean test weight in 2009
(61.2 lb/bu) was greater than in 2007 (59.6 lb/bu).
Multiple-year yield means for all entries that were grown in the 2006, 2007, and
2009 trials at KBREC were calculated (Table 2). Eight entries were seeded all three
years, seven of which were named varieties. For these eight entries, overall mean yields
were greatest in 2006, followed by 2009, with 2007 yields the lowest. All of the
individual entries (except Hank) followed this pattern.
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Forage Barley Variety Trials
The 2009 Forage Barley Variety Trial was conducted on two different mineral
soil locations. Entries included three named awnless barley varieties, and eight
experimental lines at both locations.
KBREC Site:
Differences in all parameters measured were statistically significant at the P=0.05
level. Grain yields ranged from 1,810 to 4,970 lb/ac, with a mean of 3,014 lb/ac (Table
3). These yields were lower than average mean yields in previous barley trials at KBREC,
but earlier trials were mainly feed-type varieties selected for grain yield rather than
forage types.
Grain test weights at the KBREC site ranged from 44.0 to 51.6 lb/bu and were
greater than the 48 lb/bu industry standard for only four of the eleven entries, indicating
less-than-ideal adaptation of these varieties to the moisture, fertility, and weather
conditions experienced at this location during the seed-filling phase. Only two of the
entries had test weights over 50 lb/bu. The overall mean test weight in 2009 (47.5 lb/bu)
was much lower than in a 2007 feed barley variety trial on mineral soil (52.5 lb/bu).
Percent bird damage ranged from 8.0 to 55.0%, with a mean of 20.7%. Bird
damage clearly affected yield and/or test weight for a few varieties. Only three entries
experienced lodging, which ranged from 3.0 to 15.0%. Heights ranged from 34.4 to 44.5
inches, with a mean of 38.3 inches. The date of 50% heading ranged from 165.5 to 176.5
days, with a mean of 172.2 days.
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Noonan Site:
Differences between varieties were statistically significant only for test weight
and date of 50% heading. Yields ranged from 3,580 to 5,600 lb/ac, with a mean of 4,460
lb/ac (Table 4). Yields were higher at the Noonan site than the KBREC site for all entries.
These yields were very similar to average barley yields in trials of feed barley types
grown at KBREC in previous years on mineral soil.
Test weights at the Noonan site ranged from 44.8 to 51.0 lb/bu. Test weights were
greater than the 48 lb/bu industry standard for six of the eleven entries, indicating better
adaptation of these varieties to the moisture, fertility, and weather conditions experienced
at this location during the seed-filling phase. Only one entry (68-2RH) had a test weight
over 50 lb/bu. This variety had the highest test weight at both sites.
Percent bird damage ranged from 10.0 to 67.5%, with a mean of 37.5%. The
Noonan site experienced considerably more lodging than the KBREC site, (possibly due
to higher nitrogen uptake including the unknown contributions from manure and from the
prior alfalfa crop), which made it very difficult to harvest. Percent lodging ranged from
35.0 to 95.0%, with a mean of 75.5%. Heights ranged from 38.9 to 46.5 inches, with a
mean of 44.1 inches. These taller heights may also have been due to excess nitrogen
availability early in the growing season. The date of 50% heading ranged from 166.5 to
176.0 days, with a mean of 172.1 days, almost identical to the KBREC site.
Summary
In 2009, the OSEYT trial yielded slightly higher than a similar trial did in 2007,
but were not as high as 2006 yields (Table 2) (Roseberg and Smith, 2006 and 2007).
Despite the bird damage and severe lodging, the Forage Barley Variety Trial at the
Noonan site mineral soil produced yields that were similar to feed barley yields at the
KBREC mineral soil in previous years. However, the lodging issue was severe enough to
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negatively impact commercial-scale crop production practices. The Forage Barley
Variety Trial at the KBREC site produced much lower yields than feed barley trials
grown there in recent years. Bird damage was a factor for some varieties at both sites, but
did not explain the differences in yield in most cases. Forage (awnless) barley types seem
more susceptible to bird damage than standard feed types, and differences in this factor
(as well as lodging tendency) should be considered when attempting seed production of
these types.
