Performance of Small Grain Varieties in Louisiana, 2023-2024

Introduction

Small grain variety trials are conducted annually by scientists of the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Agricultural Experiment Station (LSUAC) to evaluate grain yield, agronomic performance, and disease reaction of varieties and advanced breeding lines. The trials are conducted at seven LSU AgCenter research stations representative of the major soil and climate regions of the state. Entries are included in the trials based upon previous performance or at the request of the originating breeder or company. Inclusion of an entry in the trials does not constitute an endorsement. The north Louisiana wheat trial included 36 released varieties (bold font in tables), 21 experimental lines (normal font in tables), and three seed treatment checks. There were 38 entries in the south Louisiana performance trials.

New entries in the statewide trials are tested in the north Louisiana trial and in a south Louisiana vernalization trial, unless prior testing in other Baton Rouge nurseries indicates an entry is adapted to south Louisiana, in which case it is also tested in the south Louisiana variety trial. South Louisiana consists of the Baton Rouge, Crowley and Jeanerette locations, whereas north Louisiana consists of locations at Alexandria, Bossier City, St. Joseph and Winnsboro.

When choosing varieties, growers should consult their local extension agents and choose varieties based on two-year data within a region, not based on a single year or location. Fusarium headblight reaction should also weigh heavily in variety choice as this disease is difficult to control and frequently contributes to loss of yield and economic value.

Growers should also consider specific data from the LSU AgCenter variety trial location that most closely matches the weather and soil conditions of their farm and should avoid growing a single variety on a large acreage. Growing several varieties helps to hedge against losing the entire crop to chance occurrences in weather or shifts in pathogen or pest races or virulence patterns. Yield, test weight, maturity, and disease resistance are important traits to consider when selecting varieties. If a grower plans to plant wheat early, he should avoid varieties that have a very early heading date in order to reduce the danger of freeze damage. Specific management and cultural practices for a location are presented at the bottom of the tables, along with unusual or key observations about that test. All plots were seeded at the recommended rate with seed provided by the originating agency or company (Appendix A).

Characteristics Evaluated and Statistics Reported

Data are collected on grain yield, test weight, heading and maturity dates, plant height, lodging, and disease reaction, as appropriate at each location. Grain yield was adjusted to 13% moisture. Least significant differences (LSDs) are reported at the 10% probability level. An LSD of 10% probability (α=0.10) is the level of difference in a trait (like yield) that occurs between two varieties once in every 10 comparisons as a result of random chance due to greater soil fertility, better drainage, slightly greater harvest length, or any other “uncontrollable or unmeasurable factors” in the test, even if the varieties had the same genetic yield potential. If the LSD (0.10) for yield in a trial is 7.0 bu/acre, there is a 10% chance that two varieties with a reported yield difference of 7.0 bu/acre are genetically equal and a 90% probability that they have differences in genetic potential in that particular environment. LSD values are influenced by the degree of precision that soil fertility, stand establishment, plot length, harvest efficiency, and other variables of the trials are controlled, and by the number of replications of each variety or treatment. The letters “NS” are used in the text and tables to indicate lack of significance (not significantly different) at the 10% probability level. Correlations are sometimes given to indicate the degree to which two traits, such as rust rating and yield, are related. A correlation between rust rating and yield of r = -1.0 would indicate that for every unit increase in rust there was a proportional decrease in yield.

Wheat leaf rust, stripe rust and oat crown rust are reported as percentage of the upper two leaves affected by the disease. Two replications are evaluated for leaf and stripe rust, between flowering and the early dough stage of kernel development. Wheat and oat stem rust are reported on a scale of 0-9, where a 0 indicates no disease and a 9 indicates that the plant was killed by the disease. Stem rust is normally rated somewhat later than leaf rust.

Bacterial streak, Septoria leaf and glume blotch are rated on a scale of 0 to 9 during the dough stage of development. A rating of 0 indicates that no disease was present, while a 9 indicates very severe disease. The upper few leaves, heads, and stems below the head are the portions rated for these diseases. Since bacterial streak (black chaff) is not controlled by fungicides, it is important that this disease be distinguished from Septoria blotch. Heading day is given as calendar day (day of year). Lodging is rated on a 0-9 scale, where a 0 indicates that all plants were completely upright.

