Introduction

Small grain variety trials are conducted annually by scientists of the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Agricultural Experiment Station 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. The inclusion of an entry in the trials does not constitute an endorsement. The north Louisiana wheat trial included 16 released varieties (bold font in tables) and 22 experimental lines (normal font in tables). There were 23 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. The vernalization trial is two-rep yield trial in Baton Rouge that is intended to determine if a new variety trial entry is early enough and has enough disease resistance for south Louisiana.

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 spring 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 as a percentage 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 seeds.

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.

Growing Conditions and General Comments for 2024-2025

The 2024-2025 growing season was somewhat challenging with frequent rainfall at the start of planting in November, favorable growing conditions for much of the season, and then frequent rainfall in May that interfered with harvest at some locations. Oat trials had poor stands as a result of heavy rains soon after planting and were not harvested for grain yield. The wheat trials at St. Joseph and Bossier City were also lost to poor stands. Disease pressure was generally low with no stripe rust. Leaf rust was moderately severe in three south Louisiana trials. Oat crown and stem rust developed late in the spring and had minimal impact.

Performance of Wheat Varieties Across South Louisiana

South Region Means

All three south Louisiana locations produced good data in 2025 and had relatively light disease pressure (Table 1). The Fusarium headblight misted nursery in Baton Rouge was lost due to heavy rainfall after planting that resulted in poor stands.

AGS 4043 had the highest yield of 23 entries across south Louisiana. Yield ranged from 22.7 bushels per acre to 71.8 bushels per acre with a mean of 57.1 bushels per acre. The entries Progeny #Chad, LA15093SB-30-3-3, AGS 3022 and LA1933NDH-31 all had yields above 67.0 bushels per acre. The average test weight was 54.5 pounds per bushel with a range of 43.7 to 57.4 pounds per bushel. Leaf rust ratings ranged from 0.0% to 61.0% with a mean of 8.6%. The average heading date was 89.8. The average heading day of the 10 lowest-yielding entries was 93.0 versus 87.3 for the 10 highest-yielding entries.

Two Years

Progeny #Chad had the highest two-year mean yield across south Louisiana (74.1 bushels per acre) followed by LA1933NDH-31 and AGS 3022 also with average yields over 72 bushels per acre (Table 2). The average yield of 14 entries was 64.5 bushels per acre. The average test weight was 55.1 pounds per bushel with a range of 51.0 to 57.5 pounds per bushel. The five lowest-yielding entries were also the five latest-heading entries.

Three Years

The average yield of eight entries tested for three years across south Louisiana was 62.7 bushels per acre (Table 3) with a range of 41.2 bushels per acre to 73.5 bushels per acre. AGS 3022 had the highest average yield and the second-highest test weight. Progeny Chad also yielded above 70 bushels per acre but had a low test weight.

Baton Rouge

Yields in Baton Rouge were disappointing with a mean of 48.4 bushels per acre and a range of 25.5 bushels per acre to 59.8 bushels per acre (Table 4). The test at Baton Rouge never really tillered well and filled in for some reason, although it was quite uniform as seen by the low CV of 8.6%. The breeding line LA17006LDH042 had the highest yield and the highest test weight (58.3 pounds per bushel). AGS 4043 and AGS 3022 were the highest-yielding commercial varieties. AGS 4043 also had the second-highest test weight. Leaf rust pressure was moderate with a mean of 7.2% and a range of 0% to 49%.

Crowley

The trial at Crowley was excellent with a mean yield of 65.5 bushels per acre and a range of 22.8 bushels per acre to 85.3 bushels per acre (Table 5). Progeny #Chad had the highest yield, followed by AGS 4043 and AGS 3200 also with yields greater than 81.0 bushels per acre. The average test weight was 54.0 pounds per bushel with a high of 56.5 (AGS 4043). The average heading day was 89.0. The nine highest-yielding entries had heading days less than 90. Leaf rust pressure was relatively light with a mean severity of 4.9%. USG 3354 was highly susceptible with a mean severity of 69% and the lowest grain yield.

Jeanerette

The trial at Jeanerette was average with a mean yield of 49.0 bushels per acre and a CV% of 15.7 (Table 6). AGS 4043 had the highest yield (66.4 bushels per acre) and the second-highest test weight along with 0% leaf rust. Progeny #Chad and AGS 4023 also had yields above 57.0 bushels per acre. The average test weight was 54.0 pounds per bushel with a range of 43.7 to 58.0 pounds per bushel. LA17006LDH042 had a test weight of 58.6 pounds per bushel and a high yield with 0% leaf rust. The average leaf rust severity was 17.0% with a high of 86%.

