AURORA - Small grain farmers, researchers and buyers celebrated development of a disease-resistant wheat variety and talked their trade at Cornell University's annual field day Thursday.
Jason Rearick / The Citizen
A group of farmers and researchers tour the Robert Musgrave Research Farm overlooking Cayuga Lake in Ledyard Thursday morning.
A group of farmers and researchers tour the Robert Musgrave Research Farm overlooking Cayuga Lake in Ledyard Thursday morning.
About 50 came to the Robert Musgrave Research Farm on Poplar Ridge Road to learn about the latest studies and advances in the field. A university-bred variety of white wheat caused considerable buzz among attendees.
Named for Cornell University wheat breeder Neil Jensen, the variety in development for about five years has the potential to give farmers another crop option. Because of New York's wet climate, the crop is more susceptible to sprouting and scab, two problematic wheat diseases.
“This variety is a particularly important one to New York growers and buyers,” said Mark Sorrells, professor. “It represents the first variety that we've been able to develop with white seed color that is moderately resistant (to these diseases).”
At the same time, yields are similar to the popular Caledonia variety. Don Robin, a small grain farmer in King Ferry, said the variety looks promising after taking a slow walk through the research plot.
“In the last four years, it's been real tough, it's been a struggle,” he said. “And it's all dependent on the weather.”
Most frustrating are crops that develop disease late in the season and without symptoms until only a week or two before harvest.
“I'm definitely going to try to get some seed in the fall,” Robin said, referring to the limited quantities of Jensen seed the university plans to make available.
Sprouting and scab have reduced the white wheat supply and increased demand. A disease-resistant strain could provide opportunity for many growers.
“Sprouting has been such a problem over the last couple of years that a lot of farmers have gone away from it,” said Hugh Dudley, an Orleans County seed producer and wheat grower. “This may revive the white wheat market in New York state.”
The variety itself isn't the silver bullet for wheat growers in New York, though.
“There's no perfect variety, there's no perfect fungicide at this point,” said Gary Bergstrom, a professor of plant pathology and field day organizer. “We can start to whittle away at this problem, but it won't happen overnight.”
The university is working to combine all of its best growing practices such as timing, crop rotation and pest control in an approach known as integrated management.
Staff writer Shane Liebler can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or shane.liebler@lee.net
Named for Cornell University wheat breeder Neil Jensen, the variety in development for about five years has the potential to give farmers another crop option. Because of New York's wet climate, the crop is more susceptible to sprouting and scab, two problematic wheat diseases.
“This variety is a particularly important one to New York growers and buyers,” said Mark Sorrells, professor. “It represents the first variety that we've been able to develop with white seed color that is moderately resistant (to these diseases).”
At the same time, yields are similar to the popular Caledonia variety. Don Robin, a small grain farmer in King Ferry, said the variety looks promising after taking a slow walk through the research plot.
“In the last four years, it's been real tough, it's been a struggle,” he said. “And it's all dependent on the weather.”
Most frustrating are crops that develop disease late in the season and without symptoms until only a week or two before harvest.
“I'm definitely going to try to get some seed in the fall,” Robin said, referring to the limited quantities of Jensen seed the university plans to make available.
Sprouting and scab have reduced the white wheat supply and increased demand. A disease-resistant strain could provide opportunity for many growers.
“Sprouting has been such a problem over the last couple of years that a lot of farmers have gone away from it,” said Hugh Dudley, an Orleans County seed producer and wheat grower. “This may revive the white wheat market in New York state.”
The variety itself isn't the silver bullet for wheat growers in New York, though.
“There's no perfect variety, there's no perfect fungicide at this point,” said Gary Bergstrom, a professor of plant pathology and field day organizer. “We can start to whittle away at this problem, but it won't happen overnight.”
The university is working to combine all of its best growing practices such as timing, crop rotation and pest control in an approach known as integrated management.
Staff writer Shane Liebler can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or shane.liebler@lee.net
