University ag research technologist Greg Dorn of Lincoln uses a specialized combine to harvest wheat breeding plots at the Stumpf Wheat Center earlier this month.
Stumpf Center important cog in UN-L wheat breeding program
Wheat harvest brings an end to the annual cycle that began last fall when farmers planted this year’s crop.
But for the wheat breeders at the University of Nebraska, the cycle is just beginning.
The Stumpf International Wheat Center in Grant plays a key role in the development and research of both new and existing breeds of hard red winter wheat by the university.
Each year, the center is home to two distinct test plots.
One plot contains a wide array of different varieties so researchers can study specific results for each variety.
These range from the obvious, such as yield, test weight and protein content, to how a variety responded to different treatments of fertilizer, herbicides and inoculants.
They also evaluate the effectiveness of characteristic traits bred into the varieties such as straw strength, drought tolerance and resistance to disease.
The other large research plot—the breeding plot—sets the path for successful wheat production in Nebraska.
This is where breeders cultivate future generations of wheat varieties.
Involvement in the breeding program requires lots of patience—it can take 10 to 12 years to develop varieties for release into actual production.
Few varieties actually make the final cut for release as foundation seed. Once a variety is released as foundation seed, it takes a couple years for selected growers to grow enough seed to be sold to farmers as certified seed.
The university replicates the same breeding plots at eight different sites across the state from Lincoln to Alliance. This ensures that if one area is hit by hail, drought or other adverse factors, they don’t lose a year of research.
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