Performance of Wheat Varieties Across North Louisiana

North Region Means

The trials at Bossier City and St. Joseph were lost. Trials were conducted with and without fungicide at Alexandria and Winnsboro. The fungicide and no-fungicide splits are planted in the same field but fungicide level is not randomized as six blocks so the test has to be analyzed as two separate variety trials, which confounds inferences on the effect of fungicide. On average, fungicide application increased yield by only 1.75 bushels per acre in north Louisiana and quite a few varieties yielded higher without a fungicide application. The lack of fungicide response is due to low disease pressure and is confounded by spatial variation in the field since fungicide treatment blocks were not randomized.

With Fungicide

The trials at Alexandria and Winnsboro produced average yields with a mean of 57.1 bushels per acre and ranged from 35.5 bushels per acre to 67.5 bushels per acre (Table 7). The five highest-yielding entries were breeding lines. Progeny #Buster, Go Wheat 6000, AGS 4043, AGS 4023 and Progeny #Chad are the five highest-yielding commercial varieties with yields of at least 60.8 bushels per acre.

Test weights ranged from 58.7 pounds per bushel to 52.6 pounds per bushel in the fungicide trial with a mean of 55.9 pounds per bushel. The fungicide treated reps averaged 1.08 pounds per bushel higher in test weight than the nonfungicide plots. LA17006LDH042 had the highest test weight.

Without Fungicide

The average yield with no fungicide across north Louisiana was 55.3 bushels per acre with a range of 28.9 to 65.3 bushels per acre (Table 7). The highest-yielding entry in north Louisiana without fungicide was GA23E37F. Agrimaxx 543, Progeny #Chad, USG3354 and Progeny #Turbo also had yields greater than 60.0 bushels per acre. Test weight averaged 54.8 pounds per bushel with a range of 50.3 pounds per bushel to 58.0 pounds per bushel (ARNCDH12753-103-1536M). The average test weight of the fungicide treated plots was 1.08 pounds per bushel greater than the average of the nontreated plots.

Leaf rust pressure was relatively light with a mean of 3.4%. The two entries with the highest leaf rust severity had yield and test weight increases from fungicide application of 6.0 bushels per acre and 2.9 pounds per bushel. There were significant differences among entries for FHB rating in the misted nursery but differences for FDK were not statistically significant. This is probably due to confounding of FDK with rainfall-related shriveling of seed.

Two Years

Twenty-one entries tested in north Louisiana without fungicide for two years averaged 65.4 bushels per acre and ranged from 59.0 to 72.1 bushels per acre (Table 8). Agrimaxx 492 had the highest two-year average yield, followed by Progeny #Chad. The two-year average test weight was 55.5 pounds per bushel and ranged from 54.0 to 57.6 pounds per bushel. Leaf rust severity ranged from 0% to 44% and stripe rust from 0% to 26%. There were significant differences among entries for FHB and FDK in the misted nursery. DON (mycotoxin) levels are for the 2024 trial as 2025 results are not back from the lab yet and will be added.

Progeny #Buster has the highest yield in the fungicide treated plots, followed by LA18003-NDH119 and LA13176CB-15-1-3 with average yields over 70 bushels per acre.

Three Years (No Fungicide)

Fourteen entries tested in north Louisiana without fungicide for three years averaged 71.7 bushels per acre and ranged from 64.4 to 79.7 bushels per acre (Table 9). Agrimaxx 492 had the highest three-year average yield, followed by USG 3354, Progeny #Chad and Progeny #Turbo. The three-year average test weight was 55.7 pounds per bushel and ranged from 53.4 to 58.2 pounds per bushel. Stripe rust disease pressure has been relatively low for the past three years with a mean of only 1%. Leaf rust pressure averaged 5.4% with a high of 44%. Differences among entries for FHB, FDK and DON are not significant. This is due to the large interaction between entries and environments that masks entry effects. This means that the relative ranking of entries has not been consistent over years and locations.

Alexandria

Yields and test weights at the Dean Lee Research Station are low (Table 10), partly due to marginal stands and poor tillering. The average yield with fungicides was 40.6 bushels per acre with a range of 17.4 bushels per acre to 49.1 bushels per acre (Table 10) and a relatively high CV%. The average test weight was 53.6 pounds per bushel with a range of 49.1 pounds per bushel to 57.1 pounds per bushel. Progeny #Chad was the highest-yielding commercial variety (47.1 bushel per acre).

The average yield without fungicide was 39.1 bushels per acre, a decrease of only 1.5 bushels per acre from the fungicide treated plots. Progeny #Chad had the highest yield (50.6 bushels per acre) in the nontreated plots. Fungicide application gave a test weight response of 1.0 pounds per bushel. Disease pressure was low in this trial.