Fusarium headblight is rated on a 0-9 scale in yield plots and in inoculated, misted nurseries. A seed sample is rated for percent Fusarium damaged kernels (FDK) and then submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wheat DON Lab at the University of Minnesota to determine deoxynivalenol toxin (DON) concentration. The same procedure is followed for the misted nurseries except that samples are hand harvested and processed to avoid blowing out small, scabby seed.

A Fusarium index is calculated as (2 x field rating divided by the mean rating of all entries) + (2 x FDK % divided by the mean FDK rating of all entries) + (3 x DON divided by the mean of all entries)]. FHB reaction type is based on this FHB index.

Traits and Rating Scales for LAES Wheat and Oat Performance Trials.

Growing Conditions and General Comments for 2023-2024

The 2023-2024 growing season was generally good despite heavy rainfall totals from November through January. All wheat and oat tests were successfully planted and harvested at all locations on time and data reported, except for Bossier City and St. Joseph wheat data, which were discarded due high CVs and Bossier City and Alexandria oat data, which were discarded due to severe lodging. Several days of temperatures in the high teens in late January resulted in minor damage at some locations. Oat trials in Baton Rouge were lost to Pythium root rot that occurred after heavy rains in late December/early January.

Performance of Wheat Varieties Across South Louisiana

South Region Means

All three south Louisiana locations had good trials in 2024. As a result of high rain values, disease pressure varied by location with significant stripe rust in Baton Rouge, high leaf rust pressure in Crowley and high tan spot pressure in Jeanerette. The Fusarium headblight misted nursery in Baton Rouge was lost due to heavy rainfall after planting that resulted in poor stands. There was significant lodging at Crowley, and all entries at all locations received sufficient vernalization hours.

LA19333NDH-31 had the highest yield of 35 entries across south Louisiana (Table 1). Yield ranged from 58.8 to 86.2 bushels per acre with a mean of 73.0 bushels per acre. The entries Progeny #Chad, GA151313-20E48, AGS 2055, AGS 3022 and LA17006LDH042 all had yields above 81.0 bushels per acre. The average test weight was 55.5 pounds per bushel with a range of 52.5 to 57.3 pounds per bushel. Stripe rust ratings ranged from 0.0% to 50.0% with a mean of 2.9%.

Two Years

AGS 3022 had the highest two-year mean yield across south Louisiana (78.2 bushels per acre) followed by Dyna-Gro 9332 with a mean yield of 74.3 bushels per acre (Table 2). Both entries had stripe and stem rust ratings of 0. Over the past two years at Baton Rouge, stripe rust levels were high in 2024, and stem rust levels were high in 2023.

Three Years

AGS 3022 (81.0 bushels per acre) had the highest average yield of 11 entries followed by Delta Grow 9332 over three years in south Louisiana (Table 3). Both entries had test weights well above the mean of 55.8 pounds per bushel and were resistant to stripe and stem rust.

Baton Rouge

Thirty-five entries were tested in Baton Rouge for 2024 (Table 4). The Louisiana experimental line LA13176CB-15-1-3 had the highest yield (89.8 bushels per acre) compared to the mean of 77.3 bushels per acre. The next three highest-yielding entries, all commercial varieties, AGS 3022, Dyna-Gro 9332 and Pioneer 26R94, had yields of 88.0 bushels per acre or above. The average test weight was 56.1 pounds per bushel. Stripe rust pressure was relatively light with only four entries over 5% severity.

Crowley

Yields were less than Baton Rouge with a mean of 77.0 and a yield range of 51.6 to 94.8 bushels per acre (Table 5). The breeding line, GA151313-20E48, had the highest yield and a test weight slightly below the mean. Progeny #Chad, AGS 2055 and LA19333NDH-31 also yielded over 91.0 bushels per acre. The average test weight was 56.8 pounds per bushel. Lodging was moderate and leaf rust pressure was very high at Crowley in 2024.

Leaf rust pressure was quite high in Crowley with a mean of 20% severity and a high of 90% severity.

Jeanerette

Jeanerette had a mean yield of 64.9 bushels per acre and a range of 48.6 to 83.8 bushels per acre (Table 6). The experimental line LA19333NDH-31 had the highest yield, followed by three other experimentals, LA17179SSP-32-3, FLGA111151-55 and GANC12915-167-21E3, all with yields above 75.0 bushels per acre. Test weights at Jeanerette ranged from 50.0 to 56.9 pounds per bushel, with a mean of 53.7 pounds per bushel. Tan spot severity was moderate, with a mean of 4.7 (0-9 scale).