Crop rotation has some influence on the results of these trials and with grain
production in the Klamath Basin in general. Spring grains can easily follow potatoes
grown the previous year, benefiting from typical potato management such as high rates of
fertilization and common use of fumigants, which also reduce weed seeds. Even where
spring grain follows grain the year before, spring moisture, tillage, and use of grain
herbicides often results in good stands with low weed pressure levels.
References
Roseberg, R.J. and Smith, J.E. 2006. Wheat and barley variety screening
in the Klamath Basin, 2006. Klamath Basin Research & Extension Center Annual
Research Report.
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/kbrec/research-klamath-basin-2006-annual-report.
Roseberg, R.J. and Smith, J.E. 2007. Wheat and barley variety screening
in the Klamath Basin, 2007. Klamath Basin Research & Extension Center Annual
Research Report.
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/kbrec/research-klamath-basin-2007-annual-report.
US Bureau of Reclamation, 2009. Agrimet: The Pacific Northwest cooperative
agricultural weather network. http://www.usbr.gov/pn/agrimet/.
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Table1.2009OSUOregonSpringEliteYieldTrial(OSEYT),seededinmineralsoil
(rankedbyyield).KlamathBasinResearch&ExtensionCenter,KlamathFalls,OR.
Entry
Type
1
Yield
(lb/ac)
TestWt
(lb/bu)
Height
(inch)
50%Heading
(DayofYear)
IDO599
SWS
6120
61.8
27.2
181
Alturas
SWS
6000
61.8
27.1
180
BZ604‐002
SWS
5940
61.9
32.0
182
OR4051328
HWS
5610
59.7
30.0
182
Whit
SWS
5590
61.2
31.5
184
WA008039
SWS
5510
62.7
30.1
183
Merrill
SWS
5400
60.0
30.2
182
Nick
SWS
5380
61.8
31.9
182
IDO671
SWS
5340
61.2
25.5
180
ID0377S
HWS
5280
62.0
30.3
182
Jefferson
HRS
5210
62.0
33.0
183
IDO702
HRS
5050
61.0
32.8
184
WA008047
Club
5010
61.1
28.7
181
Cataldo
SWS
5000
60.6
26.3
181
IDO644
SWS
4950
60.7
29.5
182
OR4990114
HRS
4820
61.2
30.2
180
WA008090
SWS
4810
60.3
26.7
181
Alpowa
SWS
4790
62.6
32.3
183
Bullseye
HRS
4670
63.3
28.0
182
Winchester
HRS
4580
61.7
34.1
185
Cleda
SWS
4560
59.5
30.6
182
Hank
HRS
4490
60.1
28.4
182
OR4031177
HRS
4420
62.2
32.1
182
Kelse
HRS
4300
61.5
32.9
183
BZ901‐717
HRS
4180
61.5
30.1
181
NPBHR 70
HRS
3980
60.7
28.3
182
RSI10348W
HWS
3940
59.2
32.2
182
B. Grande
HWS
3630
61.6
31.3
182
OR4041451
Cabernet
SWS
HRS
3290
3240
61.5
60.1
32.3
22.6
182
182
4836
61.2
30.7
183
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
1159
14.7
0.9
0.9
2.3
4.7
2
0.8
Mean
P value
LSD (0.05)
CV (%)
1
HRS = hard red spring; HWS = hard white spring; SWS = soft white spring.
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Grain yields shaded in gray are not significantly different from the highest yield in this trial.
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2009 Annual Report
Table2.2006,2007,&2009Three‐yearyieldsummary,OSUOregonSpringEliteYieldTrial(OSEYT),seeded
inmineralsoil(rankedby2‐yrmeanyield).KlamathBasinResearch&ExtensionCenter,KlamathFalls,OR.