Winnsboro

Yields were very good at Winnsboro with an average in the fungicide split of 73.4 bushels per acre, with a range from 50.4 to 85.1 bushels per acre (Table 11). LA17006LDH042 was the highest-yielding fungicide treated entry, followed by G23E37F and Progeny #Chad. Test weights were generally good and ranged from 52.6 to 60.3 pounds per bushel (LA17006LDH042) with an average of 57.8 pounds per bushel.

The nonfungicide treated trial had an average yield of 69.52 bushels per acre with a range of 35.8 bushels per acre to 81.0 bushels per acre (LA190333NDH-34). GA23E37F also yielded over 80 bushels per acre. Seven commercial varieties yielded over 70 bushels per acre led by Agrimaxx 492, Progeny #Chad and AGS 4043 with yields over 75 bushels per acre. Fungicide application increased yield by an average of 3.87 bushels per acre and test weight by 1.42 pounds per bushel. Disease pressure was low with an average leaf rust severity of 3.4%.

There was a significant difference among entries for FHB rating but not for FDK rating. It is likely that FDK ratings caused by Fusarium infection are confounded with seed shriveling caused by excess water after maturity. DON data (when available) should give a better indication of the reaction of entries to FHB infection.

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 has three years of data, the second group has two years of data, and the third group consists of entries with data only from 2025.

Delta Grow 1900 and LA18003-NDH119 are classified as Resistant, while nine additional varieties were classified as Moderately Resistant to FHB and three as Moderately Susceptible based on three years of data. No entries were classified as Susceptible to FHB based on three years of data.

AGS 4043 is classified as Resistant based on two years of data. Four additional entries as classified as Moderately Resistant. AGS 4023 is classified as Moderately Susceptible and LA13176CB-15-1-3 is classified as Susceptible to Fusarium headblight. Seventeen additional entries had FHB index values of 2.8 to 11.2 based on data from 2025.

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 or Winnsboro this year due to poor stands that resulted from heavy rainfall before emergence. Stands were very patchy, so yield data was not collected; however, phenotypic and disease ratings were still taken on the remaining plants. The Alexandria trial was not harvested due to heavy lodging and weathering after maturity.

Deer Preference Oat Variety Trial

The 24 entries in the statewide oat performance trial were planted in a “free-choice” deer preference trial at the Idlewild Research Station in Clinton on Oct. 28. The entries were planted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Each plot was 18 feet long and 5 feet wide. The approximately one-acre field is surrounded by woods with a healthy wild deer population. The test plots were surrounded by borders of Buck and RAM 11019 oats on the sides and a mix of oat breeding lines on the two ends. The plots were fenced off with three strands of electric fence and protected from deer and hogs for about a month. The upper two fence wires were removed in early December to give deer free access, while the lower wire was left to prevent wild pigs from accessing the plots.

Preference was rated on a 0-9 scale where 0 indicated no deer feeding on the plot and a 9 indicates that the plot was heavily grazed by deer such that leaf tissue was very sparse. Ratings were taken on Jan. 13, Jan. 28 and Feb. 19. An average of the three ratings was calculated. Growth habit was also rated on a 0-9 scale where a low number indicates an upright springlike growth habit and 9 indicates that the leaves and tillers hugged the ground and did have upright growth. The heavily grazed plots do not have growth habit ratings since they were constantly grazed to the ground.

The average use rating of 24 entries was 4.1 with a range of 0.8 to 7.7. Ratings were quite consistent over time with a correlation of 0.97 to 0.98 for the individual ratings with the mean rating. The differences in use were significant among entries overall and at each individual date. Savage had the highest average use rating (7.3) of commercial varieties followed by Brooks LA17089SBS-45-1-1 (Buck II) and LA99016 and Horizon 306.

This trial shows clear differences in preference by deer for certain varieties of oats. There was almost a bimodal distribution of varieties with a break between 5.2 and 3.4. Freeze damage was highly negatively correlated with use meaning that entries with less use had higher freeze damage, but this may be somewhat deceiving. Only oats that are not grazed down will sustain any freeze damage. Grazing oats greatly reduces the potential for freeze damage, and only ungrazed oats have the upright spring growth habit that is conducive to freeze damage.

This data does not make inferences about attracting deer to a given kill plot with a single variety of oat. Oats are generally preferred by deer over other small grains and given a choice of oats or non-oats it may or may not make a difference to what oat variety is planted. However, it is likely that deer in a small area will choose one oat over another oat variety at two adjacent stands. This study will be continued and expanded to a second location in 2025-2026.