MOST IMPORTANT WHEATS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23131, 21 September 1940, Page 9

MOST IMPORTANT WHEATS

TUSCAN AND CROSS SEVEN HIGH YIELDS FROM NEW VARIETY In point of yield, Cross 7 wheat, which was developed in Canterbury to suit special conditions, found mainly in the principal wheatgrowing districts, has now taken its place as the most important variety in New Zealand. According to the latest figures issued by the Government Statistician, Cross 7 produced 40.60 per cent, of the total yield, and formed 38.94 per cent, of the total area sown in the 1939-40 season. The Government's figures cover 89 per cent, of the area sown to wheat for this year’s harvest, and include 228,058 of the 257,532 acres threshed till the end of June. Tuscan, formerly easily the most important variety, accounted for 39.91 per cent, of the area, and 34.30 per cent, of the yield. It will be seen that these, two varieties between them accounted for 74.90 of the total yield, and 78.85 per cent, of the total area.

Tuscan type wheats accounted for 85.09 per cent, of the total area, and 82.88 per cent, of the yield, Hunters for 10.10 per cent, of the area and 12.13 per cent, of the yield, and pearl for 4.68 per cent, of the area and 4.86 per cent, of the yield. The following table gives a comparison of the performance of Tuscan

The impressive figures for Cross 7 do not actually give an accurate picture of the relative merits of the two varieties, for several reasons, though they are good as a general indication of the efficiency of the new wheat. Cross 7 was developed as a medium land wheat, designed more particularly to suit the many areas in Canteruiny where crops are exposed to high winds. The new wheat was very rapidly and enthusiastically adopted by growers, and was proved to have satisfied the claims made for it, which were no more than that it was a good Tuscan with a better resistance to lodging than normal Tuscan. Quite accidentally it was found to have better baiting qualities than Tuscan, and so far, it appears to have had a better yield. It was natural that the new wheat should have aroused particular interest among growers, and it is-probable that in part at least, the better showing made by Cross 7 is due to the additional care given the crop by those who have grown it. Another reason that would go toward explaining nart its better performance is probS that it has been grown on areas of rather better class land than that for which it was developed. The differential in the Quality of Cross 7 and of Tuscan was this year not as marked as usual, according o a report to the Wheat Research Institute this week. The states^ “Comparing Cross 7 and luscan, which together make up fiO per of the whole crop, it IS , s ««. t thnn last 7 is only five points bettei than last year, while Tuscan is 10 points better. It will be recalled that October, November, and most of December, 1939, were very dry but that about four inches cf rain fell in Christmas week, ' with another four inches in mid-Janu-ary In its effect on yield it was considered that these rains came too late to be of much use to Cross 7, which matures early, but were of considerable use to the later maturing Tuscan. It now appears that a similar effect may have been produced on quality. The Cross 7 dried off without fully maturing, while the Tuscan ripened more slowly and matured perfectly* A. similar effect has been recorded m previous years. The earliness of Cross 7 may in special circumstances . pt weather cause reductions in both yield and quality.” „ . „ The Government Statistician gives full particulars of the performances of 29 varieties of wheat, most of which account for less than 1 per cent, of the yield and acreage. Next to Tuscan and Cross 7, the most important varieties are the various modifications of the ordinary Hunters, such as College Hunters. Hunters White, and Bell s Hunters, and this group, containing six varieties, is shown as having produced 9.6 of the total area sown, and 11.65 per cent, of the total yield. Next in importance is another of the Tuscan class, Dreadnought, which was responsible for 5.26 per cent, of the total area, and 7.01 per cent, of the total yield. Jumbuck, the most important of the pearl wheats, accounted for 2.27 per cent, of the area, and 2.76 per cent, of the yield. Marquis, in the same category, gave returns of 1.85 per cent, for area and 1.57 for yield. The figures show that the wheatgrower is most conservative. In general, of course, he is a man who is sowing wheat for a return, and has not the opportunity to experiment. Only six varieties, Tuscan, Cross 7, Dreadnought, Hunters, Jumbuck, and Marquis, by themselves accounted for more than 1 per cent, each of the area under wheat. „ ~ The highest yielder airmng all the wheats sown was Sensation, which gave a return of 44.08 bushels to the acre. Only 3.9 acres of this variety was sown. Taiaroa was next in order of yield, the 252 acres sown giving a return of 11,004 bushels, or 43.67 bushels to the acre. Dreadnought was next with 41.48 bushels, and 40 acres labelled by the statistician “other Hunters varieties” was next with a return of 40.05 bushels to the acre. The Government Statistician also gives figures for the varieties of oats sown, but the figures here are much less impressive. Only two varieties of white oats appear, and three varieties of black cats, with another category labelled “unspecified.” The bulk of the oat crop in New Zealand, in fact, 94| per cent, of it, is accounted for as far as area is concerned by three varieties, Cartons with 54.87 per cent., Algerians with 24.70 per cent., and Duns with 14.84 per cent. The most successful yielder on the season was Cartons, which gave a return of 48.35 bushels to the acre. The returns were from -an area of 87 per I cent, of the total, or 43,069 acres.

and Cross 7: — Tuscan. Cross 7. Area (acres) 91,022 88,803 Total yield (bus.) 2,436,250 2,883,728 Average yield 26.77 32.47 Per cent, of area 39.91 38.94 Per cent, of yield 34.30 40.60