AAC Connery, a doubled haploid awnless hard red spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), was similar in grain yield to CDC Osler and significantly higher yielding than the other check cultivars Katepwa, CDC Teal, and AC Splendor. Wheat and flour protein concentrations were within the range of the checks. AAC Connery matured significantly later than AC Splendor and in a comparable number of days as Katepwa, CDC Teal, and CDC Osler. AAC Connery was significantly shorter than all of the checks and was significantly more resistant to lodging than Katepwa, AC Splendor, and CDC Osler. AAC Connery had significantly heavier kernel weight than Katepwa, CDC Teal, and AC Splendor. The test weight of AAC Connery was within the range of the checks. End-use quality specifications of AAC Connery are suitable for the Canada Western Red Spring wheat market class. AAC Connery expressed moderate resistance to Fusarium head blight, an improvement over the checks, resistance to prevalent races of stem rust and yellow rust, and moderate resistance to leaf rust, loose smut, and common bunt.

AAC Redberry hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has a grain yield significantly higher than the check cultivars Katepwa, and Lillian and is similar to Carberry. AAC Redberry matures in a similar number of days as Katewpa and Lillian, and is significantly earlier maturing than Carberry. AAC Redberry has an awned spike, and a low lodging score indicative of strong straw that is significantly lower than Katepwa and Lillian but significantly higher than Carberry. Plant stature is taller than Carberry, but shorter than Lillian and Katepwa. AAC Redberry expressed resistance to prevalent races of leaf rust, stem rust, yellow rust, loose smut, moderate resistance to common bunt and intermediate resistance to Fusarium head blight. AAC Redberry has quality attributes within the range of the check cultivars and is eligible for grades of Canada Western Red Spring wheat.

AAC Succeed durum wheat [Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf.) Husn.] is adapted to the durum production area of the Canadian prairies. AAC Succeed carries the Sm1 gene, which confers antibiosis-based resistance to orange wheat blossom midge [Sitodiplosis mosellana (Gehin)]. Averaged over three years, AAC Succeed yielded significantly more grain than Strongfield (7%) and AC Navigator (21%). AAC Succeed had a protein concentration significantly higher than Brigade and AC Navigator, and similar to Strongfield. AAC Succeed had significantly stronger straw as measured by lodging score than Strongfield, and similar to Brigade. AAC Succeed is eligible for grades of Canada Western Amber Durum, has low grain cadmium concentration, and has higher yellow pigment concentration than the check cultivars.

Background and objectives: To further improve the efficiency of GlutoPeak test for selecting water absorption and gluten strength in wheat breeding programs, this study was conducted to investigate the suitability and effectiveness of wholemeal as testing material by eliminating flour milling process which is often the bottleneck of quality evaluation throughput. Findings: By analyzing forty- four advanced wheat lines, strong correlations were found for wholemeal GlutoPeak parameters with conventional flour- based farinograph absorption ( r = .82, p < .001) and stability ( r > .76, p < .001), and extensigraph R max ( r > .90,

AAC Viewfield hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has a grain yield significantly higher than the check cultivars Katepwa and Lillian and is similar to Carberry. AAC Viewfield matures significantly later than Katewpa and Lillian but is similar to Carberry. AAC Viewfield has an awned spike, a low lodging score (indicative of strong straw), and significantly shorter plant stature than all checks. AAC Viewfield expressed resistance to prevalent races of yellow rust and stem rust, moderate resistance to leaf rust and common bunt, and intermediate resistance to Fusarium head blight. AAC Viewfield has quality attributes within the range of the check cultivars and is eligible for grades of Canada Western Red Spring wheat.

AAC Stronghold durum wheat [Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf.) Husn.] is adapted to the durum production area of the Canadian prairies. Averaged over 3 yr, AAC Stronghold yielded significantly more grain than AC Navigator. AAC Stronghold had a protein concentration significantly less than Strongfield but significantly more than Brigade. AAC Stronghold had a plant height significantly shorter than Brigade, Strongfield, and AAC Cabri, with a lodging score significantly less than Strongfield and AAC Cabri. AAC Stronghold has a solid stem, which confers resistance to cutting by the wheat stem sawfly (Cephus cinctus Norton). AAC Stronghold had low grain cadmium concentration and stronger gluten than Strongfield. AAC Stronghold is eligible for grades of Canada Western Amber Durum.