Performance of Wheat Varieties Across North Louisiana

North Region Means

The trials at Bossier City and St. Joseph are not reported due to high CV (unexplained variation) that makes the data unreliable. Trials were conducted with and without fungicide at Alexandria and Winnsboro (Table 7). On average fungicide application increased yield by only 1.3 bushels per acre in north Louisiana, however some varieties yielded higher without fungicide. The lack of fungicide response is due to low disease pressure and is confounded by spatial variation in the field that is confounded with fungicide blocks..

With Fungicide

The trials at Alexandria and Winnsboro produced high yields with an average 72.5 bushes per acre ranging from 57.6 to 81.9 bushels per acre (Table 7). The top five yielding varieties in north Louisiana with fungicide were Dyna-Gro 9172, Progeny #Buster, Progeny #Bingo, Agrimaxx 535 and LA18003-NDH119. Test weights ranged from 54.1 to 58.8 pounds per bushel with an average of 56.2 pounds per bushel. Progeny #Buster and LA18003-NDH119 had top five yields, above average test weights and excellent stripe and Fusarium resistance.

Without Fungicide

The average yield with no fungicide across north Louisiana was 71.2 bushels per acre with a range of 57.9 to 85.2 bushels per acre (Table 7). The top five yielding varieties in north Louisiana without fungicide were Agrimaxx 492, GA15490ID-19-5-21LE2, Delta Grow 1200, Delta Grow 3500 and Progeny #Chad. Test weight ranged from 53.1 to 56.8 pounds per bushel with an average of 56.2 pounds per bushel.

Leaf rust pressure was heavy at Alexandria with an average severity of 8.4% and a range of 0% to 72%.

Two Years

Twenty-nine entries tested in north Louisiana without fungicide for two years averaged 77.1 bushels per acre and ranged from 59.2 to 90.1 bushels per acre (Table 8). Agrimaxx 492 had the highest two-year average yield, followed by AGS 2055, Delta Grow 1900, USG 3354 and Progeny #Chad. The two-year average test weight was 56.3 pounds per bushel and ranged from 53.0 to 58.7 pounds per bushel.

Three Years

Sixteen entries tested in north Louisiana without fungicide for three years averaged 79.0 bushels per acre and ranged from 73.5 to 89.7 bushels per acre (Table 9). Agrimaxx 492 had the highest two-year average yield, followed by AGS 2055, Progeny #Chad, Delta Grow 1200 and Progeny #Bingo. Three-year average test weight was 55.6 pounds per bushel and ranged from 53.8 to 57.6 pounds per bushel.

Alexandria

At Alexandria fungicide application increased grain yield by an average of 5.4 bushels per acre. The average yield in the fungicide protected split at Alexandria was 60.1 bushels per acre with a range from 43.3 to 74.6 bushels per acre (Table 10). Progeny Bingo was the highest-yielding fungicide treated entry in Alexandria. Progeny #Buster and Agrimaxx 535 also both had yields over 70 bushels per acre. Test wights ranged from 57.5 to 62.6 pounds per bushel with an average of 59.6 pounds per bushel. Fungicide application increased test weight by an average of 1.7 pounds per bushel.

The average yield in Alexandria trial without fungicides was 54.8 bushels per acre with a range from 28.1 to 66.1 bushels per acre. LA19333NDH-34 was the highest-yielding nonfungicide treated entry in Alexandria. GA151313-20E48 and Agrimaxx 492 also had yields over 65 bushels per acre. Test wights ranged from 53.6 to 61.3 pounds per bushel with an average of 57.9 pounds per bushel. Significant leaf rust pressure occurred at Alexandria with an average severity (nonfungicide) of 8.5%.

Bossier City

The data from Bossier City is not reported due to a high CV% that indicates the data is not reliable.

St. Joseph

The data from St. Joseph is not reported due to a high CV% that indicates the data is not reliable.

Winnsboro

Yields were excellent at Winnsboro with an average in the fungicide split of 84.0 bushels per acre with a range from 71.6 to 100.2 bushels per acre (Table 11). Dyna-Gro 9172 was the highest-yielding fungicide treated entry in Winnsboro. LA18003-NDH119 and Delta Grow 1900 also both had yields over 95 bushels per acre. Test weights were low at Winnsboro due to postmaturity rainfall. Test weights ranged from 52.4 to 56.6 pounds per bushel with an average of 54.1 pounds per bushel.

