OCR Text |
Show o New Relief Wheat Withstands Attack Of Short Smut A clear contrast is shown in the plantings of common varieties of wheat in northern Utah and the new variety, known as "Relief", which is practically free from the short smut, an infestation that is prevalent in parts of Utah and southern Idaho, according to officials of the Utah State Agricultural college. In fields where "Relief" is growing side by side with non-resistant varieties vari-eties the contrast is most noticeable. On one hand the grain is high, well-filled well-filled and clean while that which has been infested with smut is uneven, un-even, with many short stalks and a high percentage of the crop is ruined. The new variety of smut resistant wheat was bred at the Utah State experiment station by Professor D. C. Tingey. It was produced by hybridization hy-bridization in response to an urgent need for some more effective means of controlling the serious disease of wheat which exacts a toll of approximately ap-proximately $250,000 a year from the Utah, growers. In addition to being be-ing resistant to the forms of covered smut most prevalent in this area, it also appears to be equal in all other respects, such as yields, winter hardness, hard-ness, and quality,- to the best varieties varie-ties now being grown In this region. The female parent of "Relief" is known as Hussar. It is a purellne selection from Red Hussar, the origin of which is undertermined. This variety is not grown commercially .because it is not a high yiclder; j neither is the grain of good quality, but it is resistant to most of the forms of covered smut occurring in Utah, Professor Tingey said. Turkey 26, the male parent, is a, pureline selection out of the Turkey variety made at the Nephi dry farm! .substation. Like all other standard ' wheats grown in Utah, this selection is highly susceptible to practically all farms of covered smut. When the two varieties were crossed the result was a wheat that is a high yielder and resistant to smut. |