1. Identify your workhorse varieties. These are the varieties now being grown on a majority of your acres with a reliable and proven record of performance over time.
2. Enhance production needs and limits. Select varieties that have useful characteristics needed for your specific production practices, soil conditions, and offer the best protection from diseases and other yield limiting factors common to your growing area.
3. Utilize a range of maturities. Select varieties that mature earlier or later than your workhorse variety, because some years may favor early varieties and some may favor later varieties. A spread of maturities also will allow you to stagger your harvest and take maximum advantage of your equipment and reduce potential losses to weathering, shattering, etc.
4. Identify different genetics. Select varieties that share 50% or less similar parentage to your workhorse variety and each other. Varieties with similar genetic backgrounds can often be susceptible to the same disease and production risks.
5. Study varietal trial information. Review variety trial information from UNL and surrounding states for areas similar to yours. Select a variety based upon two or more years performance data which could replace an older variety. Plant a limited scale trial on your farm. Newer varieties have better disease resistance packages and higher yield potential. Results of 2006 UNL variety trials for wheat are available online at varietytest.unl.edu The printed Extension circular of results should be available in August.

Steve Knox
Secretary-Manager
Nebraska Crop Improvement Association

Larry Prentice
Assistant Manager
Nebraska Crop Improvement Association

Table 1. Partial lists of wheat variety families that share 50% common parentage.
Abilene Jagalene Ogallala Rowdy 2145 Arapahoe Culver Wahoo Brule Arapahoe Harry Hallam Niobrara Redland** Tandem Vista Centurk Centura Centurk 78** Cody	Chisholm Alliance Custer Tonkawa Colt Ike Goodstreak Laredo Pronghorn Karl Jagger Karl 92** Plainsman V Karl Karl 92	Scout Agate Arkan Buckskin Jules Larned Scout 66** Scoutland** TAM 105 Siouxland Rawhide Windstar Sumner Wesley TAM 105 Crimson TAM 107	TAM 107 Akron Halt Nekota Niobrara Prairie Red TAM 200 Ogallala Hickok Thunderbird Longhorn Ponderosa Victory Laredo Tomahawk	Vona Lamar Lindon* Prowers Wings* Yuma Yumar Warrior Cody Siouxland 2163 2137 Less than 50% of any Family Listed Big Dawg Hondo Coronado Thunderbird Millennium
*Sister Selection (identical pedigree)  **Selection from or reselection of original variety (identical pedigree)

Copyright 2006 by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. All rights reserved.

Published by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperating with the counties and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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