The nonfungicide split had a lower average yield than the fungicide split primarily due to field position effects. The fungicide and nonfungicide splits are in blocks separated in the field and the fungicide block was not as well drained. The average nonfungicide treated yield in Winnsboro was 87.5 bushels per acre with a range from 69.8 to 104.5 bushels per acre. Agrimaxx 492 was the highest-yielding nonfungicide treated entry in Winnsboro. LA13176CB-15-1-3, Delta Grow 3500 and Dyna-Gro Riverland all had yields over 98 bushels per acre. Test wights ranged from 53.1 to 56.4 pounds per bushel with an average of 54.6 pounds per bushel.

Fusarium Headblight Screening Results

Table 12 contains the FHB reaction type and data of all entries tested in north Louisiana. Entries tested for two or more years are classified as Resistant, Moderately Resistant, Moderately Susceptible or Susceptible based on the Fusarium headblight Index value over two or three years.

FHB Index is calculated as: 2*(A + 2*B + 3*C) where:

A = FHB rating divided by the mean FHB rating.

B = FDK percent divided by the mean FDK percent.

C = DON ppm divided by the mean DON ppm.

The FHB Index gives more weight to DON and FDK since they are the standard by which grain is judged at the elevator.

Table 12 has values for FHB, FDK and DON for one, two and three years from the misted nursery in Alexandria and Winnsboro for all entries in the north Louisiana variety trial. The table is split up into three groups. The first group is entries with three years of data, the second group is entries with two years of data and the third group consists of entries with data only from 2024. All data from 2024 was only taken from the Alexandria trial, due to strong confounding of ratings with heading date at Winnsboro. NIV (nivalenol) was measured by the USDA Lab in 2023 from seed in the Alexandria and Baton Rouge misted nurseries. NIV is similar to DON but is found more commonly in south Louisiana, particularly in the rice growing region.

Delta Grow 1800, Delta Grow 1900, Progeny #Turbo, and LA18003-NDH119 were all classified as Resistant, while 15 additional varieties were classified as Moderately Resistant to FHB, five entries were classified as Moderately Susceptible, and five entries were classified as Susceptible to FHB.

The misted FHB nursery was lost in Baton Rouge this year due to heavy rains immediately after planting that resulted in poor stands.

Oat Performance Trials

The oat performance trial was not harvested in Baton Rouge this year due to a severe Pythium infection brought on by a period of extended rain during mid-winter. Stands were very patchy so yield data was not collected, however phenotypic and disease ratings were still taken on the remaining plants. Data is not reported for Bossier City or Alexandria due to high CV% resulting from bird damage and severe lodging.

Yields from Winnsboro were good with a high of 121.7 bushels per acre, a low of 50.9 bushels per acre and a mean of 95.0 bushels per acre (Table 13). The top yielding nine entries were all over 100 bushels per acre and mostly consisted of nonreleased breeding lines from Louisiana State University. There were four released varieties in the trial. The highest-yielding commercially available variety was the as-yet unbranded LA17089BSS-33-2 (100.2 bushels per acre). Test weights averaged 30.4 pounds per bushel, with a range from 24.1 to 34.8 pounds per bushel (Table 13).

Stem rust severity was high at Baton Rouge with a mean of 2.4 (0-9 scale) and a range of 0 to 7.0. Stem rust has been a yield-limiting disease in Baton Rouge for several years. Crown rust pressure was low.

Ten varieties were tested in Winnsboro (and Chase) for two years (Table 14). All other oat trials in 2023 and 2024 were lost. Yields ranged from 46.9 to 121.1 bushels per acre with a mean of 98.1 bushels per acre. The commercial varieties Savage, LA 99016 and Horizon 306 all had fairly average yields in these trials. The six highest-yielding entries are LA breeding lines and the newly released LA17089SBS-33-2 showed better than average yields and was the fourth highest yielding variety in the trials.

Crown rust severity was low except for the susceptible check variety, Brooks. Stem rust severity was moderate with a mean of 2.4 (0-9 scale). The varieties LA99016, Horizon 306 and Brook stem rust severity of 4.5 or higher.

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