Several quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been identified for Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance in the cultivar Sumai 3. Wheat breeders need to know which Sumai 3 loci are present in derived lines used as parents for effective marker-assisted selection for genetic improvement. This study was conducted to identify the loci in Sumai 3 derived parents that contribute FHB resistance in breeding populations. Three doubled haploid (DH) populations utilizing Sumai 3 derived parents, ND3085, ND744, and Alsen, were evaluated during 2007 and 2008 in FHB nurseries near Carman, MB, Ottawa, ON and Charlottetown, PE. The percentage of incidence, severity, Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDK), and deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation were measured, and FHB index calculated. DNA markers at six FHB resistance loci detected in Sumai 3 were evaluated on the populations. For each trait, a t test was applied to means of observations pooled by parental type of each marker to determine which loci contributed to resistance. The alleles at 3BS and 5AS most frequently contributed to Type I and Type II FHB resistance, as well as to reduced FDK and DON in all three populations. Markers revealed resistance on 3BS and 5AS in Alsen, ND3085, and ND744, on 3BSc, 4D, and 6BS in ND744, on 4D in ND3085, and on 6BS in Alsen. In some environments, the susceptible parent Infinity contributed minor QTL on 2D, 3BSc, and 6BS. Likewise, Helios contributed minor QTL on 5AS and 6BS.

AAC W1876 hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has grain yield and time to maturity within the range of the check cultivars: Katepwa, Laura, Lillian, Carberry, and CDC Kernen. AAC W1876 has an awned spike, a low lodging score indicative of strong straw, and a short plant stature typical of a semidwarf wheat. AAC W1876 expressed resistance to prevalent races of leaf rust, moderate resistance to stem rust, and intermediate resistance to Fusarium head blight, yellow rust, common bunt, and loose smut. Compared with the Canada Western Red Spring check cultivars, AAC W1876 had improved flour yield and lower flour ash. AAC W1876 is eligible for grades of Canada Western Red Spring.

AAC Penhold, an awned hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar, yielded significantly more grain than check cultivar 5700PR while maturing 2 d earlier and was 7.5 cm shorter in stature. The seed size was significantly larger than 5700PR and 5701PR, with a test weight significantly heavier than both checks. AAC Penhold expressed resistance to prevalent races of leaf rust and common bunt and moderate resistance to Fusarium head blight and stem rust. AAC Penhold had higher grain and flour protein than the checks and improved Hagberg falling number, amylograph viscosity, and water absorption. AAC Penhold is eligible for grades of the Canada Prairie Spring Red wheat market class.

The efficiency of maize pollen induced doubled haploid (DH) production in durum wheat is low mainly because of poor germination of haploid embryos on culture media. The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of culture media supplements on DH production in durum wheat. Haploid durum embryos generated by the wheat x maize method from the cultivar Transcend and F-1 plants of a cross were cultured on a basic medium supplemented with 1mg L-1 3,6-dichloro-o-anisic acid (dicamba), 1mg L-1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 100 mg L-1 silver nitrate (AgNO3), 1mg L-1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), 1mg L-1 indole acetic acid (IAA), 1 mg L-1 naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), or 10 mg L-1 ascorbic acid. The proportion of haploid plantlets per embryo increased significantly by 33% with the AgNO3 supplemented medium over the basic medium, while the increase in proportion of doubled plants per embryo of 20% was not significant. The proportion of haploid plantlets was improved with BAP in the embryos of the F-1 plants, but the proportion of haploid plantlets and DHs per embryo produced with ascorbic acid and IAA were not different from the basic medium. Dicamba and NAA produced results less favorable than the control, and no germination occurred with 2,4-D. The advantage of AgNO3 was attributed to a reduction in the microbial contamination of embryos.

AAC Cabri durum wheat [Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf.) Husn.] is adapted to the durum production area of the Canadian prairies. AAC Cabri has a solid stem that provides protection against the wheat stem sawfly (Cephus cinctus Norton). Averaged over four years, AAC Cabri yielded significantly more grain than Strongfield, AC Avonlea, and AC Navigator, but the protein concentration was significantly lower than the high protein concentration cultivars AC Avonlea and Strongfield. AAC Cabri is eligible for grades of Canada Western Amber Durum and has low grain cadmium concentration.

