FOREWORD

Personnel of the Department of Entomology, Soil, and Plant Sciences of the South Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station conducted the research reported in this publication. Tests were located at the Edisto Research and Education Center near Blackville, the Pee Dee Research and Education Center near Florence, and the Simpson Experiment Station near Clemson.

The circular was prepared by Benjamin E. Edge, III, Small Grains Breeder, and Carl W. Myers, Agricultural Science Associate. The research results and variety descriptions should provide a basis for reliable evaluations of the small grain varieties involved.

Certain of the varieties and advanced experimental strains have been tested for only one or two years. Such short-term data are considered inconclusive and are included in this publication merely as a report of progress.

For their assistance in conducting these tests, acknowledgment is made to the following individuals:

George R. Askew, Resident Director, Pee Dee REC, Florence, SC.

Bill Jones, Agric. Science Assoc. I, Pee Dee REC, Florence, SC.

R. M. Pitts, Farm Manager, Pee Dee REC, Florence, SC.

Steve Meadows, Extension Animal Scientist and Resident Director, Edisto REC, Blackville, SC.

J. W. Chapin, Professor of Entomology, Edisto REC, Blackville, SC.

James Thomas, Agricultural Science Assoc. II, Edisto REC, Blackville, SC.

J.S. Shirley, Crop & Soil Environmental Science, Clemson, SC.

The authors gratefully acknowledge computer program development by B. C. Morton (Retired) and D. K. Barefield, Department of Entomology, Soil, and Plant Sciences. Thanks go to Mrs. Cherylene K. Amidon, Department of Applied Economics and Statistics for help with data entry. We also thank Mr. Barefield for his help with the preparation of this document for publication on the World Wide Web.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Page
INTRODUCTION		1
TEST CONDITIONS		1
DIFFERENCES IN YIELD		3
CHOICE OF VARIETIES		3
WEATHER AND PEST CONDITIONS		4
PERFORMANCE OF OAT VARIETIES (TABLES)
Clemson		5
Florence		6
Blackville		7
PERFORMANCE OF BARLEY VARIETIES (TABLES)
Clemson		8
Florence		9
Blackville		10
PERFORMANCE OF TRITICALE VARIETIES (TABLES)
Clemson		11
Florence		12
Blackville		13
PERFORMANCE OF WHEAT VARIETIES (TABLES)
Clemson Early Planting		14
Clemson Late Planting		16
Florence		18
Blackville		20
NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF AGENCIES SPONSORING ENTRIES		21

PERFORMANCE OF SMALL GRAIN VARIETIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Benjamin E. Edge, III, and C. W. Myers^*

Barley, oat, triticale, and wheat varieties are evaluated annually at three locations in South Carolina. Wheat is also evaluated using two planting dates. These evaluations are conducted to determine the value and adaptability of commercially available and experimental small grain varieties for planting in the state. Continued testing and evaluation are essential to provide farmers, seedsmen, and other agricultural workers with reliable information to assist them in selection of varieties best adapted to their locality and individual production requirements.

This publication contains current year and multiple year data for several standard varieties and some newer promising varieties and strains. Information is provided for yield, test weight, plant height, and heading date of the barley, oat, triticale, and wheat varieties tested. Also, some varieties are rated for pest resistance, straw strength, relative maturity, and other agronomic traits.

TEST CONDITIONS

The small grain tests at each location were planted in firm, well-prepared seedbeds. Early wheat was planted at the Simpson Station in late November while late wheat seeding was in mid-December. Tests in the Coastal Plain were planted the latter part of November and early December. Seeding dates are listed on individual tests. Triticale variety tests were seeded on or after November 15. It is very important to seed the triticale varieties after this date to minimize the chances of late spring freeze damage to the developing head/grain.

CULTURAL PRACTICES 2005-2006

Clemson:

Dates of planting:

Early: See individual crops.

Late: See individual crops.

Management: Chisel plowed and disked

Soil type: Cecil sandy clay loam

Fertilization: preplant-See individual crop locations for fertilizer amounts and soil test values.

topdress-70 lbs/acre N

Herbicide: 0.75 lb/acre 2,4-D

Plot size: planted 6 rows 12 ft. x 7 in.

harvested 6 rows 10 ft. x 7 in.

^*Instructor - Small Grains Variety Test Manager and Agricultural Science Associate.

CULTURAL PRACTICES 2005-2006 (continued)

Blackville:

Date of planting: December 2, 2005

Management: Deep tillage and disked

Soil type: Varina loamy sand

Fertilization: pre-plant-see individual crop locations for fertilizer amounts and soil test values.

topdress-70 lbs/acre N

Herbicide: 0.75 lb/acre 2,4-D

Plot size: planted 6 rows 12 ft. x 7 in.

harvested 6 rows 10 ft. x 7 in.