Yield(lb/ac)
Entry
Cataldo
Type
SWS
1
3‐yrmean
2‐yrmean
2006
2007
2009
Yield
(lb/ac)
Rank
Yield
(lb/ac)
Rank
‐
5772
5000
5386
1
‐
‐
‐
Merrill
SWS
‐
5208
5400
5304
2
‐
Nick
SWS
7080
5202
5380
5291
3
5887
1
IDO377S*
HWS
6138
5130
5280
5205
4
5516
3
Alturas
SWS
6402
4320
6000
5160
5
5574
2
5
Jefferson*
HRS
5496
4704
5210
4957
6
5137
OR4990144
HRS
‐
4866
4820
4843
7
‐
‐
Alpowa*
SWS
6786
4626
4790
4708
8
5401
4
Winchester
HRS
5208
4506
4580
4543
9
4765
7
Hank
HRS
5982
4572
4490
4531
10
5015
6
Cabernet
Blanca Grande
HRS
HWS
‐
4278
4158
3594
3240
3630
3699
3612
11
12
‐
‐
8
5921
4722
4818
4770
Mean
1
3834
5141
HRS = hard red spring; HWS = hard white spring; SWS = soft white spring.
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Table3.2009ForageBarleyVarietyTrial,seededinKBRECmineralsoil(rankedbyyield).
KlamathBasinResearch&ExtensionCenter,KlamathFalls,OR.
Yield
(lb/ac)
TestWt
(lb/bu)
T/S 11
4970
46.2
8.0
Stockford
3540
47.8
T/S 50
3350
45.3
14‐2RH
3100
68‐2RH
3090
Entry
BirdDamage Lodging
(%)
(%)
Height
(inch)
50%Heading
(DayofYear)
0.0
34.4
168.0
30.0
0.0
34.9
177.5
10.0
3.0
36.4
168.0
50.6
18.0
0.0
40.2
176.5
51.6
10.0
0.0
40.2
176.5
T/S 4
3050
45.3
18.0
0.0
36.9
165.5
Belford
2970
44.0
13.0
15.0
41.0
168.5
16‐2RH
2910
49.1
13.0
0.0
36.7
177.5
Sara
2250
44.8
55.0
3.0
44.5
168.0
61‐2RH
38‐2RH
2120
1810
49.2
46.2
45.0
10.0
0.0
0.0
39.3
37.2
174.5
176.5
Mean
3014
47.3
20.7
1.9
38.3
172.5
P value
0.004
<0.001
0.011
0.007
0.006
<0.001
LSD (0.05)
CV (%)
1073
16.0
2.0
1.9
22.9
49.7
6.1
150.6
4.0
4.7
2.6
0.7
Grain yields shaded in gray are not significantly different from the highest yield in this trial.
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Table4.2009ForageBarleyVarietyTrial,seededinNoonanFarmsmineralsoil(ranked
byyield).KlamathBasinResearch&ExtensionCenter,KlamathFalls,OR.
Yield
(lb/ac)
TestWt
(lb/bu)
Height
(inch)
50%Heading
(DayofYear)
Belford
5600
45.2
35.0
T/S 50
80.0
46.5
170.0
5510
45.3
T/S 11
67.5
90.0
42.4
169.0
5030
T/S 4
4750
45.9
30.0
85.0
46.8
166.5
46.1
30.0
55.0
38.9
166.5
68‐2RH
4520
51.0
10.0
85.0
46.3
175.0
14‐2RH
4390
49.7
42.5
90.0
43.5
175.0
Sara
4280
44.8
50.0
95.0
43.9
172.0
Stockford
3900
48.5
30.0
75.0
46.5
175.5
61‐2RH
3860
48.3
27.5
60.0
40.7
173.5
16‐2RH
38‐2RH
3620
3580
49.3
48.6
35.0
55.0
35.0
80.0
43.9
45.5
176.0
174.0
Mean
4460
47.5
37.5
75.5
44.1
172.1
P value
0.174
0.006
0.146
0.080
0.330
<0.001
NSD
16.5
2.9
2.7
NSD
41.6
NSD
21.5
NSD
7.3
3.4
18.0
Entry
LSD (0.05)
CV (%)
BirdDamage Lodging
(%)
(%)
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