AAC NRG097, a hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), was developed at the Swift Current Research and Development Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in Swift Current, SK. AAC NRG097 has grain yield and time to maturity within the range of the checks, a semidwarf stature, and heavier seed mass than the checks. It expressed resistance to prevalent races of both leaf rust and common bunt, while expressing an intermediate level of resistance to Fusarium head blight. It received registration no. 7567 from the Variety Registration Office, Plant Production Division, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on 24 July 2014. AAC NRG097 was granted Plant Breeders' Rights Certificate no. 5089 by the Plant Breeders' Rights Office, CFIA on 7 Aug. 2015. It is eligible for grades of Canada Western Special Purpose.

Genetic control of resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) is quantitative, making phenotypic selection difficult. Genetic markers to resistance are helpful to select favorable genotypes. This study was conducted to determine if Fhb1 and Fhb5 present in the Sumai 3 source of FHB resistance occur in Sumai 3-derived North American spring wheat cultivars and to understand the appropriateness of using markers to select for the favorable alleles at these loci in breeding. Sumai 3-derived parents Alsen, ND3085, ND744, Carberry, and Glenn were used in crosses to generate 14 doubled haploid breeding populations. The parents and progeny were genotyped with five Fhb1 and three Fhb5 microsatellite markers. Progeny were selected based on performance relative to parents and other control cultivars in FHB nurseries near Portage la Prairie and Carman, MB. χ2 and t test analyses were performed on marker and FHB data. The χ2 test frequently determined the proportion of lines carrying molecular variants associated with FHB resistance increased following nursery selection for FHB. Similarly, the t test regularly demonstrated that selection for FHB resistance lowered the mean level of disease associated with resistant marker haplotypes. The study affirmed FHB resistance sources Alsen, Carberry, ND3085, and ND744 have Fhb1 and Fhb5 loci like Sumai 3, but no evidence was found that Glenn carries Fhb1 and Fhb5 resistance alleles. The results justified use of Fhb1 and Fhb5 markers for marker assisted selection in populations derived from Alsen, Carberry, ND3085, and ND744, but not Glenn. Combined or individual application of Xgwm493 and Xgwm533 in selection of genotypes carrying Fhb1, and Xgwm150, Xgwm304, and Xgwm595 for Fhb5 will enhance FHB resistance in wheat.

The wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), is a major pest of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the northern Great Plains of North America. The use of solid-stemmed cultivars helps mitigate crop losses and can also affect the survivorship of C. cinctus. The efficacy of a plant's resistance is based on its ability to develop pith in the culm of the stem, which is influenced greatly by interactions between the genotype and environment. Precipitation-related weather interacts with photoperiod to reduce pith expression in solid-stemmed wheat. A model that predicts pith expression could serve as a management tool to prevent losses by alerting producers if in-season precipitation patterns have caused less than ideal pith expression in a cultivar. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models are used to make predictions for complex, non-linear systems with many co-related variables. Our objective was to improve upon past models that used regression analyses by deploying an ANN model to predict in-season stem cutting of wheat by wheat stem sawfly. Results indicate that stem cutting is influenced by the precipitation within a 5 wk period from 1 June to 5 July. These results were successfully deployed in a model that should assist with predictions of potential late season stem cutting. Deployment of this ANN model as a transferable executable file may facilitate predictions of stem cutting by wheat stem sawfly in any given year, which will empower producers to implement the appropriate harvest management strategies to reduce losses.

AAC Congress durum wheat [Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf.) Husn.] is adapted to the durum production area of the Canadian prairies. Averaged over three years, AAC Congress yielded significantly more grain than Strongfield and AC Navigator. AAC Congress had a protein concentration significantly lower than Strongfield but significantly higher than Brigade. AAC Congress is eligible for grades of Canada Western Amber Durum. It has lower grain cadmium concentration and higher yellow pigment concentration than all the check cultivars except AAC Cabri.

AAC Ryley is an awned semidwarf hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) that yielded significantly more grain than check cultivar 5700PR while maturing 1.9 d earlier and growing 5 cm taller. The seed size was significantly larger than 5700PR and 5701PR but the test weight was significantly lower than both checks. AAC Ryley expressed resistance to prevalent races of leaf rust, stem rust, and common bunt. AAC Ryley expressed intermediate resistance to loose smut and moderate susceptibility to Fusarium head blight. AAC Ryley is eligible for grades of Canada Prairie Spring Red wheat.