Florence:

Date of planting: November 17, 2005.

Management: Deep tillage and disked

Soil type: Norfolk loamy sand

Fertilization: preplant-See individual crop locations for fertilizer amounts and soil test values.

topdress-70 lbs/acre N

Herbicide: 0.75 lb/acre 2,4-D

Plot size: planted 6 rows 12 ft. x 7 in.

harvested 6 rows 10 ft. x 7 in.

RECOMMENDED RATES OF FERTILIZER P₂O₅-K₂O TO APPLY TO SMALL GRAIN BASED ON

SOIL TEST LEVELS

POTASSIUM

LOW

MEDIUM

HIGH

VERY HIGH

PHOSPHORUS POUNDS P₂O₅-K₂O

LOW	80-80	80-40	80-0	80-0
MEDIUM	40-80	40-40	40-0	40-0
HIGH	0-80	0-40	0-0	0-0
VERY HIGH	0-80	0-40	0-0	0-0

DIFFERENCES IN YIELD

Since experimental plots are subject to inherent soil variations, fertility differences, and other sources of variation, it is not possible to determine the exact yield potential of a variety. Therefore, all differences between varieties should be viewed with caution since they may not be "real" differences, but may have occurred by chance. Statistical aids given in each of the tables should help the reader to make valid comparisons between varieties and show the precision with which the tests were conducted. The magnitude of differences which may have been due to chance have been computed for the data presented herein and are listed at the end of each column as the L.S.D. (least significant difference).

Comparisons between varieties should be made only within columns and not between columns in the tables. In comparing varieties within a column, differences greater than the L.S.D. may be assumed to be inherent differences between varieties with 90% confidence. Differences smaller than the L.S.D. are assumed not to be real differences with 90% confidence.

Coefficients of variation, (C.V.), which are listed at the bottom of the current year data tables, reflect the relative precision and accuracy with which the test was conducted. Relatively low percentages indicate small amounts of variation within each test.

CHOICE OF VARIETIES

Many factors besides yield influence the choice of small grain varieties. Plant characteristics which should be evaluated in selecting small grain varieties include lodging resistance, plant height, relative maturity, winterhardiness, and pest resistance, in addition to test weight of the grain. Jay Chapin maintains a wheat production guide at http://www.clemson.edu/smallgrains/.

Varietal performance may seem inconsistent because of year-to-year variations in rainfall, temperature, pests, and other factors. Therefore, continued testing over a period of years is necessary to obtain a more reliable evaluation of variety performance.

In addition to the yearly data, multiple-year averages are reported for certain of the varieties. Whenever possible these long-term averages, rather than the 1-year results, should be used to make comparisons between varieties.

WEATHER AND PEST CONDITIONS

Soil moisture was low going in to the small grain planting season, hindering land preparation. The oat, barley, and early wheat test at Clemson were planted during the first two weeks of November. After planting started, rains occurred in the state, delaying the completion of planting. All tests at the Pee Dee REC were planted the third week of November. Tests at the Edisto REC were planted the first week of December. The late wheat at Clemson was planted the last week of December and the triticale test at Clemson was planted the second week of January. Good stands were obtained at all test locations.

Rainfall amounts for the period October 2005 through May 2006 for Clemson and Florence are listed in the table below for the test locations. Some ranges of the field at Florence had different plot lengths due to Roundup drift during the end-trimming operation. Yields were adjusted according to the actual plot length, but this resulted in slightly higher CVs for that location. Rainfall during the growing season was generally below normal at Clemson, and Blackville, but was near normal at Florence. Small grains tend to perform better in slightly dry years. It was not too dry for small grains, except that the dry spell in March stressed the crops during stem elongation and resulted in shorter than normal height for most varieties. Disease infestations such as powdery mildew and rust were generally quite low. Hessian fly levels were low at the Edisto REC and Pee REC and yield losses to fly were minimal. Barley yellow-dwarf virus infestations were minimal in the oat and barley variety tests.

Winter temperatures were relatively mild during the December to February period. But some freeze damage occurred in early maturing wheat varieties.

Monthly Rainfall at Test Locations in 2005-2006.*

Month	Year	Clemson	Florence	Blackville
		inches
October	2005	2.91	5.07	3.31
November	2005	3.90	3.81	2.67
December	2005	5.77	3.63	4.70
January	2006	4.45	1.99	3.39
February	2006	2.09