WHEAT DISEASE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 291, 21 September 1935, Page 7

WHEAT DISEASE

CANTERBURY CROPS ATTACKED.

REPORT TO RESERACH INSTITUTE.

(Special to the “ Guardian.”) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The occurrence of a severe attack of -root rot in Canterbury wheat crops was reported to the Wheat Research Institute at its quarterly meeting yesterday by Dr. F. W. Hiigendori (director of the institute). Dr. Hilgendorl said that in some cases a loss of 10 bushels an acre would be experienced, and in one case a crop had to be ploughed in. Dr. Hiigendorf’s report said:— “The wheats on the plots have made exceedingly good and even growth. In the country at large there has been a severe attack of one of the root rot diseases; in several cases a ioss of iu bushels an acre will be experienced, and in at least one the injury is so great that the field is being ploughed up. On one farm a crop of X 7 is badly affected while the neighbouring fields of Tuscan are unharmed. This led to a suspicion that X 7 might be specially susceptible to attack, but this is not the case. On other farms Tuscan is more severely affected than X 7, and at Lincoln where X 7 and Tuscan are grown in alternate plots there is no difference in the incidence of the disease. Soill Moisture. “Soil moisture on two different lines have been recommended, and two feeding off trials are being arranged,” the report continued. “During the last three months there have been 276 wheats milled, and 535 flours baked in duplicate. The fees for these trials for the seven months to July, 31 have totalled £250, which is considerably less than was anticipated. The total for 1934 was £427. The falling off in these receipts is due partly to the small harvest, and partly to some of our largest customers having set up their own test baking plants—which is a desirable development. “Dr. O. Frankel reports being busy in visiting wheat testing stations on the Continent where the problems of wheats suitable for milling and baking have become very similar to ours. The exclusion of Canadian wheats from France and Germany and Scandinavia has thrown these countries back on to soft wheats similar to ours, and the tests elaborated for them are likely to be applicable to the wheats we are breeding and using. Two of Dr. Frankel’s papers on wheat breeding methods have been accepted for publication by one of the most important scientic journals in England. “The Tag Heppenstall moisture meter has been set up and test calculations made against standard methods. The machine lias proved efficient for commercial purposes, moisture tests having been made in 30 seconds.”